It was nice to know that she could still startle someone in the game of Chess. True, she could probably still surprise Anatoly if she ever got to the point where she could play against him again without wanting to beat him over the head with the chess board. She hoped it would come, but she only had just found out about him being there as well and as she was dealing with the fact his whore was there as well? It would definitely take time. But they had the welfare of their daughters to consider and so she would obviously have to move past her own heart ache to interact with him for the girls' sakes. True, he hadn't cared before, but maybe he would now? Now in a world where Chess wasn't nearly as important as it had been back at home.
It was interesting to see the moves he was doing. Offensive and defensive all at once. But he was alternating. She was curious to see just what he had planned. She knew she would be able to get out of it. It might take some careful planning but she could get out of it. But she was calculating. One had to be in the USSR to be able to raise her daughters against their teachings. So she knew how to mask her true intentions, both with her features as well as her moves. Anatoly may know how to read her even when she showed nothing, but in a match, he rarely could read her. Oh, he had surpassed her but she could still fool him. Or had been able to before he stopped playing with her all together.
"Sometimes their intentions start out well, but it changes them. The fame..."
It was a touchy subject for Svetlana. Because she had seen the change so drastically in her husband. Once so caring and sweet, suddenly emotionally distant and shattering her heart. But at least he was still a father to the girls. Or had been. But she wasn't going to get into that with this man. Maybe one day she would with Anatoly. But for now, she would keep that heart ache to herself.
Even so, she focused on the game, countering his moves while making her way to capture his King.