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By Way of Deception

By Way of Deception

By Way of Deception

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12CheckmateAS A YOUNG BOY growing up in Syria, Magid had dreamed <strong>of</strong> oneday playing chess on the world circuit. He lived and breathedchess, studied its history, and memorized the moves <strong>of</strong> themasters.Magid, a Sunni Muslim, had lived in Egypt since the heady days <strong>of</strong>the late 1950s, a time when Gamal Abdel Nasser, whose goal wasa broadly based, Egyptian-led union <strong>of</strong> Arabs, headed 1958'sformal union <strong>of</strong> Egypt and Syria into the United Arab Republic.Now it was the summer <strong>of</strong> 1985, and Magid had just arrived inCopenhagen, hoping to set up in business as a private investmentbanker. On his first day there, he noticed a well-dressed mansitting in his hotel lobby studying a chess book and a board.Magid had been late for an appointment and didn't have time tostop. The next day, however, the man was there again. The boardwas like a magnet for Magid and he walked over to the man,tapped him on the shoulder, and in remarkably good English said,"Excuse me.""Not now, not now," the man snapped.Startled, Magid stood back momentarily, watched quietly for abrief period, then suggested a logical defensive move.Now the stranger was interested. "Do you know chess well?" heasked.The two men struck up a conversation. Magid was always thrilledto talk chess, and for the next two and a half hours230

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