ChGK in the Prairie

Chapter 24: Mariupol Calling

October 2042. The third quarter bonus has been paid out and Patricia invested all of it in short-term commercial papers with 30-day maturities. It didn't amount to that much, only about $200 in interest revenue at 3% interest rates, but better that than nothing. In her mind, every dollar counted.

Fast-forward to November 2042, a few days before they leave for Ukraine. Of course, prior to their departure, Patricia appears on Kansas City-area TV so that both sides of the city (Kansas and Missouri) learn about ChGK, as well as how to qualify for the Worlds. And, of course, tips on how to get started, and, from there, better at the game.

"The Kansas State Team will represent the US at the ChGK Worlds in Bakhmut later this week. Here's an interview with its captain, Patricia Halpern! For most people in this region, ChGK is a complete unknown. Could you please give a high-level overview of what ChGK is?" the journalist asks her.

Obviously, the journalist's questions made it clear that ChGK flew under the radar, even with one of the best players in the country playing right under their noses.

But the Americans wanting to know about the United States' performance at the ChGK Worlds in more detail than what Kansas City media bothered to do are forced to rely on Ukrainian media, and more specifically, its international English-language channel, UATV. And, out of 100 teams competing at the ChGK Worlds, Ukraine has 6 teams to the US' 1.

"I appeared on TV last night! We slaved away for years, play at Worlds and it's only now that we appear on TV! Not even after winning Nats did we get a news release!" Patricia tells her teammates while going through airport security.

"It's not like in Mariupol where, after Azovstal won the LCM, local media ran an article where they described their victory at the LCM as a sweet vengeance for their failures of the rest of the season" Vira explains to them.

"No one expects much of us at Worlds, except maybe for China, North Korea and Syria" Yakiv adds to what to expect.

And maybe Azovstal and Brain Art, too... we beat them at various tournaments, but lost the LCM to them! I am nervous; what we worked so hard towards during the past 2 years all comes down to one Saturday in Bakhmut, Bohdan muses while he gets through security prior to boarding their flight to New York.

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The following day, upon arrival in Donetsk, they waste no time driving down to Mariupol. Already the hotel staff starts asking them questions in Ukrainian about what they are in Mariupol for. A seminar at Mariupol State about Vira and Yakiv's lives as refugees and the sacrifices endured by the US for Ukraine. Which included a skyrocketing military budget that caused the federal government to risk being in default of payment. But there were several steps the US didn't take, fearing that it would lead to disastrous consequences.

Yet, at a bar close to the hotel that night, some guest somehow overheard Patricia talk about North Korea in ChGK.

"You might be wondering how North Korea even was able to play ChGK, let alone at a level that enables them to play at Worlds. You must understand the following: North Korean contractors end up working in Russia, as do students, mostly in business, science and engineering, and then bring ChGK back home" a local patron tells Patricia in a heavy Ukrainian accent.

"I assume the same happens with Syrian students, as well as Iranian ones" Patricia then remarks on how Syria and Iran could have played ChGK.

Syria is currently the fastest riser in ChGK. Even so, China's rise on the international ChGK stage was meteoric. But defeating China at the Last Chance Marathon is not the end of the story. Yet, here in Ukraine, I represent the US, Patricia ruminates while struggling to resist the temptation to drink alcohol.