Strategy requires thought,tactics require observation.(Ra's)

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You can only become smarter by playing a smarter opponent. . . the opening move was of course a feint. It always was with the old man of the mountain. Lex Luthor felt the boot hit the side of his face as he tried to roll with the hit, but then again, when you start damage mitigation, that's when you let your opponent have full control of the board. Most intelligent people fancied themselves chess players, and numerous minds have attempted to challenge Lex Luthor at the game, as if a board game were a test for intelligence. Lex Luthor of course was a master of Chess, although not perhaps to what his intellect would presuppose.

He'd learned the game from a man named Blind Louie in the Suicide Slums, although he'd never found a great love for it. Professor Sivana had created a variation with more explosive intensity that descended into discussions of hypertime. Sivana was never a strategic thinker, however, nor a tactical one. Lex would pretend to forget how the horses moved in the game, although he knew better. It was something the old men played when they weren't playing cards, which was rarely. Again, Lex had never found an appreciation for Chess any more than he had an appreciation for Monopoly. 

Until he played against his current opponent. Chess itself was a boardgame, but as a metaphor for strategic and tactical thought, it created a reasonable visual aide for the ancient master. Of course, playing against the Demon's Head was somewhat different than playing against other opponents. 

Thus Lex Luthor again felt the boot hit the side of his head, although he took the blow to a glancing way, trying to fall and roll backwards as he did, rightfully so. . . he barely avoided the decapitating blow that would have left him unable to perform a countermove. . .  and headless.

But still, the task of the positional player is systematically to accumulate slight advantages and try to convert temporary advantages into permanent ones, otherwise the player with the better position runs the risk of losing it.  Despite being knocked back, Luthor was able to gain space from the overreaction to the kick to the head, twisting backwards he was able to get the sun behind him, while simultaneously grabbing the sword from where it had been lost among one of the ventilation units, then bring it towards Ra's legs. Ra's, of course, was much too skilled to allow a simple ruse to get in the way, and sidestepped the whole problem. 

Lex narrowed his eyes, the rooftop of LexCorp had a number of objects and nooks hidden among its features, and of course Lex was aware of all of them. It's why he'd worked hard to make certain this duel would be in his baliwick, on his rooftop where he had a slight advantage in the groundwork. Then again, Ra's was no fool, and he would have familiarized himself with the locale before allowing himself to fight here. Another deadly arc with the offhand sword flew towards Luthor's chest, nicking his tie as Luthor leapt backwards. The tie would have been sliced clean off were it not made of sterner stuff. 

"B4" Luthor mirrored his position in the duel, the pawn moved forward as an offer to the bishop. Sacrifice of materiel for positional advantage. . . if the gambit was accepted. If not, he'd have other avenues. Luthor swung again with his one sword towards Ra's flank slightly, sidestepping and awaiting the counterblow with the other sword. If the gambit was accepted. 

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Pivoting on heel of his left boot allowed Ra’s to give a swift kick to his young opponent, echoing a similar move he had made near on twenty years previously in the heat of the desert, facing the same man with the same weapons. Bringing the sword around after the kick, the smooth metal slid through the air with a silent grace, only creating a whistling screech as it flipped around back into his formation. There was only game with Ra’s could ever respect and enjoy and that the game of chess, a game which could act as an exercise in tactics and strategy. The dual was just to make it more interesting for the two masterful players. An obvious gambit, but one which Ra’s was willing to accept. By giving up a pawn, he may find himself in a better attacking position, making such a move in the sword fight.

It was of paramount importance to allow the opponent the illusion of victory, so that they become sloppier and more hasty in their movements as they believe that winning is all but assured. However this must be done while keeping the pretence that you do have some skill, otherwise it is too perfect and they see through your plan. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s until this now infamous game caught on in western Europe, even though Ra’s had being playing a native version of the game since his early years. With what little spare time he had, or whenever he was in France, the Head of the Demon, under the guise of Henri Ducard, would visit many a chess club or play rival masters, often beating them with ease as the game came easy to him. Most people only focus on the piece that they’re going to move, but the key is to watch all of your pieces at once, to plan four moves ahead of the current.

The only mistake Ra’s could admit to have made so far was letting Luthor choose the location for their dual game, giving him the home field advantage and knowledge of his surroundings. As the Romans proved, position is everything in a battle, allowing one hundred men to defeat ten thousand, if they choose their playing field well. But alas this was a luxury Ra’s did not have, so he had to accommodate the best he could by memorising the routes through the ventilation units and fans which dotted the large building’s roof. As Luthor made his way back, with the sunlight at his heels, Ra’s had a choice. Either he could press the attack to give his own gambit, by putting himself in a poor position so that he may have the chance of great damage or he may break off so that he is not at a disadvantage.

Although a seemingly foolish move, he moved forward rather than moving back, into the open so that he may strike at Luthor. The gambit had being accepted, but not due to a blunder as it might seem. “BxB4” The bishop had took the pawn, leaving him open for a counter attack but by falling into his trap, Ra’s could form his own trap later on. “Life is like a game of chess, it requires thought and dedication so that you may achieve victory. If you do not play the game seriously, you will never win. Your actions in Gotham have become most impressive as of late. The people seem to see you as how the Greeks saw Zeus, and this building is Olympus.” However there is no such thing as a God, only men. After almost removing Lex’s tie, Ra’s again moved closer as they began to pass out into the open, slashing with the blade in one hand like a master fencer as well as a master chess player.