Ron's chess-playing skills

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 86038

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "quigonginger"
<quigonginger at y...> wrote:
> As I am not a chess player, I cannot add anything substantial to that 
> part of the discussion (sorry), but one thing has bugged me since my 
> first reading of SS.  As Steve pointed out:
> > And, as someone else pointed out, Ron had two chess pieces (Harry &
> > Hermoione) that he had to guard at all cost, as well as trying to
> > overpower his opponent. That substantially complicated the chess 
> game.
> 
> So I wonder:
> What would Ron have done had it been necessary to sacrifice Harry or 
> Hermione?  I have been looking for clues in the other books as to 
> Ron's charactor, and have not come to a solid conclusion.  I am 
> thinking of a situation where it had to be done not only to secure a 
> victory, but also to avoid imminent defeat.  No time for stalling. 
> Now or never.  
> 
> Opinions?
> 
> Ginger

He couldn't have sacrificed Harry. The whole point was to win the game
and move Harry forward. It was his quest, so to speak, and Ron and
Hermione were only there to help. In winning the game regardless of
his self-sacrifice, Ron had fulfilled his part--as Hermione had done
with the Devil's Snare and would do again with Snape's riddle. The
rest Harry had to do alone. BTW, this particular chapter illustrates
the importance of teamwork and we'll almost certainly see
indispensable contributions by Ron and Hermione in Books 6 and 7.
Harry will not be the lone hero.

Carol