The Steppe Player
Thierry lived by night, alone with his cat. He would eat a plate of pasta in the evening and another in the morning, engaging in no activities other than gaming and a spiritual quest. Self-taught, he became the French chess champion before turning away from the game to devote himself to meditation and the study of esotericism—primarily the writings of Rudolf Steiner. Aside from archives discovered on-site, the photographs of the “steppe player” were all taken after his death, in the house where he had spent 60 of his 66 years.
You passed on chess to me—and with it, doubt. What meaning does the game hold, and consequently, everything else? Playing teaches us, sooner or later, that seeing further than one’s opponent is a futile desire; so what is it, deep down, that we are trying to see?
