THIS is the time of the Mahabharata; The Afghan city of Kandahar is the kingdom of Gandhara, ruled by a gambler called Shakuni: This country of rebels is planning to overthrow its king. The nation's past speaks countless tales of removed royals and its future will see many crowns reduced to dust, but this king will not be removed so easily. He lives with his sister, who's married to the blind emperor of Hastinapur. Ever since her marriage, he has not returned to Gandhara, which is the source of the outrage back home.

No fox is as clever as he and no snake as poisonous. A patient bird like vulture, Shakuni smells danger from far away. When his commander-in-chief annexes his throne in his absence, he sends no army to win his state back; the master actor drops in unexpectedly, with a happy and relieved look on the face, taking his enemy by surprise.

Shakuni: "I am so relieved Senapati; you know that I never wanted to rule Gandhara anymore; my place is at Hastinapur, where I have to see that my nephew Duryodhana gets the throne after his father. I recognise your sovereignty; for, it is indeed you who can make this country rich, strong and prosperous. I am good only for a game or two of dice, which reminds me that the emperor of Hastinapur has invited you to his place for a game of chausar and he is positive that you'll come."

Senapati: "For a moment, I feared I'd have to kill you, but I see that you come in peace; good for you; otherwise, you'd have returned in pieces. I always wanted to be in the company of kings, but as equal..."

Shakuni (interrupting): "...and there is no king who does not play high stakes. Gambling, the game of uncertainty - just the kind of vice to suit the kings." Senapati (smiling): "Who am I to disappoint the emperor of Hastinapur. I'll play such high stakes like no one else has ever played."

Hastinapur, the court of emperor Dhritarashtra: A guard (announcing): "The King of Gandhara arrives." Senapati enters. From where Shakuni stands, the guest looks like an insect that has just stepped on a spider's web, soon to get caught in it. The guest greets the emperor. Dhritarashtra: "Senapati, who now has the throne of my brother-in-law, is an example of how fortunes can turn overnight; we can't understand fully this game of luck and uncertainty, but, nevertheless, let us play. Shakuni will represent me".

Shakuni and Senapati play this game on a board divided into 3x100 squares. They move in turn: the first places tiles of size 1x2 lengthwise along the axis of the board; the second in the perpendicular direction. The loser is the one who cannot make a move. No matter how well his opponent plays, Shakuni always wins. Senapati, playing high stakes, loses his wealth, kingdom and independence, in that order. Slave Senapati is, then, thrown to the lions and Shakuni regains his kingdom; his best is yet to come; but what was his winning strategy? Write at The Tribune or adityarishi99@yahoo.co.in.