[ANATOLY]
They all think they see a man
Who doesn't know
Which move to make
Which way to go
Whose private life
Caused his decline
Wrecked his grand design

Some are vicious
Some are fools
And others blind
To see in me
One of their kind

Anyone can be
A husband, lover
Sooner them than me
When they discover
Their domestic bliss is
Shelter for their failing
Nothing could be worse
Than self-denial
Having to reverse
This endless trial
Of a partner's rather
Sad demands prevailing
[SVETLANA]
As you watch yourself caring
About a minor sporting triumph
Sharing your win with esoterics
Paranoids, hysterics
You don't pay attention
To what goes on around them
They leave the ones they love
The way they found them
A normal person must
Dismiss you with disgust
And weep for those who trusted you

[ANATOLY]
Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation's
Finding out at last
My one true obligation

[FLORENCE]
Since you seem to have shut out
The world at large
Then maybe I should cut out
Your tiny inessential
World-- inconsequential
In the kind of game you're playing
How do you do it?
I tried to be that cynical but blew it
I only changed your life
You left your home, your wife
I'm not surprised I slipped your mind
[ANATOLY]
Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation
Finding out at last
My one true obligation

[FLORENCE, SVETLANA & SOLOISTS]
Listen to them shout
They saw you do it
In their minds, no doubt
That you've been through it
Suffered for your art
But in the end a winner
We have never heard
Such an ovation
Who could not be stirred?
Such dedication
Skill and guts
A model for the young beginner

They're completely enchanted
But they don't take your qualities for granted
It isn't very often
That the critics soften
Nonetheless you've won their hearts
How can we begin to
Appreciate the work that you've put into
Your calling through the years
The blood, and sweat and tears
The late, late nights, the early starts?
There they go again!
Your deeds inflame them
Drive them wild, but then
Who wants to tame them?
If they want a part of you
Who'd really blame them?

[ANATOLY]
And so
You're letting me know--

[FLORENCE]
You're the only one
Who's never suffered
Anything at all!

[ANATOLY]
How you've hated my success!

[SVETLANA]
Well, I won't crawl
And you can slink back
To your pawns
And to your tarts

[ANATOLY]
And every poison word
Shows that you never understood! 

[ANATOLY]
Never!
 

Never!
 

Never!
 

Never!
Never![SVETLANA]
Liar!
 

Liar!
 
[FLORENCE]
Liar!
 

Liar! 
[SOLOISTS]
Check!
 

Check!
 

Check!
 

Check![FLORENCE, SVETLANA & SOLOISTS]
Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation
Finding out that
I'm my only obligation

[ANATOLY]
Is there no one in my life
Who will not claim
My right to steal
My work, my name
My success, my fame
And my freedom?

[THE ARBITER, spoken]
Anatoly Sergievesky is the winner, and remains world champion

[Crowd applauds]

[FLORENCE, spoken]
So, you've done it. You're still the champion

[ANATOLY, spoken]
I had to win to be free

[FLORENCE, spoken]
Free for what?

[ANATOLY, spoken]
Free to help your father-- if I go back. Free to play chess-- it's the only thing I can stay true to