Klay Thompson shares IG story of playing chess with his dog Rocco, fans show wrong move

As the Golden State Warriors are among the eight teams not invited to the NBA restart in Orlando, Florida, players have been carrying out multiple activities and sharing it with fans on social media. While some players returned to work out at the Chase Center, Steph Curry participated in the American Century Championship golf tournament and Kevin Looney recovered from his core muscle surgery. Klay Thompson, however, has been spending time at home, and recently shared a photo of his dog, Rocco.

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Klay Thompson dog: Klay Thompson Instagram story features him playing chess with his dog Rocco

(Klay Thompson official Instagram – @klaythompson)

On Monday, Klay Thompson posted an Instagram story where his dog Rocco was sitting in front of him and behind a chessboard. Thompson captioned the image, saying he always opens the game with a move called 'queen's gambit' while playing with Rocco. Fans loved the idea of Thompson playing with his dog, agreeing that they make for the best duo. However, some fans pointed out that the move might not be the queen's gambit. The move could be Blackmar-Diemer gambit, as queen's gambit has c4 on move 2, and not e4. However, some users explained that it used to be a common centre game-opening, but is seldom used in high-level chess these days. 

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Fans react to Klay Thompson Instagram story with Rocco

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Thompson has been sharing photos and videos of Rocco for years and is known for his love for chess. Rocco has also appeared with Thompson in his GQ Sports video, where the 30-year-old star lists his essentials. In 2018, Thompson met with Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who was there to watch the Western Conference Finals. Thompson had reportedly proven himself to Carlsen as the best chess player on the team. Thompson picked the game up when he was in seventh grade and currently owns multiple boards. The three-time NBA champion is also known to carry a magnetic version with him during Warriors road trips. 

Klay Thompson dog Rocco features in GQ Sports video with him

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Klay Thompson injury update

The Warriors guard suffered a torn left ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals Game 6 on June 13 against the Toronto Raptors. The last update for Thompson's injury was provided in February stating he would miss the entire 2019-20 season. The Warriors report confirmed Thompson's progress, who was back on track with his rehabilitation timeline. However, the pandemic has reportedly slowed down his recovery. Thompson is expected to return for the 2020-21 season, but no news has been confirmed by the Warriors. 

(Image Courtesy: Klay Thompson Instagram and Twitter)