Romanian President Nicusor Dan is a passionate chess player and, by all accounts, a rather good one, too. But now, amid Romania's ongoing political crisis, Dan has made a move that is not only risky but arguably breaks the rules of the democratic game. Many are wondering what could have led Dan, a former civil society activist, to act this way. Two months ago, Romania's four-party coalition collapsed , leaving the country without a government as the country finds itself amid severe financial