Back in 2001 when another one of the usual days in school had just finished and I was trudging across the road to catch an auto I saw my mom standing outdside school.. Hmph, now that is never a good sign. Anything that isn't usual, you must always be wary of it. But what unfolded was truly one of the more magical days in my life.
My mom had come to pick me up to take me to R.R.(army hospital). Doesn't sound that great does it. You must have patience people! Viswanathan Anand was visiting the patients in R.R. as part of a promotional activity for N.I.I.T . My Uncle, an army doctor had duly informed me mother and asked her to bring me over to the hospital. Maybe a chance meeting was just possible.
By the time we reached R.R., the chance of a private meeting with Vishy had all but vanished and everyone had assembled in an auditorium where Vishy and his wonderful wife were to address the gathering. I thought to myself, something is still better than nothing and as long as I got to see him in flesh and blood I had nothing to complain about. Before the two of them had an interactive session with the audience, Vishy was scheduled to play a game of chess with 10 people simultaneously( He wasn't the world champion for nothing!). The players were a mix of patients and some senior army doctors and one of them happened to be my Uncle. While one by one the players sat on stage there was one seat vacant.
Yup you guessed it right! I was prodded by my aunt to go and occupy that seat because there seemed to be no other taker. There I was, a ninth class student who had just graduated from shorts to trousers playing against the World Champion. Vishy himself game me a hand and with that smile that never leaves his face, asked me to take a seat and we were all set for the 10 simultaneous matches.
There is something that has to be said about the fearlessness of youth....Looking around me, I gauged the situation and figured if he really had to play 10 matches, there is only so much he could think. I began to secretly fancy my chances. Vishy came to my table, gave me a hand and said all the best. He probably thought I was a little kid and he should go easy on me. I was the proverbial Wolf in Sheep's clothing. He should have read the look on my face for it was screaming out "Anand, you are in for a fight". I started with the classical King's pawn opening setting up the board for a three move mate.
A few iterations (enough time for my mood to go from amazingly effusive to abject dejection) later, Anand stuck his hand out yet again, this time to say well played although I knew he was saying to himself "This Schmuck seriously thought he could beat me??HOOHOOHAHAHA". I was the first of the 10 players to lose. The only consolation being that the rest of them followed suit.
The terrible part was that my Uncle was the last one to lose and he still gloats about that fact till date. His gift, a chess board, personally signed by the Champion. I use the same board to defeat my uncle again and again and again each time he chooses to chance his luck. Tough luck, Colonel !
As Vishy was making his way out of the auditorium, I was sitting in one of the aisle seats and he gave me a warm smile as if to say, maybe next time you will get the better of me! I am still waiting for my second shot at him....
I played against the best player in the world and a true sporting hero and I am darned proud about that :-)
-X-X-X-X-
On his way from Coimbatore to Chennai by train early in his career, Vishy was asked by a fellow passenger what he did for a living.Vishy replied " I am a chess player"
Wearing a slightly bemused look on his face the elderly gentleman said " Young man, you must do something steady in life. You cannot build your life playing chess unless you are a Viswanathan Anand" !!!!
image courtesy: The first one courtesy Tribune India and the not so pleasing cartoon courtesy Susan Polgar's blog
My mom had come to pick me up to take me to R.R.(army hospital). Doesn't sound that great does it. You must have patience people! Viswanathan Anand was visiting the patients in R.R. as part of a promotional activity for N.I.I.T . My Uncle, an army doctor had duly informed me mother and asked her to bring me over to the hospital. Maybe a chance meeting was just possible.
By the time we reached R.R., the chance of a private meeting with Vishy had all but vanished and everyone had assembled in an auditorium where Vishy and his wonderful wife were to address the gathering. I thought to myself, something is still better than nothing and as long as I got to see him in flesh and blood I had nothing to complain about. Before the two of them had an interactive session with the audience, Vishy was scheduled to play a game of chess with 10 people simultaneously( He wasn't the world champion for nothing!). The players were a mix of patients and some senior army doctors and one of them happened to be my Uncle. While one by one the players sat on stage there was one seat vacant.
Yup you guessed it right! I was prodded by my aunt to go and occupy that seat because there seemed to be no other taker. There I was, a ninth class student who had just graduated from shorts to trousers playing against the World Champion. Vishy himself game me a hand and with that smile that never leaves his face, asked me to take a seat and we were all set for the 10 simultaneous matches.
There is something that has to be said about the fearlessness of youth....Looking around me, I gauged the situation and figured if he really had to play 10 matches, there is only so much he could think. I began to secretly fancy my chances. Vishy came to my table, gave me a hand and said all the best. He probably thought I was a little kid and he should go easy on me. I was the proverbial Wolf in Sheep's clothing. He should have read the look on my face for it was screaming out "Anand, you are in for a fight". I started with the classical King's pawn opening setting up the board for a three move mate.
A few iterations (enough time for my mood to go from amazingly effusive to abject dejection) later, Anand stuck his hand out yet again, this time to say well played although I knew he was saying to himself "This Schmuck seriously thought he could beat me??HOOHOOHAHAHA". I was the first of the 10 players to lose. The only consolation being that the rest of them followed suit.
The terrible part was that my Uncle was the last one to lose and he still gloats about that fact till date. His gift, a chess board, personally signed by the Champion. I use the same board to defeat my uncle again and again and again each time he chooses to chance his luck. Tough luck, Colonel !
As Vishy was making his way out of the auditorium, I was sitting in one of the aisle seats and he gave me a warm smile as if to say, maybe next time you will get the better of me! I am still waiting for my second shot at him....
I played against the best player in the world and a true sporting hero and I am darned proud about that :-)
-X-X-X-X-
On his way from Coimbatore to Chennai by train early in his career, Vishy was asked by a fellow passenger what he did for a living.Vishy replied " I am a chess player"Wearing a slightly bemused look on his face the elderly gentleman said " Young man, you must do something steady in life. You cannot build your life playing chess unless you are a Viswanathan Anand" !!!!
image courtesy: The first one courtesy Tribune India and the not so pleasing cartoon courtesy Susan Polgar's blog
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2 comments:
im here because of few cents for you. just dropping by.
haha, great read..
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