The Greatest Chess Player of All Time
An eagerly awaiting crowd gathered in at a nicely prepared ballroom of a country club...It was annouced that only 22 players would get to play a chess game in a simul against the greatest chess player of all time, Garry Kasparov and 7 places had already been pre-determined. I was one of the pre-determined ones as I was invited to play by the organisers. So there would be a ballot for 15 places, and a select number from each different sector. This was in line with the event that was that "chess is for everybody". With so many waiting and hoping to play, there was every chance of either being the chosen or not being chosen. Eventually, the names were called out and the players were settled into their seats. The chosen ones were delighted, being given a-once-in-a-life-time-experience, while some who missed out on that chance were visibly disappointed.
Some time passed and the guest, Kasparov had not arrived yet. Everyone waited anxiously for his arrival. Before long, it was annouced that he was almost arriving, and everyone prepared the way and prepared their cameras. And, then, he had arrived and it was annouced again to everyone. Suddenly, the room door was thrust open and a smoke screen was deployed. To everyone's surprise, four armed SWAT police with machine guns came in, and the drum roll began, Kasparov and the organisers came in. It was all part of their theatrical entrance which in fact was to the surprise of Kasparov himself. After moving to front, there was a drum performance and Kasparov said a few words, even joking that the only time he really had military escorts was once in an university in another country which i can't remember.
Then, he proceeded to check the ratings of all the players. Having done that, he was asked to proceed with shaking hands, beginning with me! Thereafter, we began the simul chess game. (This is where a player goes to each table and makes his move and each player must make a move when he reaches your table). I managed to stay at the table for quite a while but more because it took some time as he went from table then because I played. I guess, I played ok, but I made a bad move at about move 10, by changing queens at the wrong time allowing his knight to get into a threatening position and a bad pawn move on the queenside sealed my fate. I missed actually a pretty simple move. But, he had already calculated everything on move 9 when he played Na3 and I couldn't see what he saw. The amazing thing was that true to the great person he is and what he says in his very own book, How Life Imitates Chess, he had such great vision when playing with me, he also did not capture a free pawn when he could because he knew he could get it later and instead he created more weaknesses in my position to eventually lead to a winning endgame, two pawns up. It was remarkable too that, he didn't really play fancy stuff, but he just took a small weakness and used that to win.
I must say that although I didn't play a good game, but it was a good experience playing such a great player. He had such a charisma, and you just could feel like he someone special and different from an average person. And, even in this short game, I learned so much about the way he thinks and it amazes me how well he plays the game. It was overall a great experience, to meet such a great chess player and I must say I never really been a chess fan in my life despite playing chess, coz I only played coz my brother is such a chess talent, but meeting Kasparov has inspired me. I know I probably will never be a great chess player but I now appreciate what it means to play good chess. To top things all of i was presented by Kasparov in front of the camera, his signed book.
Yea, so it was such a great experience to meet and play chess with Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player of all time and I'm very grateful for this once-a-life-time-experience.
Some time passed and the guest, Kasparov had not arrived yet. Everyone waited anxiously for his arrival. Before long, it was annouced that he was almost arriving, and everyone prepared the way and prepared their cameras. And, then, he had arrived and it was annouced again to everyone. Suddenly, the room door was thrust open and a smoke screen was deployed. To everyone's surprise, four armed SWAT police with machine guns came in, and the drum roll began, Kasparov and the organisers came in. It was all part of their theatrical entrance which in fact was to the surprise of Kasparov himself. After moving to front, there was a drum performance and Kasparov said a few words, even joking that the only time he really had military escorts was once in an university in another country which i can't remember.
Then, he proceeded to check the ratings of all the players. Having done that, he was asked to proceed with shaking hands, beginning with me! Thereafter, we began the simul chess game. (This is where a player goes to each table and makes his move and each player must make a move when he reaches your table). I managed to stay at the table for quite a while but more because it took some time as he went from table then because I played. I guess, I played ok, but I made a bad move at about move 10, by changing queens at the wrong time allowing his knight to get into a threatening position and a bad pawn move on the queenside sealed my fate. I missed actually a pretty simple move. But, he had already calculated everything on move 9 when he played Na3 and I couldn't see what he saw. The amazing thing was that true to the great person he is and what he says in his very own book, How Life Imitates Chess, he had such great vision when playing with me, he also did not capture a free pawn when he could because he knew he could get it later and instead he created more weaknesses in my position to eventually lead to a winning endgame, two pawns up. It was remarkable too that, he didn't really play fancy stuff, but he just took a small weakness and used that to win.
I must say that although I didn't play a good game, but it was a good experience playing such a great player. He had such a charisma, and you just could feel like he someone special and different from an average person. And, even in this short game, I learned so much about the way he thinks and it amazes me how well he plays the game. It was overall a great experience, to meet such a great chess player and I must say I never really been a chess fan in my life despite playing chess, coz I only played coz my brother is such a chess talent, but meeting Kasparov has inspired me. I know I probably will never be a great chess player but I now appreciate what it means to play good chess. To top things all of i was presented by Kasparov in front of the camera, his signed book.
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