It was an ordinary day, like many other days...
A bunch of us got into a tram to reach the Main Station to have lunch in a Chinese Restaurant - Suan Lang (it is still there) which makes fabulous Egg Fried Rice and offer mouth watering Zambal to go with it.
We finished our lunch and strolled into the main hall within the Station. Events are organised regularly in this hall, be it the weekly farmers market on wednesdays or the annual Christmas Market, Indian Cultural Festivals etc...
(Every Christmas Eve, a giant x-mas tree is hoisted in this hall and is adorned with glittering Swarozky Crystal figures and figurines - it IS a sight to behold!).
On this day I saw a bank of Benches neatly lined up, with Chess Boards and Timer Clocks on top of them. Curious, I asked a guy who appeared to be part of the organizing team what it was all about and he said matter of fact, 'you see, World's top Chess players play an exhibition event here today with local club level players. Simultaneous chess, that is, each top ranked player plays against 10 opponents simultaneously'. I asked a few more questions and learnt that it was the event to kick of the Zuerich Open Chess Tournament and Vishwanathan Anand was in the city but he would not be playing in this exhibition event.
My friends wanted to go back to work but the chess buff (rookie chess player having learnt my ropes from my father @ a very young age) in me refused to move. I went back to the Org. and asked whether I could participate. Kind guy he was, he asked me to hang around telling me that I could in case if any registered club players did not turn up.
I convinced my friends to stay with me and the wait of 10 minutes seemed like eternal. Then the Org. guy walked towards me with a good news; 'you play...against Nigel Short...OK?'.
I just could not believe what I heard. Nigel was World Nr. 3 then and the chance to play against him during my lunch break!!!
I sat down but nerves started running riot :-) I was so beat up about playing this gentleman, I lost the match in 19 moves (I just did not bother to think at all; it was SUCH excitement!). We used the score sheet to record the moves and when Nigel said 'Check, Mate' in his Brit Accent, I just asked him to sign the sheet as an autograph.
Only then I realised that I had spent close to 2.5 hours as against the 45 minutes lunch break at a crucial time of the project I was doing!
Though my friends were happy for me, they made me the point man to manage our PM when we went back to office - not to mention that the Project Manager was waiting angrily for us at the floor.
We silently stooped in, one after other. The whole floor was watching us and the PM just nodded his head towards his cabin.
The moment we went in, I just extended my clutched hand that held the autographed score-sheet and blurted out 'Hey you know? I played Herr Nigel Short at Zuerich Haupt Bahnhof (Main Station) during my lunch break and he won!!!!!!!
There was this incredulous look in his face...Guys around me started peeling in laughter and that changed the mood in the cabin drastically. After a bit of explanation and promises, My PM gently told me with a trace of wry smile, 'When you meet Mr. Short next time at the Station, tell him that you have your project work to do' :-)
Zuerich is an extra ordinary city - I would say the most happening place in Europe not just because it made my path cross with Nigel but because of the fact that it is the travel hub for whole of Europe. With a simple Eurail Pass one could travel almost to any corner of Europe from here with relative ease...
More about Zuerich later :-)
By the way, zambal is a paste made of Ginger, Garlic, Chillies and a pinch of sugar - our Pickles come closest to it.
yes... I too remember that day... Happy memories. :)
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