Vyaktigat_Manogat_Swagat

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Shatranj Ke Khiladi

For most Chess or Chaturanga or Shatranj is Boring, even more Boring that the movie made by Ray. Actually the movie is a classic (though I wouldn't recommend it to anyone) in the sense it shows the laid-back attitude of two Kings and their engrossment in a game of chess while their soldiers/generals fight a war.

For me however, Chess is the Most Beautiful Game (Supply is a very distant 2nd). Played on 64 Black/White squares it tests a person's skills, patience (especially if you are pitted against Vivek D or Shriram U :D ), aptitude, attitude. A game that can start with umpteen different moves (though only a few lead to a Win) has got to be interestingly complex. The after game "analysis" is what improves your games, sadly understood by only a few. How quickly you rectify the mistakes in your games enables you to grow from a "Strong Amateur" to a "Weak Master".

Last week we concluded the Intra-PSPL matches/tournaments as part of Pulse-2006 and for the 2nd year running, TBU (Telecom Business Unit) won the coveted prize easily defeating most opponents. Such was the dominance that the Gold was won even before the last round had begun. Though last year we had won the prize with a difference of 4+ points reduced to 2.5 this year, it was still a pretty margin, a convincing one indeed.

Selection process was in a mess and our team was seriously crippled with the loss of Anthony, Vivek and Amit. The new members (Shriram, Sachin and Sameer) picked up from where we left last year and ensured that we would not lose our way. I must also thank all my opponents who so graciously lost against me from perfectly winning positions. Though my last game ended in a Draw, it was a game when I have possibly played the most unconventional chess and should have won (Time Factor killed my chances: Had to meet priya mitra Baavya after 3 and a half long years). No regrets for this one though.

And to top our victory our TBU also won the overall prize at Pulse '06 beating SIBU by a whopping margin of 1100 points. Victory of Truth over Pavan "SadaraDgaaNi" finally prevailed :)

Three Cheers to the BU and Three Cheers to our Chess Team !!


Appendix:
Supply : Chess doubles for the deranged
sadaraDgaaNi : Cry Baby