Page 19 - Memoirs of Sarasworthy Somasundaram

Chess Champion
A Chess Champion (sorry I can’t recall his name) who had world recognition was passing
through Bangkok. The sports club had organised a series of Chess matches where the
Champion played against 4 or 5 contestants at the same sitting. Samuel of course couldn’t
resist pitching his skill against this champion. The outcome? Samuel and the champion
finished in a stalemate. One up for the Somasundaram family. Accredited chess champions
of their university days eh?

I have always side-stepped learning Chess. Once the father and a Son had sat down to a
game of chess- a well prepared dinner of rice and chicken curry could go cold and mushy;
The roof could collapse- no nothing, nothing would shift them till the game was over.
A frustrating and traumatic experience for the rest of the family, seated round the dinner
table waiting, waiting, waiting…

Is it strange I vowed never to learn the game?

18