Being a “good sport” means taking loss in the stride.
On Thursday, an 11-year-old showed everyone what a true sportsperson should be like, when he played the game fair and square and kept his spirit intact even in defeat.
Here for the Parsvnath Chess Tournament, Narayanan S.L. got a walkover as his first-round opponent and third seed, Ehsan Maghami Ghaem, failed to turn up on time because of a delayed flight.
When the Iranian finally arrived, he was told that his opponent had been given the walkover.
“They (the organisers) told me that only if my opponent agreed would I be able to play the round. I was like…I'm gone. But this boy just took a second and gave his nod,” said Maghami.
When asked, Narayanan said, “It's only fair to give him a chance. Besides, being able to play a GM (Grandmaster) is a big deal. This was the first time I have ever played a GM.”
Born in a lower-middle class family, Narayanan's father was a government contractor until he gave up the job to travel with his son. Said his father, P. Sunil Duth, “My wife took a service loan to support our son's expenses, which translates into a Rs 6,000 deduction from her salary every month.
“A measly Rs. 11,000 is not enough for my family of four. But we still do it for our son.”
{{/usCountry}}“A measly Rs. 11,000 is not enough for my family of four. But we still do it for our son.”
{{/usCountry}}For this state champion (under-9 in 2007 and under-11 in 2009), moral values and ethos gain precedence over winning or losing, “Once, in the U-9 championship, my opponent accused me of touching a piece.
“He registered a protest that eventually turned out to be false. But, it really hurt me. Subsequently, I lost all the rounds,” said young Narayanan.
“The boy showed sparks of brilliance and exhibited a great character.
“He may have lost the game but has won the respect of one and all. I have promised him a gift,” signed off Ehsan Maghami Ghaem.