Garry Kasparov in Malaysia

I was feeling rather elated and estatic this morning that I managed to have a picture taken with former world chess champion Garry Kasparov at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. No, not the picture on the right. That's not like the real thing, is it? No no no ... that was taken of me beneath a larger-than-life poster in the plenary hall of the convention centre, just before he came waltzing into the hall unannounced with his wife before the event started. No, I mean THIS one below:



For a man who is so widely travelled, it is remarkable that this brief two-day visit to Malaysia marked his first to the South-East Asian region. That's what the man told me himself.

Anyway, I was doubly happy because I also managed to get his autograph. He looked a bit surprised when I brought out my copy of his book, How Life Imitates Chess. Maybe he didn't expect anyone to have a copy of it here.