Karachi University dominate MSAP-Greenwich chess event

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The students of the Karachi University outsmarted their opponents in the Greenwich University Chess Tournament, organized by the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), in Karachi on April 19.

The one-day chess tournament, contested by some of the leading high schools and universities of the metropolis, was staged at the Greenwich University’s main campus located in the Defence Housing Authority. The event was held as a part of the university’s silver jubilee celebrations.

The Karachi University champion, Awwad Mirza, emerged triumphant in the competition by accumulating 4.5 points while Israr-ul-Haq, from the same institution, ended runner-up with four points and Syed Samad of Beacon House stood third by collecting same number of points.

The fourth position was grabbed by Syed Uzair Rashid, also from the KU, with 3.5 points while Muneeb-ul-Hasan of the NED University and Mughees Akhtar Hussain of the Islamia College finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

Sohaib Khalid secured the best position, eighth overall, from the lot of the participants fielded by Greenwich University. Amais Qureshi, Arish Hussain and Kazim Hamdani also registered a couple of victories each.

Tariq Rasheed Khan, Director, MSAP, who was the chief guest in the presentation ceremony, held soon after the conclusion of the matches, distributed the shields among the top performers while Prof ZA Saif, Dr Wasimuddin Khan and Prof Farhat Saleem gave away a few consolation prizes.

International Master Shahzad Mirza, who is also the Secretary General of the Pakistan Chess Players Association (PCPA), conducted the tournament which was spread over five rounds on Swiss Movement System.

The tournament was quite nicely organized and the hall of the Greenwich University, where the event was being held, presented a festive look. The enthusiasm of the participating students gladdened the hearts of the organizers as well as the hosts.

MSAP to hold 2nd National Mind Sports Games in July

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The second edition of the National Mind Sports Games (NMSG), launched with great fanfare four years ago, will be held here in July this year.

Khurshid Hadi, Founder President, Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), has announced that all was set to organize the 2nd NMSG from July 13 to 15 at the Southend Club in DHA, Karachi. It’s being held on the eve of the 2nd WMSG to be staged in England in August.

“The last few weeks have been quite hectic at the MSAP and we have recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the MKR Foundation that surely would a long way in the promotion of mind sports in the country,” he revealed.

“The television coverage of the NMSG as well as the other mind sports events, some segments of them live, on Geo Super from time to time would be greatly helpful in roping in the sponsors on a long-term basis,” Khurshid Hadi reckoned.

“Right now we are in the process of finalizing the organizational aspects of the 2nd NMSG in which, like the inaugural event, competitions will be held in bridge, chess and scrabble,” he added.

“We plan to unveil the details of the NMSG in a big way through a media briefing in a few weeks time. There’s a possibility that we might bring in experts from the foreign countries for the upcoming event, subject to the availability of funds,” the MSAP chief indicated.

The MSAP, having come into being in June 2008 with the objective of promoting bridge, chess and scrabble in a big way, plans to make the NMSG a high-profile event.

It was encouraged by the performance of the local youngsters in the inaugural World Mind Sports Games (WMSG) in Beijing providing the impetus to carry mind sports to the various educational institutions.

It may be recalled that Pakistan had a full representation at Beijing and quite a few of the youngsters made a bold statement by faring well in the stiff competitions.

While the MSAP succeeded in carrying out its mission of promoting mind sports in colleges and universities over the last four years they also remained on the lookout for the willing sponsors who could support them consistently.

Having set rather high standards by organizing the first-ever NMSG in a very impressive manner at the Southend Club where they offered the kind of prize money, besides the environment, that wasn’t earlier associated with the games of chess and scrabble in particular, they waited for the right time to hold it again.

Mahmood Lodhi determined to become Pakistan’s first Grand Master

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

International Master, Mahmood Lodhi, who holds the record of winning Pakistan’s national chess championship on the highest number of occasion, has expressed his fierce determination to become the country’s first-ever Grand Master.

“It’s my ambition and I desire to achieve it in not too distant future. Despite the hardships I have had to endure over the years, I remain determined to accomplish the most cherished goal of my careerm” the master craftsman observed in an informal chat at Marathon House in Karachi on March 31.

He acknowledged the timely support of the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), having helped him in regrouping when those at the helm of the affairs in the governing body of his own sport had deserted him.

“I am thoroughly grateful to the MSAP and their Director, Tariq Rasheed Khan, who have encouraged me with their deeds. Life would have been tougher without their help at this stage,” he conceded.

Ghias, Kashif come out trumps in Dilshad bridge tourney

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The youthful duo of Ghias Khan and Kashif Shah emerged triumphant in the inaugural Dilshad Open Pairs Bridge Championship, organized by the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), at the Aslam Bridge Hall, housed in the National Stadium, Karachi, on April 23.

Youth dominated over experience on a day that saw quite a few seasoned campaigners taking the backseat and the stage was dominated by the young guns. Ghias Khan and Kashif Shah had the satisfaction of going past some of the big names of the mind sport in the country.

According to the official results released by the MSAP, Ghias Khan-Kashif Shah won the trophy by securing 62% points while Azwerul Haq-Ishaq Subhani (59.74%) and Tanvir Mazahir-Anwar Kazilbash (58.91%) finished second and third respectively among the 49 participating pairs in the tournament dedicated to the late Masud Saleem, acclaimed as one of the legends of the game.

Shahab Serki-Anisur Rahman came fourth their aggregate of 58.27% while Farhat Abbas-Syed Anwar Kamal ended fifth with their tally of 56.68%.

The championship named after Dilshad Ahmed, one of the popular bridge figures, offered a purse Rs 50,000 in prize money whereas it was originally planned to disburse Rs 30,000 among the top performers.

The one-day event was dedicated to the legendary Masud Saleem, who used to partner the great Zia Mahmood in what was Pakistan’s golden era in international bridge arena.

The venue of the event was changed in view of the tremendous response it received from the moment it was announced by the organizers. Originally it was announced to hold it at the DHA Creek Club but it was moved to the centrally accessible Aslam Hall, the hub of bridge activities in the metropolis, having the capacity to host more than 60 pairs at a time.

Rehana Saigol and Tariq Rasheed Khan, two of the former Presidents of the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), added grace to the event by having participated in the championship.

Dilshad Ahmed, a veteran bridge player, who sponsored the championship, used to captain Deuces, one of the famed teams of the yesteryears. Nicknamed ‘Dillo’ he has remained popular in the bridge circles for a long time.

He has had the honour of having spent long hours at bridge table with the likes of Zia Mahmood, Masud Saleem, Jane-Alam Fazli, Nisar Ahmed Khan and Munir Ataullah. He has fond memories of the Nazimabad Club where he spent innumerable nights playing with his friends Shamsuz Zaman, Waheed Bux Quadri, Ismail, Quadri, Asghar Naqvi, Shehenshah, Jamal Nizami, Hasan Akhtar Zaidi and Syed Ameer Hasan.