Prokhrov pledges support to MSAP in chess promotion

By Ehsan Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Director of the Russian Centre of Science & Culture (RCSC) in Karachi, R M Prokhrov, has reiterated continued support to the mind sport of chess by hosting its various events besides providing other facilities to the participants and organizers. 

He also announced the famous Grand Master, an ex-world champion and a prolific trainer from Russia, Anatoly Karpov, will be training the Pakistan’s national masters of chess. He made these remarks while inaugurating Engro Women Training Programme being held at the RCSC, also known as Friendship House, on September 3. 

The event is being organized by the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) as part of its women empowerment initiatives. Around 25 women, including students from some of the prestigious educational institutions of Karachi, have enrolled for the programme. 

Tariq Rasheed Khan, CEO of MSAP, complimented Prokhrov for his support for this program and plans for arranging the Russian chess star Anatoly Karpov for training Pakistan chess masters.

Pakistan's chess star apparent, Grand Master Mahmood Lodhi, is the chief instructor with FIDE Master Omer Khan and Muhammad Waqar are both qualified trainer and coaches. The MSAP's Syed Akhtar Sami is supervising overall programme.

The MSAP, it may be recalled, was founded in 2008 for the promotion of bridge, chess and scrabble, three of the most popular mind sports in the country. The Association has held a number of events over the last 15 years beside facilitating the participation of the players in international events. 

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MSAP back in business with a bang!

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), fittingly a brainchild of Khurshid Hadi, arguably the brainiest individual to have ever been associated with sports arena in the country for a long time, is back with a bang. 

With a few like-minded comrades, he had launched the MSAP way back in 2007. He didn’t waste time to make the presence felt in a big way because the inaugural National Mind Sports Games staged at the Southend Club in Karachi in 2008 were nothing short of spectacular. 

Since then the MSAP has survived, mainly because of the man himself, because he never let it fade. He has had a mission from day one and he has been on it despite everything, the occasional disappointments included. 

Knowing him well enough, it’s not surprising that his MSAP has taken fresh guard and started with a bang again. 

They have joined hands with Shahzad Roy’s Zindagi Trust in the promotion of chess, alongwith The Citizen Foundation (TCF). 

“Powered by four-year sponsorship deal (2019-2022) with the Engro Foundation, we have now launched a major project of introducing chess at educational institutional level which will go a long way in achieving our mutual objectives,” Khurshid Hadi, the MSAP Founder Chairman and Director, announced during a media briefing at the Karachi Press Club on May 6. 

“The objectives of the MSAP have included the development of games of chess, bridge and scrabble by facilitation to academic institutions to establish mind sport learning/teaching and clubs. We promote public awareness for the value of developing minds especially among the youth while we organize local, national and international competitions to improve soft image of Pakistan,” he narrated. 

Emphasizing the significance of chess at school level, Khurshid Hadi shared the benefits of playing mind sports, which reflected on behavior, structuring of minds, reasoning, mental arithmetic, increase in memory, concentration and emphasis on ethical standards. 

He further remarked that mind sports also played an important part for betterment of health, protection against mental deterioration and also allowed gymnastics of mind for a person learning or playing chess.

Replying to a questioner, he talked about the plans of the MSAP to revive the National Mind Sports Games whose inaugural edition was staged with great fanfare in 2008. 

“We will be able to do it either by the year end or early next year. We are very interested and inclined towards reviving this event and it will be a matter of time when we do it,” the MSAP Chairman said. 

“It’s quite unusual for three social sector organizations to come on one platform but we, three NGOs, have decided to work together for the introduction of chess at educational institution level,” Shahzad Roy, a renowned singer, social worker and humanitarian, declared on the occasion. 

“Zindagi Trust, since its establishment in 2002, has been striving to improve the quality of education available to the under-privileged segment in particular. We have been trying to transform the education system through uniform curriculum and sports activities. Now, with the collaboration of MSAP, we are endeavouring to have chess included in the curriculum of various boards,” he announced. 

“Our collaborative chess initiatives will go a long way in transforming the lives of talented individuals. Chess is a sport which teaches wisdom and intelligence. Going by our past experiences, personally I don’t foresee hurdles or problems in having chess in the curriculum,” Shahzad Roy felt. 

To a question, he clarified that the purpose of the whole exercise will die if the students of the government schools were not its main beneficiaries. 

“It won’t an elite activity or anything like that. We will welcome all schools to include chess in their curriculum but our focus will be on the government schools,” he added. 

Besides Khurshid Hadi, the other MSAP officials present on the occasion were Kemal Shoaib, Tariq Rasheed Khan and Syed Pervez Iqbal.

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Kizilbashing win Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Kizilbashing emerged as the champions in the 23rd edition of the Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament 2018 which concluded at the Aslam Bridge Hall, housed in the National Stadium, Karachi, on August 5. 

Comprising of Anwar Mumtaz Kizilbash, Tehsin Gheewala, Anis-ur-Rahman, Hasan Askari, Rashid-ul-Ghazi and Sheikh Abdul Muqeet, Kizilbashing won the two-day event by accumulating 96.03 points in seven rounds. 

The Karachi Bridge Associates (KBA), led by its President Dr Minhaj Qidwai, and also featuring Faraz Hyder, Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi and Abdul Kader Bhurgri, claimed the runners-up slot with an aggregate of 89.02 points. 

The Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), captained by its chairman Khurshid Hadi, and also having seasoned campaigners like Kemal Shoaib, Abdul Rahman Allana, Major Akhtar Zaidi and Javed Ahmed Miran, finished third with its tally of 76.44 points. 

The fourth position was clinched by Shahab IV, containing Shahab Latif Khan, Abdul Qadir Sakaria, Farhat Abbas and Muhtashim Ashai, who aggregated 70.85 points. They were leading the table at the end of the second round. 

Another fancied team Bilal, having the presence of Shahin Iqbal, Parvez Mirza, Gulzar Ahmed Bilal, Farrukh Liaquat and Muhammad Ghufran Ashraf, had to settle with the fifth position as they secured 70.29 points. 

Only eight teams contested the annual event having offered handsome prize money of Rs 150,000, donated by Khurshid Hadi, Founder Chairman, MSAP and a former President of the PBF. 

The championship is being organized by the KBA to pay homage the late Muhammad Aslam Shaikh, a former Secretary of the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), acclaimed to have devoted his life for the development of the game. 

The PBF and the KBA had jointly instituted the memorial event in 1996 whose declining attendance over the last couple of years has caused concerns. As compared to the average of 16 to 17 teams participating in the earlier years, the participation had gone down to 11 teams last year and it further dropped to only eight this year.

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Khurshid Hadi regrets thin attendance in Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The low turnout has marred the 23rd edition of the Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament 2018 got underway at the Aslam Bridge Hall, housed in the National Stadium, Karachi, on August 4.

Only eight teams turned out for the annual event, organized by the Karachi Bridge Associates (KBA), to pay homage the late Muhammad Aslam Shaikh, a former Secretary of the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), known to have devoted his life for the development of the game. 

The thin attendance looked all the more disappointing for the fact that the event offered handsome prize money of Rs 150,000, donated by Khurshid Hadi, Founder Chairman, Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) and a former President of the PBF, with even the fifth placed team assured of a share in it. 

According to the information made available by the organizers, the tournament was participated by 11 teams last year which was the lowest in its 22-year history. Now the record has come down to eight teams in its 23rd year. 

The PBF and the KBA had jointly instituted the memorial event in 1996 in the memory of Aslam Shaikh, who was tragically murdered in August 1995. 

Khurshid Hadi, having headed the PBF with distinction for a couple of tenures until 2008, conceded that the declining attendance in the bridge tournaments of late was a cause of serious concern and appropriate damage control measures must be taken by the administrators of the game.

He pointed out that the ongoing development work at the National Stadium was also one of the contributing factors in not letting the interested players reach the Aslam Bridge Hall due to the hardships they faced. 

Meanwhile Shahab IV, comprising of Shahab Latif Khan, Abdul Qadir Sakaria, Farhat Abbas and Muhtashim Ashai, got themselves on top of the tree in the points table at the end of the second round with their score of 27.44 points. 

KBA, led by its President Dr Minhaj Qidwai, and also having Faraz Hyder, Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi and Abdul Kader Bhurgri, were a close second with 26.58 points while Kizilbashing, containing Anwer Mumtaz Kazilbash, Tehseen Gheewala, Anis-ur-Rahman, Hasan Askari and Rashid-ul-Ghazi, were placed third with 23.87 points. 

MSAP, captained by its chairman Khurshid Hadi, and also having the likes of Kemal Shoaib, Abdul Rahman Allana, Major Akhtar Zaidi and Javed Ahmed Miran, had moved to fourth position with 18.68 points after having endured a setback in the opening round.

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Khurshid Hadi adds value to Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Khurshid Hadi, Founder Chairman, Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), and a former President of the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), has come to the rescue once more by sponsoring the latest edition of the Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament 2018 which will be getting underway at the Aslam Bridge Hall, housed in the National Stadium, Karachi, on August 4 

The tournament, an annual feature in the bridge calendar for the past couple of decades, is organized to pay homage the late Muhammad Aslam Shaikh, a former Secretary of the PBF, who was murdered in August 1995. 

He has been hailed as person who had devoted his life for the development of the game. 

The PBF and the KBA had jointly instituted the memorial event in 1996 and it has been held regularly since then.

The MSAP Chairman, Khurshid Hadi, has now added greater attraction of prize money and the KBA was approaching all duplicate bridge players to make it a grand and memorable one. 

Khurshid Hadi’s own team, comprising of some of the bridge stalwarts, will also be participating in the event alongwith other fancied outfits, expected to turn up in event being held in the memory of one of the most eminent bridge personalities of the country. 

The activities of duplicate bridge are in full swing at the Aslam Bridge Hall, despite difficult approach due to development work being carried on at the National Stadium. 

The Aslam Memorial Bridge Tournament 2018 will be spread over two successive days and the proceedings will commence at 2.30 pm on both days.

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Mahmood Lodhi becomes Pakistan’s first chess GM

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Mahmood Lodhi, acclaimed as the greatest exponent of chess in the country, duly achieved the distinction of becoming the first-ever Grand Master as he won the 8th Asian Seniors Chess Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, recently.

“Achieving the GM title was my long team dream and I could not sleep for two nights after this accomplishment for Pakistan’” he told media at the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, Karachi, on his return from New Zealand. 

Due to a combination of factors, the newly crowned Grand Master didn’t get a befitting reception at the airport as not a single representative of the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP), the Sindh Chess Association (SCA) and the Karachi Chess Association (KCA) was there to welcome him. 

His buddy and International Master, Shahzad Mirza, greeted him alongwith an official of the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP). 

“A couple of well-wishers and chess lovers provided me loan for a trip to New Zealand,” the 55-year-old Lodhi, hailing from Gujranwala, stated. 

“My appeal to the sports authorities of Pakistan to get me my PIA job restored which was terminated over 10 years ago without reasoning,” a record 15-time National Champion, jobless said. 

He called for support and better treatment to other sports persons for bringing honor and glory to the country. 

“If I get proper support from the government, I can bring the world title to Pakistan,” he commented. 

He expressed the hope that securing GM title change his struggling life and he will get support for featuring in GM international events. 

“GM in other countries gets great support and respect. But I am waiting for it to be happening in Pakistan,” he said. 

Besides dominating for Pakistan chess scene for over three decades, Mahmood Lodhi had represented Pakistan in over a dozen World Chess Olympiads.

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More bridge youngsters likely in Hadi Cup 2016

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Greater emphasis will be laid in engaging young players from the educational institutions, besides roping in the stalwarts, in the upcoming fifth edition of the Hadi Cup Bridge Tournament to be staged later this year. 

Instituted by Khurshid Hadi, Chairman, Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), and a former President of the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), in the memory of his illustrious father, the tournament is set to be organized by the Karachi Bridge Associates (KBA) in the last quarter of the year. 

Interestingly Khurshid Hadi himself, in the company of his regular partner, Kamal Shoaib, had withstood all the challengers to emerge triumphant in the fourth edition of the Hadi Cup Bridge Pairs Championship 2015 which was held at the Aslam Bridge Hall, housed in the National Stadium, Karachi, last year. 

The two veterans of Pakistan bridge, however, had opted to forego their winning purse and donated it to the KBA, who hosted the two-day event, contested by a total of 28 pairs. The total prize money in the event was Rupees one lac and there were a total of 10 prizes on offer, with four for the winners of each session and the top six position holders in the final points table. 

Many of the leading players of the country, particularly those based in Karachi, which has been the hub of bridge activities for a number of years, had featured in the all the previous editions of the Hadi Cup, having become a regular annual event in the national bridge calendar. 

The KBA as well as the Hadi family have now shown the eagerness to attract greater number of young players, particularly students who have been taking bridge classes at their respective educational institutions, because making occasional presence in the various competitions held from time to time. 

Although the format and dates of the 5th Hadi Cup 2016 have not been finalized yet, the organizers are assessing the possibilities of making the tournament a team event instead of a pairs content, and it will announced well in advance to allow adequate time for registration to facilitate greater participation in it.

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Khurshid Hadi, Tariq Rasheed commend chess champion Mahmood Lodhi

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The top officials of the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) have commended Mahmood Ahmed Lodhi for having won the National Chess Championship for a record 14th time. He achieved the feat in Lahore on April 30.

Khurshid Hadi, President, MSAP, congratulated Mahmood Lodhi on extending his national record, urging him to sustain the momentum and carry his excellent form to the upcoming international events. 

“It’s terrific to have a chess player like Mahmood Lodhi in our folds. Winning the National Championship for 14 times is quite an accomplishment. We will try everything possible at our end to facilitate him,” the MSAP President remarked. 

The MSAP, which has been supporting Mahmood Lodi over the last few years, will be honouring him with a shield and a cash award when the chess champion reaches Karachi next week. 

“We will present him a shield and cash prize of Rs 25,000 for having won the national championship once more,” Tariq Rasheed Khan, Director, MSAP, announced. He added that the Association will also consider funding him for the Grand Masters event. 

Meanwhile the national champion himself has vowed to continue playing with the same passion to bring more glories for the country. 

“I am delighted to have improved on my own record and I will now like to concentrate on the upcoming international events. It feels great to extend the record and I am really excited at having won the national championship for the 14th time. The sweetness of victory can only be felt not shared,” the record-holder stated. 

According to the official results announced by the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP), defending champion Mahmood Lodhi, emerged triumphant once more by playing out a draw against Anwar Qureshi in the 11th and final round of the event. 

Mahmood Lodhi, alongwith Ahmad Ali, Shahzad Mirza, Mohammad Younis and Mudassar Iqbal, have qualified to represent Pakistan in the World Chess Olympiad to be held in Tromso, Norway, in August.

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Record purse disbursed in Pakistan Day bridge

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Cash awards of no less US $20,000, a new record, were presented to the leading performers of the Pakistan Day International Bridge Tournament in what turned out to be a colourful closing ceremony of a successful event where the participation level was on the higher side.

The team event was contested by as many as 35 outfits, which included some of the top players of the United Kingdom, China, Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

They were confronted with 29 local teams from Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi Islamabad, Multan and Hyderabad who had joined hands to tackle the tricky combination of cards and solve these problems through intense mental activity required in the mind sport of bridge. 

Both the UK outfits came up with sterling performance to share the top two positions after two days of intense fight for supremacy. UK-2, comprising of Jason Hackett, Justin Hackett, Mike Bell and Alex Hydes, won the Nawab Yousuf Talpur Trophy besides the top prize US $7,000 by aggregating 162.31 Victory Points (VPs) while Barmy Army, and containing Sendra Penfold, Edward Jones, Thomas Paske and Brain Senior, ended runners-up with their tally of 134.56 VPs and they collected a purse of US $3,500.

Talpur, featuring Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur, Parvez Mirza, Rashid-ul-Ghazi and Syed Hasan Jawwad, were the leaders among the local teams as they finished third overall with their score of 129.72 VPs, picking up a cash award of US $2,500 while Miran, having Khurshid Hadi, Kemal Shoaib, Abdul Rehman Allana, Sarfaraz Ahmed Khan, Tahir Masood and Javed Ahmed, received US $2,000 for having finished fourth with 126.44 VPs. 

Dynamite, represented by Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Naseem Arzoo, Syed Hussain Jaffar, Mohammad Ashraf Kothari, Anwar Gheewala and Afzal Ahmed Sheikh, came fifth by having aggregated 115.77 VPs which earned them US $1,500 while the sixth placed KG-1, fielding E U Khawaja, Usman Ansari, Nasir Wahab, Sattar Cochinwala and Mansoor Habib, with an aggregate of 115.40 VPs, got US $500.

The participation in the pairs contest was even higher with as many as 92 pairs having competed for the Data Steel Trophy which was claimed by Ghufran Ashraf-Shahab Khan (61.50%), alongwith a cash prize of US $1,000. 

Runners-up Brian Senior-Sandra Penfold (59.98%) received US $700 while Anwar Sultan-Khalid Manzoor (59.97%), Afzal Sheikh-Iqbal Siddiqui (59.95%), Hassan Jawwad-Rashid-ul-Ghazi (57.21%) and Khurshid Hadi-Kemal Shoaib (57.12%) shared the next four positions and they were compensated with US $500, US $400, US $250 and US $150 respectively. 

Special prizes of US $100 each were presented through the courtesy of Data Steel to the pairs of Ali Hai-Zia Hai and Qudsia Dossa-Rubina Hai.

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Richly deserved Lifetime Achievement Award for Rashid-ul-Ghazi

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Rashid-ul-Ghazi, acclaimed as the most accomplished bridge player of the country, has been decorated with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), a recognition he richly deserved.  

The presentation was made to him during the Victory Banquet of the Pakistan Day International Bridge Tournament 2014 at the Hotel Pearl Continental, Karachi, on March 23. 

The modest and unassuming Rashid, having won more championships than anyone in the country, was hailed as a formidable opponent with the rare abilities to achieve outstanding results on a consistent basis. 

His services to the game were very rightly lauded by the top officials of the PBF and the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), who jointly organized the three-day festival. 

Rashid, who was also a part of the national team which won the BFAME Zonal Championship at Chennai, India, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Nawab Yousuf Talapur, President, PBF, in the presence of Khurshid Hadi, Chairman, MSAP. 

Tariq Rasheed Khan, Director, MSAP, and a former President of the PBF, was highly appreciative of the accomplishments of Rashid, whom he described as a role model for the bridge players of the country.

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UK dominance in Pakistan Day bridge

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The brilliance of the stars from the United Kingdom, who played under the banner of UK-2 and Barmy Army, shared the top two positions in the team event of the Pakistan Day International Bridge Championships which concluded at the Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi, on March 23. 

Besides the UK there were foreign participants from China, Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well in the three-day festival organized jointly by the Mind Sport Association of Pakistan (MSAP) and the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF). 

UK-2, comprising of Jason Hackett, Justin Hackett, Mike Bell and Alex Hydes, continued to dominate their rivals and their eventual aggregate of 162.31 Victory Points (VPs), earned them the top slot with ease and grace. 

Barmy Army, the other participating team from the UK and containing Sendra Penfold, Edward Jones, Thomas Paske and Brain Senior, ended runners-up with their tally of 134.56 VPs. Talpur, featuring Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur, Parvez Mirza, Rashid-ul-Ghazi and Syed Hasan Jawwad, were the leaders among the teams fielded by Pakistan. They finished third overall with their score of 129.72 VPs while Miran, having Khurshid Hadi, Kemal Shoaib, Abdul Rehman Allana, Sarfaraz Ahmed Khan, Tahir Masood and Javed Ahmed, finished fourth with 126.44 VPs. 

The fifth position was claimed by Dynamite, represented by Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Naseem Arzoo, Syed Hussain Jaffar, Mohammad Ashraf Kothari, Anwar Gheewala and Afzal Ahmed Sheikh, who aggregated 115.77 VPs. KG-1, having E U Khawaja, Usman Ansari, Nasir Wahab, Sattar Cochinwala and Mansoor Habib, came a close sixth with 115.40 VPs while China-2, containing Limin Wang, Hua Liang, Huizhong Zhao, Zhiwei Ding, Rhenda Zhang and Tianlu Guo, had to settle with the seventh slot with their tally of 113.68 VPs. 

Avengers, fielding Qasim Rahim Khan, Ali Ahmed, Hamza Liaqat and Mohammad Salman Qasim, finished eighth with 110.54 VPs, Ahsan, comprising of Ahsan Zahir Rizvi, Nasir Raza Khan, Ghulam Mohammad, Anis-ur-Rehman, Mohammad Ghufran Ashraf and Shahab Latif Khan, were placed ninth wither tally of 109.97 VPs and Zara, having fielded Zara Randa, Mays, Aida, Samar Alrawashde, Mohammad Hikal and Sakhar, were placed 10th with 109.59 VPs. 

A total of 35 teams, seven of them from abroad, took part in the event which was spread over 10 rounds. The first five rounds were played on March 22 while the remaining five rounds were contested the following day. 

The first round winners were Barny Army, UK-2, Hai, Thread & Needles, Miran, Sindh Bilal, Zara, Romex, Karachi Aces, Dynamite, KG-1, Ahsan, China-2, Izzat Khalil, Talpur, Blue Chips and Aces with Trail Blazers having been given a bye. 

Aces, UK-2, Thread & Needles, Talpur, Miran, Romex, Barny Army, Zara, Izzat Khalil, Avengers, Puri Estate, Star Bidders, Masood IV, Softel, Dynamo, Sabres and Turkey registered wins in the second round with Foxy given a bye. 

UK-2, Barny Army, Talpur, China-2, Sindh Bilal, Puri Estate, Turkey, Avengers, Dynamo, Ahsan, Dynamite, Trail Blazers, Foxy, Holdem and Saya defeated their respective opponents in the third round in which B-Team had a bye. A couple of matches also ended in a draw in this particular round. 

Thread & Needles played out a draw against Aces while Star Bidders and Hai were also engaged in a drawn encounter. There were massive victories for Data Steel and Masood IV in the fourth round as they whipped B-Team and Softel respectively. 

UK-2, Talpur, Miran, Romex, Sindh Bilal, China-2, Zara, Avengers, Star Bidders, Hai, Trail Blazers, Saya, Karachi Aces, Lahore and Marathon also prevailed over their respective rivals while Inbox had a bye in the fourth round. 

The victorious teams in the fifth round were UK-2, Sindh Bilal, Miran, China-2, Zara, Avengers, Masood IV, Dynamite, Puri Estate, Ahsan, Kohat Cement, Karachi Aces, KG-1, Holdem, China, Inbox and Soften with Sabres getting a bye. 

There was more success in the sixth round for UK-2, Talpur, Avengers, Thread & Needles, Dynamite, Turkey, Aces, Ahsan, Trail Blazers, Softel, Foxy, Holdem, Saya, Data Steel, Lahore and Blues with Marathon having been given a bye which the match between Miran and Barmy Army ended in a stalemate. 

Puri Estate, UK-2, Holdem, Hai, Inbox, China-2, Sindh Bilal, Trail Blazers, Masood IV, Barmy Army, Softel, Miran, Blue Chips, Dynamo, Marathon, Turkey and Sabres registered wins in the seventh round with Karachi Aces given a bye. 

KG-1, Marathon, Lahore, Trail Blazers, Masood IV, Sindh Bilal, Aces, Dynamite, Barmy Army, Foxy, Puri Estate, Star Bidders, Ahson, Inbox, Thread & Needles and UK-2 overcame their respective opponents in the eighth round in which China had a bye while Dynamo and Saya were played out a drawn encounter. 

The winners in the ninth round were Data Steel, KG-1, Foxy, Hai, Miran,Talpur, Masood IV, Marathon, Aces, Avengers, Inbox, Barmy Army, UK-2, Dynamo, Turkey, Karachi Aces and Sabres while Kohat had a bye. 

China, Dynamite, UK-2, Softel, Zara, Barmy Army, Ahsan, Avengers, Miran, Dynamo, Marathon, Talpur, China-2, Kohat Cement, KG-1, Saya and Romex signed off with victories over their respective rivals in the tenth and final round in which Blue Chips had a bye.

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Khurshid Hadi, Kemal Shoaib revive Istanbul memories

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Khurshid Hadi and Kemal Shoaib, two of the leading exponents of bridge in the country, reproduced their sensational form of the 2004 World Olympiad in Istanbul during the pairs contest of the Pakistan Day International Bridge Championships held at the Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi, on March 21.

Known and respected for their cool-headedness, calmness, intelligence and indepth knowledge about the sport, they dominated the first couple of sessions winning both of them convincingly. But they somehow faltered in the third and final session to slip to the sixth position. 

According to the final results declared by the organizers, Ghufran Ashraf-Shahab Khan were declared winners of the pairs with their average score of 61.50% while Brian Senior-Sandra Penfold ended runners-up with the score of 59.98%, edging out Anwar Sultan-Khalid Manzoor stood third with 59.97%. 

The pair of Rashid-ul-Ghazi and Hasan Jawwad claimed the fourth slot with 57.21% while Khurshid Hadi-Kemal Shoaib had to be content with the sixth place as their average score was worked as 57.12%. Ali Hai-Zia Hai (56.66%), Arssalan Mansoor-Mudassar Rahim (56.40%), Ziaullag Baig-Hamid Mohiuddin (56.36%) and Jason Hackett-Justin Hackett (56.14%) shared the next four positions while Anwar Kazilbash-Tanvir Mazahir (55.57%) and Masood Mazhar-Mirza Shauq Hussain (55.37%) finished 11th and 12th respectively. 

As far as the results of the individual sessions were concerned, Khurshid Hadi-Kemal Shoaib emerged triumphant in the first session. 

Playing from the North-South direction, they aggregated 60.28% points to outwit their closest challengers, Shahin Iqbal-Hasan Akhtar Zaidi (60.17%), Brian Senior-Sandra Penfold (60.00%), Afzal Sheikh-Iqbal Siddiqui (59.47%) and A.C Shamim-Safdar Mahmood (58.93%). A.K Bhurgri-Mohammad Zubair led the table from the other direction in the first session with their score of 61.69% with Anis-ur-Rehman-Zeenat Azwer (61.61%), Mubashir Puri-Junaid Said (57.52%), Vikram Dhar-Hussain Adamali (56.49%) and Ahsan J Qureshi-Ghias Malick (56.22%) claiming the next four positions. 

Khurshid Hadi-Kemal Shoaib extended their glorious form into the second session which they won by securing a score of 62.34% with Ranada-Aida (61.58%), A.C Shamim-Safdar Mahmood (60.86%), Tanlu Guo-Rhenda Zhang (59.77%) and Ishrat Hussain-Shamim (59.00%) sharing the other top four slots. 

Afzal Shaikh-Iqbal Siddiqui (63.78%) led the table from the East-West direction in the second session and they were followed by Shuxia Yang-Teng Ning (58.48%), Sarfaraz Ahmed-Nasim Arzoo (58.38%), Arssalan Mansoor-Mudassar Rahim (58.31%) and Minhaj Kidwai-Anwar Kidwai (56.89%). 

There were as many as 92 pairs contesting event, spread over three rounds of 32 boards each. It offered a prize money of US $3,000, with the winners to receive a handsome cash award of US $1,700 in the presentation ceremony to be held on the Pakistan Day (March 23). 

The participation of some of the top players from China, England, Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also heralded the return of international bridge in Karachi after a gap of 17 years. The event is being organized jointly by the Mind Sport Association of Pakistan (MSAP) and the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF).

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Khurshid Hadi expects South Africa in Pakistan Day International Bridge tourney

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Khurshid Hadi, Founder President, Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), who is also a Past President of the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), expects South Africa’s national team to participate in the Pakistan Day International Bridge Tournament 2014 to be held at Hotel Pearl Continental, Karachi, from March 21 to 23.

“Seven foreign teams from UK, China, Turkey, Jordan and UAE have already confirmed participation and will start arriving from March 19. The national bridge team of South Africa is most likely to be the eighth outfit from abroad to take part in the three-day extravaganza,” he remarked in an interview. 

The Pakistan Day International Bridge Tournament 2014, being organized jointly by the PBF and the MSAP, is set to become another success story with Khurshid Hadi being the backbone of the committees doing the business. 

“Final touches are being given to what is intended to be the biggest-ever international bridge tournament in Pakistan, carrying total prize money of US$20,000 with the team event offering US$17,000 and the pairs contest to carry rewards of US$3,000,” he remarked. 

“10 teams from Punjab and Hyderabad have also confirmed participation. The organizing committee expects record participation from the Karachi-based players and is expecting a total of 50 teams taking part in the tournament,” Khurshid Hadi added. 

“Ihsan Qadir, Pakistan’s senior most tournament director, who is on the World Bridge Federation’s elite panel has been entrusted with the task of overseeing and running the upcoming event,” he revealed.

“Nawab Mohammed Yusuf Talpur, President PBF, has confirmed that the Sindh Chief Minister, Qaim Ali Shah, will be the chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony to be held on March 23,” the MSAP President announced. 

Khurshid Hadi, who was the Chief Organizer of the Pakistan Golden Jubilee Championship 1997, reckoned that the upcoming tournament could help immensely in boosting the soft image of the country, besides reviving the mind sport.

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Bridge legend Zia Mahmood to partner Ameer Hasan in Super Bowl

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Zia Mahmood, regarded as the greatest-ever bridge player to have emerged from Pakistan, will team up with Syed Ameer Hasan in the Super Bowl bridge contest being organized in the latter’s honour by the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) early next month.

Tariq Rasheed Khan, Director, MSAP, has confirmed that the legendary Zia, who took Pakistan all the way to the final of the Bermuda Bowl World Championship two times during the 1980s, has confirmed his participation in the upcoming Super Bowl scheduled to be staged at the Aslam Bridge Hall, housed in the National Stadium Karachi, on January 2. 

Zia, who was declared as the Bridge Player of the Decade in the United States of America (USA), has lived abroad for a number of years but he has remained a regular visitor to the home country. 

“Zia is scheduled to arrive in Karachi in the New Year Day and besides taking part in the Syed Ameer Hasan Benefit Match and Super Bowl, he will also be involved in other ceremonies during the first week of January,” Tariq Rasheed disclosed. 

“The Super Bowl concept was introduced to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of bridge personalities. After having honoured 26 outstanding players and four organizers we have now decided to recognize Syed Ameer Hasan, a pioneer of bridge journalism in Pakistan. He has been a dedicated worker and committed player whose role in the promotion of bridge deserves to be eulogized,” the MSAP official stated.

Ameer Hasan had served the Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF) as its Executive Secretary for more than a decade before having joined the MSAP three years ago. 

“His services were acquired by the MSAP immediately after he left the PBF in 2010. He has worked for the cause of bridge non-stop for a number of years and we felt it’s high time to honour him befittingly,” Tariq Rasheed observed. 

“The MSAP Chairman, Khurshid Hadi, had approved the Syed Ameer Hasan Benefit Match and Super Bowl about six months ago and Data Steel, the major sponsors of mind sports in the country, promptly agreed to support it. The date of January 2, 2014 was finalized in consultation with Zia Mahmood who was very eager to participate in the event,” he added. 

The MSAP Director didn’t deem it proper to disclose the exact amount Ameer Hasan was likely to be presented at the Super Bowl but assured that it would be a handsome purse.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Khurshid Hadi happy with Pakistan’s full representation in WMSG

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF), encouraged by the performance of the youngsters in the recently concluded World Bridge Games in Beijing, is thinking in terms of facilitating their participation in more international tournaments in future.

Khurshid Hadi, President, PBF, believes that it’s about time now to plan for the future participation of our youth in international tournaments.

He has extended congratulations to all the participants, both players and officials, for giving their best in the global mega event.

“I am so glad that Pakistan had a full representation and that the experience will prove valuable for the future. The performance of the youngsters augurs well for the future of the sport in the country. Their efforts deserve special mention because they were competing in such a competitive environment for the first time. Holding on to their nerves and playing to the potential need special qualities that our talented youngsters seem to be possessing,” the PBF President observed in a recent statement.

The Under-28 squad, whose average age was around 22 years, finished at the 40th position among the 74 participating countries, a performance considered quite satisfying in their maiden outing abroad.

Mohammad Mubashir Puri, a 25-year-old national player, captained the Pakistan Under-28 side whose other members were Dosti Zahra Jafri, Anam Iqbal Tebha, Faraz Hyder and Arslan Mansoor,

The Pakistan Under-21 team, featuring Oosman Bashir, Haider Ali Malik, Zain Mohammad Khan, Mirza Asfandiyar Hussain Shahzeb Nasir Butt with Fehmina Shauq Hussain being the Non Playing Captain, finished 13th among the 18 participants.

The Seniors remained a source of inspiration for the youngsters by reaching the knockout phase of the in the World Bridge Games, a part of the inaugural World Mind Sports Games.

Pakistan Seniors squad, comprising Tariq Rasheed Khan, Rashid-ul-Ghazi, Pervez Mirza, Hasan Akhtar Zaidi, Hasan Jawwad and Masood Mazhar, crashed in the pre-quarter-finals against Australia.

The Pakistan Open team having Nauman Khalid Butt Yasser Rahim, Farrukh Liaquat, Jahangir Ahmed, Zia Hyder Naqi and Ahsan Javed Qureshi finished at 11th position among the 17 participating countries. Zeenat Azwer fared well in the individual bridge championship for women securing 10th position.

Zeenat Azwer, who was also a member of Pakistan’s women bridge squad, excelled in the individual championship. She was among the top four until the final stages but some dramatic developments near the end saw her slip to the 10th position among 34 participants from different countries. She secured an impressive score of 50.70 percent.

Khurshid Hadi, who is the Founder President of the Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP), had every reason to feel pleased with the heartening performance of Pakistan’s players.

Being the motivational force behind the launch of the MSAP, he had also played the pivotal role in organizing the first-ever National Mind Sports Games (NMSG) staged in Karachi during the month of August.

Khurshid Hadi has the ability to do things which others may find hard even imagining. The word impossible seems missing from his vocabulary. He is prepared to undertake challenges against the heaviest of odds and he has delivered consistently. He has done a great service to the game of bridge in particular that’s probably the dearest to his heart.

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