Lodhi leads lucrative chess event

National champion eases into second round.

KARACHI: National champion Mehmood Lodhi leads the seniors’ open-round competition of the Pakistan Chess Players Association (PCPA) Championship after back-to-back victories in Karachi.

While Lodhi overcame Raees Ansari and Muhammad Shahid in the first two rounds, women’s national champion Nida Mishraz suffered two defeats in a row.

Second-seed Tanveer Gillani, national masters Wasim Akram, Asadullah Khan, Syed Wahid Hussain, Muhammad Waqar and Haseeb Ahmed also posted second round wins.

The event comprises Pakistan’s top 50 players vying for prize-money of Rs200,000.

Grandmaster Nigel Short arrives today

British grandmaster Nigel Short will arrive in Karachi today and appear at the championship to play exhibition matches against the top junior players, according to PCPA Secretary Shehzad Mirza.

“It’s an initiative to promote chess,” Mirza told The Express Tribune. “Short’s not charging anything for the appearances.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2012.