National Chess Championship Begins in Islamabad with 250 Players

Islamabad: (Mudassar Iqbal) –  The 35th Men’s and 10th Women’s National Chess Championship commenced in Islamabad on Friday, bringing together more than 250 chess players from across Pakistan.

The six-day championship is being held at Rodham Hall, Pakistan Sports Complex, and was formally inaugurated by Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Mohyuddin Wani.

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Yawar Hussain, and Pakistan Chess Federation President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi officially opened the event by making the ceremonial first move on the chessboard.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Pakistan Chess Federation President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi said chess is rapidly gaining popularity among the country’s youth and continues to hold an important place in Pakistan’s cultural heritage.

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He highlighted the federation’s future plans to introduce chess tournaments at the school level, aiming to promote the sport at the grassroots level and encourage wider participation among students.

The championship, featuring talented male and female players from different regions of the country, will continue for six days at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad.