KARACHI, June 8: A record 12-time chess champion Mahmood Ahmed Lodhi will be defending his title in the 28th edition of the National Chess Championship, to be held in Quetta from June 25 to July 1.

“Over 100 players including two International Masters, one FIDE Master and over a dozen National Masters will be taking part in the event,” a spokesman of the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) said on Friday.

Besides IM Mahmood Lodhi and Shahzad Mirza, other prominent National Masters to be competing for honours include IM Aamir Karim, Wasim Akram, Tanvir Gilani, Waqar Ahmed, Haseeb Ahmed, Asadullah Khan Rampuri, Aziz Farooqi, Shahzad Alam and Dr. Murtuza.

The CFP is holding the week-long 11-round competition in collaboration with the Balochistan Chess Association.

“I am preparing hard and gearing up to retain my title in Quetta,” Lodhi said from his hometown Gujranwala.

After the competition, those national players finishing among the top five will be eligible to represent Pakistan in Chess Olympiad which will be held in Istanbul (Turkey).

Lodhi will be facing a stiff challenge in Quetta from the talented Wasim Akram who won the Pakistan Chess Players’ Association title and from Aamir Karim, Tanvir Gilani and Haseeb Ahmed.—APP