KARACHI: Pakistan’s International Master Mahmood Lodhi finished joint fourth in the 3.2 Asian Regional Chess Championship held in Sri Lanka.

“After being leader in the first five rounds, I suffered three defeats to slip to joint fourth spot,” he said on Monday on his return from Colombo after taking part in the week-long event.

He said that he was disappointed with his showing in the second half of the event otherwise he was in the run to qualify for next year’s world championship.

Lodhi ended with six points after five wins, two draws and three defeats.

Thirty-three players from Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka took part in the event.

Grand Master Zia-ur-Rehman of Bangladesh won the event and qualified for the global event.—APP