{"id":99807,"date":"2025-03-01T16:38:42","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T16:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?p=99807"},"modified":"2025-03-01T16:38:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-01T16:38:42","slug":"checkmate-in-15-moves-under-18-champ-outwits-sindh-cm-in-chess-face-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/","title":{"rendered":"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Pakistan(National Times)- KARACHI: Chess prodigy Mehak Maqbool emerged victorious against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a friendly match on Saturday, checkmating the provincial chief executive in just 15 moves. The CM had invited Mehak, the Under-18 national junior chess champion, to the match to recognise her achievement.\u00a0 Mehak, a student at SMB Fatima Jinnah School, which operates under Shehzad Roy\u2019s Zindagi Trust, recently claimed the Under-18 title to become Pakistan\u2019s junior chess champion. Philanthropist Roy lauded the initiative, saying CM Shah \u2014 a member of the International Chess Federation since 1992 \u2014 sent a strong message by inviting Mehak to the match.Play Video &#8220;The chief minister is a skilled chess player, but Mehak managed to checkmate him,&#8221; Roy remarked. Roy further praised Mehak\u2019s confidence during the game, saying that the match did not last long. &#8220;The chief minister played very well, but Mehak was highly composed throughout,&#8221; he added. He also emphasised the importance of promoting chess among children to reduce screen time and encourage critical thinking. Sindh CM Shah congratulated the Under-18 national chess champion on her achievement, according to the provincial chief executive&#8217;s spokesperson. The chief minister praised Mehak for excelling in both academics and chess while studying at a government school. He acknowledged her remarkable performance and commended her dedication to the sport. Mehak had won the won the National Youth Chess Championship (NYCC) 2025 on Sunday, organised by the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) and Karpov Chess Club (KCC). The NYCC 2025, organised under International Chess Federation rules, is the official selection tournament for the national youth team.\u00a0The top performers will eventually represent Pakistan in the forthcoming international chess championships. The champions of the tournament were: Mehak Maqbool, who secured 1st place in the U-18 category (SMB Fatima Jinnah Government School, adopted by Zindagi Trust); Yamna Siddiqui, who claimed 2nd place in the U-14 category (Govt SMB Fatima Jinnah School); and Alina Siddiqui, who earned 3rd place in the U-12 category (from the same school).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pakistan(National Times)- KARACHI: Chess prodigy Mehak Maqbool emerged victorious against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a friendly match on Saturday, checkmating the provincial chief executive in just 15 moves. The CM had invited Mehak, the Under-18 national junior chess champion, to the match to recognise her achievement.\u00a0 Mehak, a student at SMB Fatima [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":99808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off - Nation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off - Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pakistan(National Times)- KARACHI: Chess prodigy Mehak Maqbool emerged victorious against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a friendly match on Saturday, checkmating the provincial chief executive in just 15 moves. The CM had invited Mehak, the Under-18 national junior chess champion, to the match to recognise her achievement.\u00a0 Mehak, a student at SMB Fatima [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-01T16:38:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"670\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"370\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/\",\"name\":\"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off - Nation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-01T16:38:42+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png\",\"width\":670,\"height\":370},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/\",\"name\":\"Nation\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16\",\"name\":\"humza Jahangir\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"humza Jahangir\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/author\/humza\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off - Nation","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off - Nation","og_description":"Pakistan(National Times)- KARACHI: Chess prodigy Mehak Maqbool emerged victorious against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a friendly match on Saturday, checkmating the provincial chief executive in just 15 moves. The CM had invited Mehak, the Under-18 national junior chess champion, to the match to recognise her achievement.\u00a0 Mehak, a student at SMB Fatima [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/","og_site_name":"Nation","article_published_time":"2025-03-01T16:38:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":670,"height":370,"url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"humza Jahangir","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"humza Jahangir","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/","name":"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off - Nation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png","datePublished":"2025-03-01T16:38:42+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-670x370-2025-03-01T214052.893.png","width":670,"height":370},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/99807\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Checkmate in 15 moves: Under-18 champ outwits Sindh CM in chess face-off"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/","name":"Nation","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16","name":"humza Jahangir","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"humza Jahangir"},"url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/author\/humza\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99807"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99809,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99807\/revisions\/99809"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}