The first-ever chess championship of Malakand division was held in Alpuri on Thursday, marking a milestone for mind sports in the region and drawing strong participation from both male and female players. The one-day event took place at the Alpuri Jirga Hall and featured around 110 contestants from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Read More: World chess championship tied with four games to go
Participants demonstrated high levels of strategic thinking and analytical skill, making the tournament competitive and engaging for both players and spectators. Organisers noted that the turnout of female players was encouraging and reflected growing interest in chess among youth.
In the open category, Salman Ali Khan secured first place, while Jamal Nasir finished as runner-up. Amin Khan placed third, followed by Musawar Kakar in fourth and Farmanullah Khan in fifth. Shaheer Nawab was declared the best player of the tournament for his standout performance.
In the women’s category, Shaista Bibi won first position, with Shabana securing second and Nihal Hayat placing third. Muniba and Ruhma Khalid finished fourth and fifth respectively, rounding out the results in a category that organisers viewed as particularly important for expanding participation.
The championship was organised by the District Youth Office Shangla in collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chess Association and The Gift of Chess initiative. Deputy Commissioner Shangla Muhammad Fawad Khan attended as the chief guest and praised the effort to introduce new competitive activities in the region.
Read More: Attock hosts first-ever chess championship
Speakers at the closing ceremony said chess fosters discipline, patience, decision-making and strategy, making it a constructive sport for young people. Cash prizes, shields, chess sets and certificates were distributed among the winners, while organisers expressed confidence that chess would continue to grow and vowed to hold more tournaments in the future.