In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we ranked the best Bangladeshi Chess players. Now in this article, we’re ranking the best Pakistani Chess players from Pakistan, starting with the number ten spot in FIDE. All of the players in this list are master level players with an Elo ratings exceeding 2000. For more information on ratings, see the guide on how to get a FIDE rating.
10. Ali Sibt
Full Name: Ali Sibt
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1982
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 17474
Rapid: 2034
Blitz: 2085
Classical: 2069
Profiles
Ali Sibt to date hasn’t been accorded any title by FIDE. From 2016 to 2021, he competed in 18 games; with 3 wins, 11 draws, and 4 losses accumulating an average winning score of 18.02 percent. Some of the various openings he played include; Alekhine Defense, Four Pawns Attack, Main Line, Alekhine Defense, General, Alekhine Defense, Balogh Variation, and Alekhine Defense, Exchange Variation.
9. Shazad Alam
Full Name: Shazad Alam
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1965
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 15762
Rapid: 2117
Blitz: 2124
Classical: 2090
Profiles
Shazad Alam competed in chess games from 1998 to 2007, playing a total of 10 games; with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses accumulating an average winning score of 40 percent. He played in various notable tournaments, including; Asia Cities-ch 2007 in Iran, and Asia-chT 1998 in Malaysia. Most played white pieces by Alam involve; the Benko gambit, King’s Indian, four pawns attack, King’s Indian, Four pawns attack, and the Queen’s Gambit Declined Slav, exchange variation while also playing with Black pieces in the King’s Indian, orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov variation, King’s Indian, fianchetto variation, English, symmetrical variation, and King’s Indian, classical variation.
8. Ali Syed Ahmad
Full Name: Ali Syed Ahmad
Title: FIDE Master
Born: January 1, 1990
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 12922
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2126
Profiles
Ali Syed Ahmad was accorded the title of the FIDE Master in 2015 and the Candidates Master title in 2014. From 2014 to 201, he played a total of 22 games; with 6 wins, 10 draws, and 6 losses accumulating an average winning score of 50 percent. Some of the tournaments he last played include; the 42nd Olympiad 2016 in Azerbaijan and the 41st Olympiad Open 2014 in Norway.
7. Muhammad Yunus
Full Name: Muhammad Yonus
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1968
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 12836
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2128
Profiles
Muhammad Yunus hasn’t received any FIDE title. He only participated in chess games for one year (2014) and played a total of 10 games; 2 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses accounting for a winning score of 40 percent. One of the tournaments he last played included the 41st Olympiad Open 2014 in Norway. He played with white pieces in the following openings- Nimzo-Indian, classical variation, Benko gambit, and the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, classical while also playing with Black pieces in the Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rossolimo attack, Sicilian defense, and King’s Indian.
6. Dr. Murtaza Ali
Full Name: Dr. Murtaza Ali
Title: Candidate Master (CM)
Born: January 1, 1981
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 11580
Rapid: 2154
Blitz: 2084
Classical: 2145
Profiles
Dr. Murtaza Ali was accorded the Candidate Master title in 2020. From 2016 to 2019 he competed in a total of 15 games, for which he won 5, drew 1, and lost 9, thus earning a winning score of 36.67 percent. Most notable tournaments he competed in include; the 3rd Sharjah Masters 2019 in the United Arab Emirates and the 42nd Olympiad 2016 in Azerbaijan.
5. Balak Sher
Full Name: Balak Sher
Title: Candidate Master
Born: March 5, 1957
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 9662
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2176
Profiles
Balak Sher was accorded the Candidate Master title in 2021. As of March 2022, his FIDE rating was 2176 while his Peak rating was 2205 as of July 1985. He competed for just a year in chess (1995) playing only one game in which he won. In that year, he played the opening with the white piece (Caro-Kann Defense, Panov Attack, Modern Defense) when he faced his competitor Schulze, Hanjo.
4. Karim Amer
Full Name: Karim Amer
Title: FIDE Master
Born: January 1, 1970
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 6991
Rapid: 2215
Blitz: 2238
Classical: 2226
Profiles
Karim Amer was awarded the title FIDE Master title in 2020 and received recognition from FIDE in 2021 as a FIDE Trainer. He only participated in chess games in 1998 and played a total of 2 games; with 1 win, 0 draws, and 1 loss, accumulating to an average winning score of 50 percent. Amer competed in the Goodricke op 9th in India and played using Black pieces in various openings like; Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, main-line, and Queen’s Indian, 4.e3.
3. Mohamed Zohaib Hassan
Full Name: Mohamed Zohaib Hassan
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1982
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 6128
Rapid: 2233
Blitz: 2188
Classical: 2248
Profiles
Mohamed Zohaib Hassan hasn’t received any FIDE title. He has competed in a total of 138 tournaments from 2007 to 2021; for which he achieved 11 wins, 4 draws, and 12 losses accumulating an average winning score of 48.15 percent. Notable tournaments he last competed in include; Barcelona Closed IM 7 Feb in Spain, Barcelona Christmas in Spain, and Catalunya-Ch 2007 in Spain.
2. Muhammad Waqar
Full Name: Muhammad Waqar
Title: FIDE Master
Born: May 30, 1965
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 5749
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2258
Profiles
Muhammad Waqar was accorded the title of FIDE Master in 2020. He played chess between 1991 and 2008, competing in a total of 57 games. in those games, he won 24, drew 8, and lost 25 earning himself a winning score of 49.12 percent. most m=notable tournaments he played include; the 38th Olympiad- 2008 in Germany, 1st WMSG Rapid Team- 2008 in China, 1st WMSG Blitz Team-2008 in China, and the Istanbul ol (Men)- 2008 in Turkey.
1. Mahmood Lodhi
Full Name: Mahmood Lodhi
Title: International Master
Born: April 3, 1961
Federation: Pakistan
Ratings
World ranking: 5173
Rapid: 2335
Blitz: 2270
Classical: 2274
Profiles
Mahmood Lodhi was accorded the title of International Master in 1987 and the recognition of a FIDE Trainer in 2012. As of October 2021, his FIDE rating was 2273 while his Peak rating was at 2438 as of July 2000. He is the holding chess National Champion and clinched his country’s chess championship on a historic 15 occasions. In 2015 & 2017, Mahmood Lodhi emerged victorious in the Asian Senior Chess tournament 50-plus group. Between 1984 and 2021, Lodhi competed in a total of 518 games; winning 192, drawing 151, and losing 175, earning him a score of 51.64 percent. Sheikh Russel GM 2021 in Bangladesh, 2nd Year Long IM 2021 in Bangladesh, 1st Year Long IM 2021 in Bangladesh, and SCO Teams 2019 in China.
That concludes the list of the best Pakistani Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best Finn Chess players or the best Hong Konger Chess players.
Sources
- Certificate of Title Result – Grandmaster
- “The final standings of Pakistan 29th National Chess Championship 2014”
- “Asian Seniors Over 50 Chess Championships 2015”
- “GM Eugene Torre, IM Mahmood Lodhi Win Asian Seniors”
- Signature by Zoheb Hassan Archived
- Zoheb Hassan Reveals First Song From Album Signature Archived
- “Zohaib Hassan biography, complete biography of Singers Zohaib Hassan”