Two Pakistani chess players, Momin Fayzan and 11-year-old Aayat Asmi, earned international titles following their impressive performances at the 45th Chess Olympiad, held in Budapest, Hungary, from September 10 to 23, 2024.
Momin Fayzan, competing in the open section, achieved 6.5 points out of 11, qualifying him for the Candidate Master (CM) title. Aayat, the youngest player on the team who turns 12 next month, played in the women’s division and scored 5 out of 10, making her eligible for the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title.
In round 7, Aayat’s game against Japan’s Takayasu Melody ended in a double forfeit as both players failed to play the required 30 moves, which did not count toward her final score.
The CM and WCM titles, introduced in 2002, are typically awarded to players with an Elo rating of 2200 or higher, but the new World Chess Federation (FIDE) regulations as of January 1, 2024, allow players to earn these titles at the Chess Olympiads with a 50% or higher score, regardless of rating.
Hanif Qureshi, president of the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP), emphasized the significance of these results, as this was Pakistan’s first appearance at the world’s largest chess event in eight years. “I am very pleased with Aayat and Momin’s performance in the 45th Chess Olympiad,” he told The Express Tribune. He also mentioned Aayat’s bronze medal at the World School Championship in Aktau, Kazakhstan, and praised both players, their families, and FIDE for supporting their international participation.
Sidra Butt, Aayat’s mother, expressed her pride in her daughter’s accomplishment. “I’m thrilled and excited. Aayat has worked very hard to reach this point,” she said. She noted the limited resources available but hopes her daughter can inspire other girls.
Momin Fayzan plans to pursue the International Master (IM) title, which holds more prestige than CM, and also hinted at switching federations to Canada in the future.
The titles will be officially conferred once formalities, including payment of title fees, are completed, according to Shujaat Ali, captain of the national women’s team.
Other members of the open section team, Mafaaz Khalid, FM Amer Karim, and Mudasir Iqbal, scored 5, 5.5, and 3 points, respectively. In the women’s section, Sehba Shah, WCM Zenobia Wasif, and WCM Mehak Gul scored 4, 5, and 6.5 out of 11, respectively.
