Commonwealth Championship – International Chess Federation

Commonwealth Chess Championship 2026 opens in Sri Lanka

editor_d — Sun, 17 May 2026 13:42:09 +0000

Commonwealth Chess Championship 2026 opens in Sri Lanka

More than 500 players, representing 14 countries, participate in the competition, taking place from May 17-25, 2026. The opening ceremony was attended by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich as well as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

The Chess Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) is hosting the nine-day event on behalf of the Commonwealth Chess Association and FIDE. The tournament includes several categories. In addition to the Open Section, there are age group events for women and youth players, ranging from Under 8 to Under 18, in the classical format. There will also be Rapid and Blitz events held on the first three days.

Luxman Wijesuriya, President of CFSL, said that it was a great honour for Sri Lanka to host the event for the third time in the last ten years: “Obviously it is a top-level event, and hosting it positions Sri Lanka as an excellent location for important chess events.”

“It indicates the level of confidence that FIDE and the Commonwealth Chess Association have in CFSL… It must also be mentioned that hosting the event obviously makes for greater participation of the most talented Sri Lankans, enabling them to cross swords with the best players in their respective categories,” he added.

“The Commonwealth Chess Association has been a valuable part of the international chess family since 1980, bringing together countries from across the globe, with very different chess traditions and levels of development. The hosts – Sri Lanka – have a proud and growing chess community, and here we see a strong commitment to the development of chess,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said.

Dvorkovich noted that this is a “remarkable moment” for chess in Asia with world-class players, major events, and strong federations growing new talent.

“This connects strongly with FIDE’s wider work in promoting chess, and we will continue to work closely with national federations, public institutions, and private partners to bring more opportunities to players across Asia and across the world.”

Sunil Kumara Gamage, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, welcomed all the players to his country, describing the tournament as a “remarkable celebration of intellect, discipline, and sportsmanship.”

“I wish to extend our welcome to Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE, whose leadership resonates strongly across the world. I also take this opportunity to respectfully acknowledge Mr. Bharat Singh Chauhan, a towering figure in the global chess community whose 50-year dedication to the game has inspired players across the world,” Kumara Gamage added.

Bharat Singh and Luxman Wijesuriya: 50 years of chess life

The Commonwealth Chess Championship was also an occasion to celebrate the dedication and work of two important figures in the chess world, Bharat Singh Chauhan from India and Luxman Wijesuriya from Sri Lanka.

Bharat Singh Chauhan is a prominent Indian chess administrator, organiser, and International Arbiter who helped shape chess administration in India and beyond. He was instrumental in building the chess infrastructure in Asia through tournament organisation, international federation work, and the development and execution of plans to expand chess through schools, youth events, and stronger national systems.

He served as Secretary of the All India Chess Federation and became one of the key figures behind India’s growing role in international chess. He was the Tournament Director of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai in 2022. Bharat Singh Chauhan is the Chairman of the FIDE Advisory Board, Deputy President of the Asian Chess Federation, and Chairman of the Commonwealth Chess Association.

Luxman Wijesuriya is one of the central figures in Sri Lankan chess administration. He serves as the General Secretary of the Commonwealth Chess Association and Vice President of the Asian Chess Federation. Wijesuriya is the brother of two prominent Sri Lankan chess players: Suneetha Wijesuriya, Sri Lanka’s 1992 Chess Olympiad individual gold medallist, and Vineetha Wijesuriya, an eleven-time Sri Lankan women’s champion.

Through his work, Wijesuriya has helped shape the structure of organised chess in Sri Lanka for many years, strengthening the domestic tournament system, spreading knowledge of ratings and titles, and bringing official Asian events to the country on a regular basis.

“Both Bharat Singh and Luxman Wijesuriya have played pivotal roles in the promotion of chess in Asia, laying the foundations for the continent’s current success,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said.

“The chess community around the world is grateful for their exceptional work and unwavering support over the last five decades. We owe a lot to these great people, and I am honoured to have had the privilege of learning from them and working with both of them directly,” Dvorkovich added.

About the Commonwealth Chess Association:

The Commonwealth Chess Association (CCA) was founded in 1980 and unites the commonwealth chess federations while keeping strict neutrality in the internal affairs of the national chess federations. The CCA is concerned with supporting chess activity among the nations of the Commonwealth.

Last year’s Commonwealth Chess Championship was held in Malaysia and was won by English Grandmaster Daniel Howard Fernandez.

Official website: https://commonwealthchess.com/

Commonwealth Championship 2025: Daniel Howard Fernandez lifts crown; India shines across categories

editor_d — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:59:12 +0000

English Grandmaster Daniel Howard Fernandez was crowned Commonwealth Champion as the 2025 Commonwealth Chess Championship concluded on Sunday. Organized by the Malaysian Chess Federation under the auspices of the Commonwealth Chess Association and FIDE, the event brought together 373 players from 17 nations, making it one of the most vibrant editions in recent years. Howard’s steady and confident performance earned him the title with an impressive 7.5/9 points, after he drew his final-round game against India’s FM Adireddy Arjun.

The race for second place was fiercely contested, with four Indian players finishing on 7 points. Tiebreaks awarded FM Adireddy Arjun (pictured below) the silver medal and GM Lalit Babu M R the bronze, followed by IM Neelash Saha and GM Deepan Chakkravarthy in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

In the Women’s category, which was integrated with the Open event, India demonstrated overwhelming dominance by sweeping the podium. Srija Seshadri captured the gold medal with an impressive performance, while Mary Ann Gomes secured silver and Nisha Mohota claimed bronze.

Category highlights

The tournament featured a wide range of categories, each showcasing spirited battles and outstanding performances from emerging talents across the Commonwealth.

Junior categories:

Under-20 (Junior): Singapore’s Goh Zi Han (Gold), Bangladesh’s Tashriq Saihan Shan (Silver), Malaysia’s A’qil A’lauddin Bin Abd Aziz (Bronze).
Junior Girls: Sri Lanka’s Sandula K M Dahamdi (Gold), India’s Mrittika Mallick (Silver), Singapore’s Liew Tze Chi (Bronze).
Senior: Malaysia’s Ismail Ahmad (Gold), Kenya’s John Mukabi (Silver), India’s IM Sekhar Chandra Sahu (Bronze).

Open youth categories:

Under-08: Malaysia’s Muhammad Aariz Daniel Bin Mohd Shah (Gold), India’s Prayank Gaonkar (Silver), Sri Lanka’s Basnayake Kevon Dulkith (Bronze).
Under-10: Sri Lanka’s CM Karunasena A P Chenitha Sihas Dinsara (Gold), India’s Parv H Hakani (Silver), India’s Nidhish Shyamal (Bronze).
Under-12: India’s CM Madhvendra Pratap Sharma dominated with a perfect 9/9 points (Gold), Singapore’s AFM Aaradhya Suyog Bagul (Silver), Sri Lanka’s CM Wijerathna Vinuka Dihain (Bronze).
Under-14: India’s AIM Adhiraj Mitra (Gold), Sri Lanka’s Wickramasinghe V W A Vinuda Vidmal (Silver), India’s FM Reyan Md. (Bronze).
Under-16: India’s IM Borgaonkar Akshay (Gold), Sri Lanka’s Induwara T H D Thisarindu (Silver), India’s CM Velavaa Ragavesh (Bronze).
Under-18: India’s IM Sriram Adarsh Uppala delivered a dominant performance with 9 points (Gold), India’s Borkhetariya Devarsh M (Silver), Singapore’s Lee Tsuen Jin Aiesec (Bronze).

Girls’ youth categories:

Under-08: An Indian sweep with Anaya Sharma (Gold), Anvi Deepak Hinge (Silver), and Teesha Byadwal (Bronze).
Under-10: India’s Vanshika Rawat (Gold, 8/9 points), Malaysia’s Maha A/P Nathan (Silver), India’s Kiyanna Parihaar (Bronze).
Under-12: India’s WCM Divi Bijesh (Gold), Singapore’s Liew Tze Yu (Silver), Australia’s Daniel Suria (Bronze).
Under-14: India’s Aditri Shome (Gold, 8.5/9 points), Sri Lanka’s De Silva B P Chanthuli Thanishka (Silver), India’s WFM Saranya Devi Narahari (Bronze).
Under-16: Another Indian sweep with FM Prishita Gupta (Gold), Ananya Raman (Silver), and Aswinika Mani R (Bronze).
Under-18: India’s Sagar Siya (Gold), India’s WCM Anupam M Sreekumar (Silver), Bangladesh’s WCM Omnia Binta Yusuf Lubaba (Bronze).

The championship concluded with a vibrant closing ceremony, where Bharat Singh Chauhan, President of the Commonwealth Chess Association, and Akhramsyah Muammar, President of the Malaysian Chess Federation, presented the awards.

The 2025 edition not only celebrated exceptional individual talent but also highlighted the growing depth and competitive spirit across Commonwealth nations, reaffirming the event’s status as a landmark festival of chess.

Complete results are available on chess-results.com.

Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025 begins in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

editor_d — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:34:57 +0000

The prestigious Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025 officially kicked off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, heralding a week of intense competition, strategic brilliance, and international camaraderie. Organized by the Malaysian Chess Federation under the auspices of the Commonwealth Chess Association (CCA) and the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the event runs from November 9 to 15, 2025.

The opening ceremony featured a symbolic inaugural game between Bharat Singh Chauhan, President of the Commonwealth Chess Association, and Akhramsyah Muammar, President of the Malaysian Chess Federation. Their friendly encounter set the tone for a championship built on unity, friendship, and sporting excellence that the Commonwealth proudly represents.

A total of 373 players from 16 Commonwealth nations are participating in this year’s edition, making it one of the largest and most competitive in the event’s history. The field boasts an impressive mix of Grandmasters, International Masters, Women Grandmasters, and promising young talents, reflecting the growing strength and depth of chess across the Commonwealth.

Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha of India headlines the field as the top seed, reaffirming India’s leadership in the world of chess. The event has drawn participants from a diverse range of nations, including Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, England, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Scotland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and host country Malaysia, competing across multiple categories.

Beyond the competitive battles, the championship stands as a celebration of the shared heritage, goodwill, and cultural exchange that unite the Commonwealth nations through the game of chess.

Parings and results