#SriLanka – 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/

Unveiling triumphs of 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival

KN — Wed, 22 May 2024 12:16:53 +0000

IM Himal Gusain was crowned the DICF Player of the Year in the 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival 2024, while Sandithi Kusalya Alwis emerged as the Women’s Champion of the event.

The 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival 2024 took place from 17th to 21st May 2024, boasting a record-breaking participation of 472 players. Held at the prestigious S. Thomas De Silva Memorial Auditorium, Dharmasoka College, the DICF 2024 was a FIDE-rated event offering both standard and blitz championships.

The Old Boys’ Chess Association organized this esteemed competition with the affiliation of FIDE, the Asian Chess Federation, and the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka. Inaugurated in 2011, the Dhamso International Chess Festival remains the first FIDE-rated event organized by a school-affiliated association in Sri Lanka.

This year’s event offered a total prize fund of one million five hundred thousand LKR, including trophies, medals, and certificates for all participants, along with a special cash prize of One hundred and fifty thousand LKR for the DICF Player of the Year.

The tournament featured top players from Sri Lanka and beyond, with International Master Himal Gusain of India leading the ranks. International Master Harshana Thilakarathna of Sri Lanka, second in starting list, also graced the event.

Parallel to the main event, the Dhamso International Blitz Chess Championship 2024 unfolded on the evening of May 18th, 2024. Harsha Senatathne and WCM K M Dahamdi Sanudula emerged victorious in the Open and Women categories of the blitz event, respectively. T H D Thisarindu Induwara and C C Weerasinghe secured the first and second runners-up positions in the Open category, while Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage and M Esandi Newansa claimed the corresponding positions in the Women’s category.

Left to right: IM Himal Gusain, Raweendra Pushpakumara, K A D Karunarathna, Sasith Nipun Piyumantha (Presiden of Dharmasoka College Old Boys’ Chess Association)

In the main event, IM Himal Gusain clinched the Open Championship with a remarkable score of 9.5/10 points, conceding only one draw to IM Harshana Thilakarathne, who secured the first runner-up position with 9/10 points. G W D M Dabarera completed the podium, netting 8.5/10 points.

Complete final standings

In the Women’s Championship, Sandithi Kusalya Alwis emerged victorious, edging out competitors in a closely contested competition. Four players tied for first place with 7.5/10 points. Based on tiebreaks, Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage and B Yenuthi Sahanlee Perera took second positions, respectively, while J M Theruni Jayasundara had to settle for fourth place.

Left to right: Raweendra Pushpakumara, K A D Karunarathna, Sasith Nipun Piyumantha (Presiden of Dharmasoka College Old Boys’ Chess Association),Sandithi Kusalya Alwis

The University of Moratuwa claimed the championship title in the Higher Education Teams category, with Sabaragamuwa University finishing second. In the Government Service and Mercantile Teams category, Sri Lanka Navy Western Command and Sri Lanka Navy Southern Command emerged as the champions and runners-up, respectively.

The awards ceremony was graced by distinguished guests, including Mr. Raweendra Pushpakumara, the chief guest, who was the first chess coach of Dharmasoka College and former master in charge of chess, who currently serves as the Principal of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura. Additionally, Mr Luxman Wijesuriya, President of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, was present, along with Mr Saman Priyantha Wijewickrama and Mr K A D Karunarathna, Principal of Dharmasoka College, further highlighting the significance of the event in the chess community.

The success of the 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival 2024 is owed to the generous support of sponsors, including Qatar Alumina of Dharmasoka College, Dharmasoka College Past Pupils’ Association – UAE, AKRA FOTO Digital Colourlab & Studio, INLUCK Computers & Printers, and Panhinda Bookshop.

Congratulations to all the winners! Anticipation builds for the 12th edition of the Dhamso International Chess Festival in 2025.

Written by Malith Akalanka

Photos: Dhamso Chess Facebook

Sri Lanka Championships: De Silva and Ranasinghe clinch titles

KN — Tue, 03 May 2022 23:04:38 +0000

The reigning national champion, 17-year-old FM Susal de Silva of Nalanda College, won the Sri Lanka National Chess Championship 2022 for the second consecutive year scoring 10/13.

The Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022, with a half-million rupees prize fund, took place from April 23 to May 1 in the Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Institute, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo. Both tournaments, organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, were 14-players round-robins with classical time control.

One of the most promising players in the country, Susal De Silva, grabbed the lead from the very start and beat his main rival Ranindu Liyanage in the eighth round clash, which gave him so much needed tie-breaking points to win the title, the gold medal and shared cash prize. On his way to this achievement, Susal scored eight victories and suffered just a single defeat at the hands of Achinthya Shamane Kaluarachchi.

The top-seed FM, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College, netted 10 points and tied for first place but settled for silver due to inferior tiebreaks. FM Isuru Alahakoon of Sri Lanka Navy claimed bronze, scoring 8½/13.

Unfortunately, the women’s event did not bring together the country’s best players as the reigning champion, Tharushi Niklesha and Harshana Thilakarathne (rated over 2300), withdrew due to academic reasons.

WIM Sachini Ranasinghe confidently won her fifth national title, scoring 9/13. Desandi Dihansa Gamage of Sirimavo Bandaranaike College finished just a half-point behind and earned silver. Janandani Abeysinghe of NSBM Green University came out third with 8/13.

The top five players in both events qualified for the Sri Lanka national teams to participate in the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022.

The awards ceremony was held on May 1 at Hotel Taj Samudra, right after the final round. Mr Luxman Wijesuriya, President CFSL, General Secretary of the Commonwealth Chess Association and Mr Shiang Wong, Deputy General Manager – Product Marketing of SLT Mobitel (the primary sponsor of the national chess federation), presented the awards to the champions.

The games can be seen via the links below:

Sri Lanka National Chess Championship 2022
Sri Lanka Women’s National Chess Championship 2022

Final standings Open:

1	De Silva Susal	2162	10
2	Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan	2345	10
3	Alahakoon Isuru	2014	8½
4	Kiriella K G T S D	1737	8
5	Nabil Nazar Mohamed	1680	7½
6	Kaluarachchi Achinthya S	1801	6½
7	Senevirathne S D B K	1757	6
8	Bandara Dhanushka	1882	6
9	Tennakoon Lisara Samadhith	1680	5½
10	Amarasinghe A A C B	1855	5½
11	Lahiru N P G Sithija	1783	5
12	Saravanabaavan Brijeash	1643	4½
13	Wijekoon Chandana	1823	4½
14	De Silva Elath Mathanga	1816	3½

Final standings Women:

1	WIM Ranasinghe S D	1698	9
2	Gamage Desandhi Dhihansa	1447	8½
3	Abeysinghe H M H Janandani	1465	8
4	WCM Wijesuriya G P Y	1581	7½
5	WCM Wickramasinghe Minethma	1527	7
6	WCM Sanudula K M Dahamdi	1710	7
7	Mapa M M W H	1587	7
8	Pallie Ehsha Mishela	1475	6½
9	Abeysekara Yasasi Geemini	1324	6
10	Wijesinghe W M M N	1509	5
11	Ramanayake Nemindi Linaya	1387	4
12	Vithanawasam Oneli	1449	2
13	Yapa Bandara Chamodya	1533	3
14	Yashora Tiumi	1624	2

Susal and Niklesha win Sri Lanka championship

KN — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 23:40:15 +0000

16-year-old Susal De Silva of Nalanda College won the Sri Lanka National Chess Championship after a heavy battle with his rival main Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College, the National Chess Champion 2020. After the penultimate round, Susal led the field with 11 points, a half a point ahead of Ranindu. Susal drew the final round direct encounter against Ranindu and clinched National Chess Championship. He received Rs. 100,000/= in cash with the Gold Medal and the championship trophy.

Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage (Ananda College) also had a good event where he dropped only 2 points (making four draws) and netted 11 points. He was awarded the Silver Medal with Rs. 50,000/=. Young Thumula Kiriella (Ananda C) performed remarkably well to win bronze 8 points and Rs. 30,000/=.

Final standings open:

1	De Silva L M S T (FM)	2131	12
2	Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan (FM)	2300	11
3	Kiriella K G T S D	1608	8
4	De Silva Osheen	1806	7½
5	Theekshana H G Denuwan	2045	7½
6	Sivathanujan S	1828	7
7	Weerasinghe C C	1784	6
8	Dahanayake Isara Banidu (CM)	1721	6
9	Sanudula K M Dahamdi (WCM)	1653	6
10	Senevirathne S D B K	1660	6
11	Piyumantha M Thisal Manjith	1818	5½
12	Ahangama Senuka Aswin	1654	3½
13	Nabil Nazar Mohamed	1499	3
14	Gunathilake M D Vinuda Shenal	1415	2½

Niklesha Tharushi of Visakha Vidyalaya convincingly won the Women’s National Chess Championships. After a bumpy start, losing the first two games, Niklesha came back strongly to finish on 9 points out of 13 games. Niklesha beat Chethani Chamathka, Esha Pallie, Oshini Gunawardena, Sayumi Gamage, Nemindi Ramanayake. Niklesha received Rs. 60,000/=, gold medal and the championship trophy.

Young Esandi Newansa of Dharmasoka College also did a good job beating the bronze winner Dasuni in the penultimate round to earn silver and Rs. 30,000/= with 8½ points out of 13. Dasuni slipped on the final day, losing two games and getting out of the contest for gold, but she scored 8 points to get Rs. 20,000/= with the bronze medal.

Final standings women:

1	Tharushi T H D Niklesha (WCM)	1711	9
2	Newansa M Esandi	1163	8
3	Mendis Dasuni Hansika (WFM)	1664	8
4	Pallie Ehsha Mishela (WCM)	1533	7½
5	Gamage Desandhi Dhihansa	1314	7½
6	Abeysinghe H M H Janandani	1486	7
7	Ranganath Tharuli Vihasna	1348	7
8	Ramanayake Nemindi Linaya	1328	6½
9	Gunawardhana Devindya Oshini	1371	6½
10	Attanayake Chanindi Mewna	1317	6½
11	Vithanawasam Oneli	1345	6
12	Chamthka W A Chethani	1267	4½
13	Herath H M R M K	1559	4½
14	Gamage B K Sayumi Hasithma	1154	2½

The SL National Chess Championships 202, in a round-robin format, brought together 28 top local players competing in the open and women’s categories. The event took place from 24th to 30th of December 2021 at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, with the awards ceremony held in the presence of Mr Luxman Wijesuriya, the President of Chess Federation and Vice President of Asian Chess Federation as the chief guest.

The games are available via the following links:

Sri Lanka National Chess Championship – 2021:

Link https://view.livechesscloud.com#7fc38dc3-fe7b-4c2f-8562-8d75478229f1

Sri Lanka Womenś National Chess Championship – 2021:

Link https://view.livechesscloud.com#b15eb593-90e2-41ef-9314-4f425ef02ce9

University of Sri Jayawardenapura wins Sri Lanka Inter Club Championship

KN — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 00:41:46 +0000

University of Sri Jayawardenapura Chess Club team emerged as a champion of Sri Lanka National Inter Club Super League Chess Championship 2021 with two rounds to spare. The team turned in a dominating performance scoring 17 out 18 possible and finished 5 points ahead of the runner-up, Anandians.

The National Chess Champion, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage showed the best result (8 ½ out of 9) and passed the 2200 raring mark. Chamika Perera, SL National Chess Champion of 2011, performed his captain duties very well and contributed 8 points in 9 games. Lakshitha Randhil did a great job on the first board netting 6 points (no losses).

The strongest team event in the country, the Sri Lanka National Inter Club Chess Championship 2021 was held by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from February 26 to March 2, 2021 at Sanhinda hall, Gangodawila. The round-robin event attracted the top ten local chess clubs. The last two teams in the final standings were relegated to the SL National Inter Club B Championship whereas the two best will play in the top league next year.

Anandians Chess Club won the silver medal with the better tiebreaks after tying with Super Knight Chess Club team with 12 points. Theeksana Denuwan played a key role in Anandians’ success scoring 7 points out of 9.

Kudos to Super Knights the only team that debuted in Super League after qualifying from Inter Club B last year. The renitent newcomers showed some spine and took bronze.

The games with commentaries by the former National Chess Champions, Dulan Edirisinghe, and Harshana Thilakarathne were streamed on Chess Federation of Sri Lanka FB page.

Final standings:

1. University of Sri Jayawardenapura CC – 17
2. Anandians CC – 12
3. Super Knights CC – 12
4. Blue and Gold CC – 11
5. SL Navy CC – 11
6. Sokians CC – 9
7. Grand Prix CC – 5
8. Kandy YMCA – 5
9. Maroons CC – 4
10. Black and Gold CC – 4

Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage receiving a prize for the best performance in the event

Board prize winners:

Board 1 – Laksith Randhil (USJP CC)
Board 2 – Damith Karunarathne (Blue Gold CC)
Board 3 – Chamil Priyankara (SL Navy CC)
Board 4 – CM WCC Perera (USJP CC)
Board 5 – FM Minul Doluweera (Blue & Gold CC)
Board 6 – CM Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage (USJP CC)
Board 7 – TN Alahakoon (Grand Prix CC)
Board 8 – S Harishman (Blue & Gold CC)

Text and photo: Godigamuwa Wijesuriya

Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage wins 8th Sri Lanka Grand Prix

KN — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 20:14:19 +0000

Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College, the reigning National Chess Champion, proved to be the strongest by winning the rapid chess tie-breaker after classical games with Minul Sanjula Doluweera of Royal College were drawn.

It is generally accepted that Ranindu is better at faster time controls and the tiebreak just reinforced this point. After scoring a victory in the first rapid game and giving a draw in a winning position in the second one Ranindu Dilshan Liynage became the Champion of the 8th Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix 2021 and walked home with Rs 50,000 with the Trophy and the Gold Medal. Minul had to settle for the silver medal and Rs. 30,000. He was also awarded the winner trophy for the preliminary round-robin event.

In the consolation finals, Theekshana Denuwan of Ananda College beat S Sivathanujan of Kokavil Hindu College in the first game and drew the second one to earn Rs. 20,000 and the Bronze medal.

The top twelve national players participated in the 8th Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix 2021 which was held by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from 28th January to 7th February 2021 with strict health guidelines applied. The total prize fund set by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka amounted to Rs. 110,000. The award ceremony took place on the 7th of February 2021, just after the finals with Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, the President of the Chess Federation as the chief guest.

The games can be seen via the following links:

Consolation Finals (8th Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix – 2021):
https://view.livechesscloud.com#fca060b0-f721-4f8b-a327-deff353e135e

Finals (8th Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix – 2021):
https://view.livechesscloud.com#09a04af5-b700-4985-a48b-5b2deec7bf30

Live coverage was arranged at the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka YOUTUBE Channel with commentaries provided by Dulan Edirisinghe, a former National Chess Champion, and KA Akhila Kavinda, a National Team Player.

Ranindu Liyanage and Nethmi Fernando are new Sri Lanka champions

KN — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 15:58:53 +0000

A 16-year old schoolboy from Ananda College, Colombo, Ranindu Liyanage is crowned as the National Chess Champion. Ranindu who was playing excellent сhess from the very start on 11th September finished with an excellent score of 10 ½ points out of 13. On his way to the top spot Young Ranidu suffered an unnecessary loss to CC Weerasinghe at the penultimate round but conceded only three draws to LMST De Silva, Lakshitha Randil and Gayantha Dissanayake. Ranindu won the National Chess Champion title, Rs. 100,000/= with a trophy and gold medal.

Minul Doluweera of Royal College Colombo also had a good tournament, scoring 10 points out of 13, but lost the race for the title to Ranidu and had to settle for silver. The youngest participant, 14-year old Susal De Silva of Nalanda College took bronze.

Nethmi Fernando of Girls High School clinched the title of Sri Lanka Women’s National Chess Champion scoring 10/13. After an impressive start 6½ points out of 7 she lost two games to Sandeepani Tharushi and Newanji Hewawasam in the second half of the event but came back strongly to earn 3 ½ out of 4 in the last four rounds. Along with the title the 16-year old Nethmi received Rs. 60,000/= in cash plus a trophy and gold medal.

After losing her first three games of the event Sandeepani Tharushi of Devi Balika rebounded strongly to score 9 ½ points, shared the second place with Ashvini Pavalachandran of Wicherly International School, and got silver thanks to better tiebreaks.

The Sri Lanka National Chess Championship 2020 held by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka at Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, from September 11th to 21st September 2020 was a great success. Mrs. Sandamali Aviruppola, Principal and Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, the President of Chess Federation, General Secretary of South Asian Chess Council and Commonwealth Chess Association, and Vice President of Asian Chess Federation presented the awards to the winners.

The Chess Federation of Sri Lanka invited several National Champions such as Harinlal Aturupane and Suneetha Wijesuriya who attended the closing ceremony.

Final Standings – Men

Rk.		Name	Club/City	Pts.
1	CM	Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan	Ananda College – Colombo	10.5
2	FM	Doluweera Minul Sanjula	Royal College – Colombo	10
3	FM	De Silva L M S T	Nalanda College – Colombo	8
4		Theekshana H G Denuwan	Ananda College – Colombo	8
5	IM	Weerawardane Romesh		7.5
6		Randil Lakshitha	Japura Chess Club	7
7		Dabarera G W D M	Maliyadeva College – Kurunegala	6.5
8	FM	Galappaththi Chinthaka Anuruddha	Kandy YMCA Chess Club	6.5
9		Amarasinghe A A C B	Japura Chess Club	5.5
10		Samaranayake K P R N	Pera Knights Chess Club	5.5
11		Bandara Dhanushka	Kandy YMCA Chess Club	5
12		Sivathanujan S	Kokuvil Hindu College	4
13		Weerasinghe C C	Maroons Chess Club	4
14		Dassanayake D M G S	St Sylvesters College – Kandy	3

Final Standings – Women

Rk.		Name	Club/City	Pts.
1		Fernando Nethmi L	Girls’ High School – Kandy	10
2		Sandeepani M Tharushi	Devi Balika Vidyalaya – Colombo	9.5
3		Pavalachandran Ashvini	Wycherley International School	9.5
4	WCM	Tharushi T H D Niklesha	Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo	9.0
5	WIM	Ranasinghe S D	Nf3 Chess Club	8.5
6	WCM	Jayaweera Sayuni Gihansa	Dharmasoka College – Ambalangoda	7.5
7	WCM	Pallie Ehsha Mishela	Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo	7.0
8		Wijesinghe W M M N	Girls’ High School – Kandy	7.0
9	WFM	Hewawasam H Y Nevanjee Dimanya	Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo	6.5
10		Abeysinghe H M H Janandani	NSBM Green University	5.0
11	WCM	Wickramasinghe Minethma Lasandi	Sujatha Vidyalaya – Matara	3.5
12		Ranganath Tharuli Vihasna	Yoshida Shokanji International Scho	3.0
13		Koswatte C T	Sri Lanka Airport & Aviation	2.5
14		Mapa M M W H	Girls’ High School – Kandy	2.5

Text and photo: Luxman Wijesuriya, President of CFSL and Vice-President of Asian Chess Federation

Sachini Ranasinghe clinches Sri Lanka Women’s Grand Prix

KN — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 20:10:05 +0000

WIM Sachini Ranasinghe (Nf3 Chess Club) became the champion of the inaugural Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Grand Prix 2020. Despite losing her last round game against young Tharushi Sandeepani of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, she finished with an excellent score 9 ½ points out of 11. The four-time women’s National Chess Champion (2009, 2011, 2012 & 2013), Sachini played at four FIDE Chess Olympiads in 2010, 2012, 2016, and 2018). The champion was awarded a trophy, gold medal, and prize money in the amount of Rs. 30,000.

WFM Dinushki Premanath of the University of Moratuwa took a poor start (including a loss in a key first-round game to eventual champion) but picked up steam in the middle of tournament reeling off six straight wins to finish on 8 points. Dinushki took the National Women’s Chess Champion title in 2010 and 2018 and has participated in a couple of Chess Olympiads in 2012 and 2018. Dinushki got silver and a prize of Rs. 12,000.

WCM Tharushi Niklesha (Visakha Vidyalaya) and WIM Nelunika Methmani (University of Sri Jayawardenapura) also scored 8 points each and tied for second place but had to settle for bronze and fourth place respectively due to inferior tiebreaks. Both received equal money with Dinushki Rs. 12,000 each. Asvini Pavalchandran finished fifth scoring 7½ points and she was awarded Rs. 4,000 in cash.

The tournament, organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, became the first women sports event in the country after the COVID 19 outbreak. The competition was held at the Chess Federation Headquarters, Delkanda, Nugegoda, and stretched from July 25 to August. The total prize fund of the event amounted to Rs 70,000. Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, General Secretary of South Asian Chess Council & Commonwealth Chess Association and Vice President of the Asian Chess Federation attended the awards ceremony as the guest of honor.

Sachini, Niklesha, and Ashvini are the members of the national team which will take part in the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad.

Final Standings:

1. WIM, Sachini Ranasinghe – 9½
2. WFM, Dinushki Premanath – 8
3. WCM Tharushi Niklesha – 8
4. WIM, Nelunika Methmani – 8
5. Ashvini Pavalachandran – 7
6. Sandeepani Tharushi – 6½
7. Prasansa Premanath – 5½
8. Janadani Abeysinghe – 5½
9. Oneli Weerawardena – 3½
10. Sayumi Gamage – 3
11. Sayumi Vimansa Piyumanthi – 1½