Sri Lanka’s promising youth Chess Player Susal De Silva of Nalanda College is in the lead with 9 points out of possible 10 games after he beat Senuka Ahangama in the 10th round. Susal beat Isara Dahanayake Chehan Weersinghe and Theekshana Denuwa in the 7th, 8th and 9th rounds.

Former National Chess Champion Dasuni Hansika Mendis(Passed Pawn CC) scoring 7 ½ points out of 10 games came to the lead in Women category. The Women event is more competitive where all players are matching each other which has brought all players behind 2 ½ points of possible 10 games. After losing two games in two straight rounds, 5 & 6, Dasuni came back strongly by winning four games in 7th, 8th , 9th and 10th rounds, with HMRMK Rathnayake, Chanindi Attanayake, Esha Pallie and Sayumi Gamage respectively.

The reigning National Chess Champion Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda Colleege is following Susal closely with 8 ½ points, just a half a point behind. Though both Susal and Ranindu are unbeaten still, Ranindu had 3 draws while Susal had only 2 draws and won all other games. Ranindu beat SDBK Seneviratne and Nabil Nazar and gave two draws to S Sivathanujan and Thisal Manjith Piyumantha in last four rounds.

Tharushi Niklesha (Visakha Vidyalaya) is following Dasuni with 7 points, just a half a point behind. Niklesha beat Nemindi Ramanayake, Onleli Vithanawasam and Esandi Newansa and lost to Tharuli Ranganath in last four rounds. Esha Pallie of Visakha Vidyalaya came to 3rd place with better tie breaker after tying with 6 points with three other players Desandi Dihansa Gamage(Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya), Tharuli Ranganath(Yoshida International School) and Esandi Newansa(Dharmasoka College),

Two players Osheen De Silva (SL Navy) and Thumula Kiriella(Maliyadeva College) are in the 3rd place with 6 ½ points. Osheen scored a point with Senuka Ahangama and drew three games with Theekshana Denuwan, Sanudula Dahamdi and S Sivathanujan while Thumula beat Denuwan Theekshana and Senuka Ahanagama and lost to Chehan Weerasinghe and drew with Sanudula Dahamdi in last 4 rounds to score 6 ½ points.

The selected top 14 players each are participating in the each category of the SL National Chess Championships 2021 which is held on the round Robin basis in 13 rounds. The Classical Chess format of 90 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move one is the time control and the winners will be crowned as the National Chess Champions for the year 2021. The Event will continue on 30th December 2021 at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo.

The award Ceremony of the National Chess Championships 2021, which is conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka with a total cash award of Rs. 335,000/- as distributed below with other attractive awards will be held on 30th December 2021 at Hotel Taj at 7.00 p.m.

The National Chess Championships 2021 is conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka with a total cash award of Rs. 335,000/- as distributed below with other attractive awards.