Pamok Samaranayake and Miyurini Gamage wins the Championships!

Pamok Samaranayake of Rahula College, Matara won the Championship of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National (Novices Division) Chess Championship 2021 - Southern Open event with a score of 6.5 points out of 7 games. Emal I S Dissanayake(Rahula College, Matara) placed 2nd with a score of 6 points out of 7 games and K H Savitha Nimsanda(Dharmasoka College) finished 3rd with the better tie breaker after tying with four more players with the score of 5.5 points out of 7 games. Other three tied player’s M M Nanayakkara, H A Menula Weharagoda and Geenuka Kavinu Gunaweera had to satisfy with 4th, 5th & 6th places respectively.

Samaranayake beat Hirun Harendra Kalupahana, U P A Jalina Basuru Gunarathna, Sanuth Nihinsa De Silva, Chamithu Dewwin Senarathne, K H Savitha Nimsanda, H. Gayaru Dulsara Fernando and had a draw with H A Menula Weharagoda to win the Gold Medal.

Dissanayake beat Inuka Sevhas Lamahewa, Y G Thisandu Hansaka, Thenul Damsara Samaranayake, M M Nanayakkara, Onitha Dinudika De Silva & H A Menula Weharagoda to reach 6 points and win the Silver Medal. Nimsanda won the Bronze medal by scoring 4 wins with Yukitha Nirmith Godakanda, H M Sithuka Ranmira Thilakaratne, Geenuka Kavinu Gunaweera, T H Oshid Warshaka Vidharshana and had a walkover & draw with Thisuli Sanulya Jayawardhana, Ayod Induwara Wijewickrama respectively.

Miyurini Gamage of Hilwood College won the Championship of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National (Novices Division) Women Chess Championship 2021 - Central Women’s event also on the better tie breaker after tying with 6 points with S K Somarathne(Swarnamali Balika Vidyalay) & Madushika Weerasinghe(Hatton National Bank) who had to satisfy with the 2nd & 3rd place with 6 points each on tiebreaks.

Miyurini beat Esandi Senevirathne, Yesandi Wickramarachchi, Madushika Weerasinghe, S P T K Premaratne, A Merulasha & S K Somarathne and lost to Niketha T Karunananda to score 6 points, winning the Gold Medal. Somarathne beat Sesandi Dilansa Gamage, Ruvini De Silva, H K Aruneemaa, G A U D Kumari, B Bhagya Indumini & Niketha T Karunananda but lost to the Champion Miyurini to win the Silver Medal. Madushika Weerasinghe beat Thedara Kulasena, Yehara Yethmini, Amaya Galappaththi, Rachini Prasanga Adikari, B Bhagya Indumini & Niketha T Karunananda to score 6 points and won the Bronze Medal.

The Novices Division of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National Chess Championships 2021 is planned to have in 7 regions, Western I (Colombo District), Western II (Gampaha and Kaluthara District), Central Province, Wayamba Province, Southern Province, Sabaragamuwa Region (Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces) and Northern Region (Northern, Eastern and North Central Provinces). The four regions are already over.

Top 23 players of the Southern Open Event and the Top 15 players of the Central Women’s event will be qualified to the appropriate Majors Division Chess Championships to be held from late August 2021.

The Inaugural Sri Lanka Online National Rapid Chess Championship Cycle 2021 consists of 4 stages. The Cycle is started with the Novices events in 7 regions followed by the Major Division Events in the same regions. The Top players will join with the selectees from Major Division events in the National B event. The Top 14 players of the National B will join the current National Chess Champion and the Top rank player in the 15 round Robin in the 1st stage of the finals while a knocked out of top four players of Round Robin event will play as 2nd stage in the finals. The same structure will be followed in the Women Event as well.