The 3rd Sri Lanka Youth Chess Grand Prix 2022

Vivash is strong, wins the Championship convincingly

Vivash Smarakoon of Royal College won the 3rd Sri Lanka Youth Chess Grand Prix 2022 when he beat his schoolmate Thisarindu induwara 1 ½ - ½ convincingly. Vivash started the 1st game with Black pieces and the opening was a scotch games where he made little complicated by opening the d file early. In couple of moves he got a Bishop and a Knight for a Rook with a winning advantage. When White took the Queen to the Queenside in 22nd move Vivash sacrificed a piece fearlessly, which brought him the total control of the game and the win.

In the 2nd game, Vivash played a defensive game against the Caro Kann Defense of Induwara. Though Induwara advanced his Pawns in the Kings side threatening the control of Kings side Vivash managed to get a kind of perpetual checks to draw the Game and the Title. Vivash bagged Rs. 30,000/= with the Trophy and the Gold Medal and thisarindu had to satisfy with the Bronze Medal.

Pamok Samaranayake of Rahula College managed to beat Maleesha Savindu Weerathunge of DS Senanayake College at the 1st tie breaker, the Rapid play in the consolation finals. Pamok playing white won the 1st round Game against the Sicilian Defense Opening played by his opponent after 49m moves. Though Malish got a break through to enter whites territory, his king got isolated with Pamok’s Two rook combination and got mated on the 49th move.

Maleesha came back strongly to win the 2nd games against the Sicilian Defense Pelican variation. Though Pamok Managed to get the two Bishops advantage at once, his king in the center gave trouble with Maleesha’s pieces working towards Black king. The tie breaker, the Rapid Games with the time control of 15 minutes with 10 second increments from move one began. Pamok won the Rapid Tie Breaker 1 ½ - ½ and claim the Silver Medal with Rs. 10,000/=. Maleesha had to satisfy with the 4th place with Rs. 5,000/=

The 3rd Sri Lanka Youth Chess Grand Prix 2022 conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka was in progress from 3rd to 13th of February 2022 at the CFSL Headquarters. There were two round Robin Events of 11 rounds played as Group A and B in the first stage with 12 players each. Then the winners, Malisha (Group A), Vivash(Group B) and Runners up Pamok (Group A), Induwara (Group B were advanced to the Knocked out event as the stage II. In the Semifinals, Induwara beat Maleesha and Vivash beat Pamok to come to the finals. CFSL offered a Cash Award of Rs. 65,000/= with Trophies and Medals for the winners.

The Awards Ceremony was held just after the event with the participation of Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, the President of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka.