Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022

Susal and Sachini are New King and Queen!

The Reigning National Chess Champion 17 year Old FIDE Master, Susal de Silva of Nalanda College won the Sri Lanka National Chess Championship 2022 for the 2nd Successive year scoring 10 points out of possible 13 games. Susal who is one of the most promising Chess players in the country kept the lead from the beginning, beat his rival Ranindu Liyanage in the 8th round which gave him the needed tie breaking points to win the National Chess Championship 2022 title Trophy, the Gold Medal and shared cash award of Rs. 112,500/=. Susal beat AACB Amarasinghe, Isuru Alahakoon, Dhanushka Bandara, Chandana Wijekoon SDBK Senevirathne, Brijeash Sarawanabhawan, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage and NPG Sithija Lahiru drew with Nabil Nazar, KGTSD Kiriealla, Lisara Samadith Tennakoon and Elath Mathanga De Silva and lost only one game to Achinthya Shamane Kaluarachchi to earn 10 points.

Top seed FIDE Master, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College also scored ten points out of possible 13 games but has to satisfy with the Silver Medal due to the lack of tie breaking points. Ranindu beat Brijeash Sarawanabhawan, KGTSD Kiriealla, NPG Sithija Lahiru, Elath Mathanga, Achintha Shyamane Kaluarachchi, Lisara Samadith Tennakoon, AACB Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara and SDBK Senevirathne, drew with Chandana Wijekoon, & Nabil Nazar and lost two games to the Champion Susal and Isuru Alahakoon to reach 10points, Silver Medal and Shared cash award of Rs. 112,500/=.

FIDE Master, Isuru Alahakoon of Sri Lanka Navy managed tom place 3rd with 8 ½ points out of 13 games. Isuru beat Elath Mathanga De Silva, Chandana Wijekoon, Nabil Nazar, Ranindu Liyanage, AACB Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara and SDBK Senevirathne, drew with Brijeash Saravanabhawan, KGTSD Kiriella and NPG Sithija Lahiru and lost to LMST De Silva, Achinthya Shamane Kaluarachchi and Lisara Tennakoon to win the bronze Medal with Rs. 40,000/= Thumula Kiriella of Maliyadeva College scored 8 points and earned Rs. 20,000/= while Nabil Nazar Mohomed of Gateway College scored 7 ½ points to place 5th and earn Rs. 10,000/=. In cash.

Four times Women’s National Champion, Women International Master, Sachini Ranasinghe won her 5th Women’s National Chess Championship title convincingly scoring 9 points out of possible 13 games. She beat Pasindi Wijesuriya, Oneli Vithanawasam, Janandani Abeysinghe, Nemindi Ramanayake, Tiumi Yashora, WMMN Wijesinghe and Wishwara Mapa, drew with Yasasi Abeysekara, Chamodya Yapabandara, Desandi Gamage and Esha Mihisha Pallie with two loses against Sanudula Dahamdi and Minethma Wickramasinghe. She earned the Women’s National Chess Champion Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 100,000/= in Cash.

Desandi Dihansa Gamage of Sirimavo Bandaranaike College won the 2nd spot with 8 ½ points out of 13 games. She scored wins against Tiyumi Yashora, Wishwara Mapa, Pasinidi Wijesuriya, Oneli Vithanawasam, Chamodya Yapabandara, Minethma Wickramasinghe and Yasasi Geemini Abeysekara, drew with Sanudula Dahamdi, Sachini Ranasinghe and Nemindi Ramanayake with two losses to WMMN Wijesinghe and Esha Pallie to earn the Silver medal with Rs. 50,000/= in cash.

Janandani Abeysinghe of NSBM Green University managed to win the 3rd place with 8 points. She beat Sanudula Dahamdi, Oneli Vithanawasam, Yasasi Geemini Abeysekara, Minethma Wickramasinghe, Nemindi Ramanayake, Desandi Gamage and Wishwara Mapa, Drew with Esha Pallie and Pasinidi Wijesuriya and lost 4 games to Sachini Ranasinghe, Chamodya Yapabandara, Tiyumi Yashora and WMMN Wijesinghe to earn the Bronze Medal with Rs. 25,000/- in cash. Pasindi Yathra Wijesuriya of Passed Pawn Chess Club scored 7 ½ points out of 13 games to earn 4th place with Rs. 15,000/- while Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe scored 7 points each with Wishwara Mapa and earn 5th place on better tie breaker.

The Golden Jubilee year Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022 – Open & Women’s was conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka for a half a million Cash fund. The best 14 players of each section in Sri Lanka was competed in round Robin system in 13rounds for the supremacy.

The Awards Ceremony of the event was held on 1st May at Hotel Taj Samudra just 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 being the Main Sponsor of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka distributed the Awards for the National Champions.

The Main awards of SL National (Premier Division) Chess Championships were also distributed among the winners at the Awards Ceremony. Mr. Malith Akalanka gave away the Women’s National Premier Division award to Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe while Mr. Malinda Seneviratne, The DG, Hector Kobbekaduwa Agriculture Research Institute awarded the Open award to Master SDBK Senevirathne of Maliyadeva College.