15 year Old SDBK Seneviratneof Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala and Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara won the Sri Lanka National (Premier Division) Chess Championships 2022, Open and Girls events respectively. Seneviratne who was having a perfect score till 7th round had two losses in a row at 8th and 9th rounds recovered well in the final round to tie with three more players for the first place and won the Championship with the better tie breaker. He beat Sandwiaru Galukagama, Daham Jayasundara, Lahiru Manuranga, Buddhika Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara, Chandana Wijekoon, Isuru Alahakoon and Jenith Weerathunga while losing to Lisara Tennakoon and Nabil Nazar Mohamed to earn 8 points and the title.

Veteran, four times National Chess Champion, Isuru Alahakoon of Sri Lanka Navy also had a good performance to score 8 points and placed 2nd according to the tie breaker. Isuru beat SMHD Sathkumara, Marlon Fernando, Malith Madusanka, S Sivathanujan, Osheen De Silva, KGSTD Kiriella and Lisara tennakoon, drew with Chandana Wijekoon and Dhanushka Bandara with only lost to the winner SDBK Senevirathne to score 8 points.

Nabil Nazar Mohamed of Gateway College beat Induwara Wijewickrama, Chamin Vithanage, OLB Yatawara, RMISA Rathnayake, Achintha Shamain Kaluarachchi, Sithija Lahiru and SDBK Senevirathne, drew with B Janukshan and Brijeash Saravanabhavan to reach 8 points and 3rd place on the tie breaker.

Brijeash Saravanabhawan of Gateway College also made his best performance in an event so far to tie for the 1st place but had to satisfy with the 4th place according to the tie breaker. He beat Vinsith Perera, Ramiru Gunawardena, Yasantha Jayaweera, Kevin Ranindu Silva, NPG Sithija Lahiru, MN Abdul Basith and Elath Mathanga De Silva, drew with Lisara Tennakkon and Nabil Nazar Mohamed with only one lost to Chandana Wijekoon. All four players shared the total cash award of Rs. 140,000/- as Rs. 35,000/= per each player.

Dhanushka Bandara (Kandy YMCA) Got selected to play the Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022 – Finals with the directly qualified, reigning National Chess Champion Susal De Silva of Nalanda College, over ELO 2300 players, Harshana Thilakarathne and Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage. Chandana Wijekoon of Sri Lanka Navy would be the 1st standby player to replace if any of the 14 withdraws.

Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe also had 7 straight wins with Punsadi Devaraja, Hansali Thrinethsari, Pasindi Wijesuriya, Chethani Chamathka, Tharuli Ranganath, Devindya Oshini Gunawardena, Esha Pallie and Chamodya Yapabandara in the final round. She got a draw with WIM Sachini Ranasinghe in the penultimate round and lost only one game to Wishwara Mapa to score 8 ½ points and earn the ought right title with Rs. 50,000/= in cash.

Wishwara Mapa of Girls high Schools, Kandy also had an excellent performance to score 8 points out of 10 games and earn the 2nd place with Rs. 25,000/- in cash. She beat U Vishlini, Ranumi Dange, Devindi Vithana, Javindi Akuratiya, Chanindi Mewna Attanayake, Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe and Desandi Dihansa Gamage, drew with Tiumi Yashora and Sanidula Dahamdi with a lost to Chethani Chamathka in the 2nd round.

KM Dahamdi Sanudula of Musaeus College placed 3rd with 7 ½ points out of 10 games and earn the Bronze Medal and Rs. 15,000/- in cash. She beat R Laxiha, Sumudu Wijesinghe, Nemindi Ramanayake, RGRDM Rajapakse, Chanethma Marasinghe, Janandani Abeysinghe and Esha Pallie, drew with Wishwara Mapa in the last round with two losses to Oneli Vithanawasam and Desandi Dihansa Gamage.

Thirteen players, Minetma, Mapa, Dahamdi, Desandi Dihansa Gamage (Sirimavo Bandaranaike BMV), WIM Sachini Ranasinghe(Grand Prix Chess Cliub), GPY Wijesuriya(Passed Pawn CC), Chamodya Yapabandara(Girls High School), Tiyumi Yashora(Colombo University), Esha Pallie(Visakha Vidyalaya), Janandani Abeysinghe (NSBM Green University), Oneli Vithanawasam(Lycium International School, Wattala), WMN Wijesinghe(Girls High School, Kandy) and Nemindi Linaya Ramanayake (Bandaranayake College) selected to play the Sri Lanka Women’s National Chess Championship 2022 – Finals with the reigning National Chess Champion, Niklesh Tharushi of Visakha Vidyalaya. Yasasi Geemini Abeysekara of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara will be standby for any withdrawals.

The 3rd Level of Sri Lanka National Chess Championships Cycle 2022(Open and Girls), the Sri Lanka National (Premier Division) CC, conducted by Chess Federation of Sri Lanka was held from 16th to 20th of March 2022 at Palm Beach Hotel, Mt. Lavinia with a total cash award of Rs. 230,000/=. Events are held according to the Swiss System in 10 rounds. Twenty Games of the events are live broadcasted everyday.