Rathnayaka and Arunodya Shines!

D R M R S Rathnayka and D C B K Senevirathne both from Maliyadeva College, Kurunegals managed to score 6 ½ points out of 7 games being unbeaten throughout in the Novices Division of Waymba province of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National Chess Championships 2021. Rathnayake managed to win the Championship with the Gold Medal having the better tie breaking points.

Rathnayake defeated Keerthisinghe N Y, Perera M S H, Rathnayaka Ranuka, Wijesinghe W A H K, Jayakody J M I P B and Nuwarapaksha Lakvindu in the first six rounds and share the last round game with D C B K Senevirathne. Even Senevirathne was able to obtain the same scores as Rathnayaka, he had to satisfy with the Silver Medal due to the poor tie – braking points. Kuluna Oshadha, Navod Ashitha, Rathnayaka R M D D, Ruberu G T D D, Nuwarapaksha Lakvindu, and Daksha Hansara are the players who fallen into the net of Senevirathne. Out of four players who obtained 6 points, J M I P B Jayakody(Wickramashila National School) won the third place having favorable tie – braker. He obtained the 6 points by winning against K G M R Karunarathna, Chaniru Chandika Kooragama, A P V T Amarasinghe, S M R Sasndu Ayod Samarakoon, and Methsara Wijesinghe and lost to the Champion. Other players who obtained 6 points are Athila Upekshan, Hiran Chamara, and Jayakody J M S S B.

In the Sabaragmuwa Women’s event, Pahasarani Arunodya (Dharmapala Maha Vidyalaya, Ratnapura) clinched the title outright by winning 6.5 points. Points out of 7 games being unbeaten. Her victories included against O S Karunathilake, S M I U Mudalige, W T S Wickramasinghe, Vinuji Ranudima, Sasmi Sithumsa and Hansadie Aradhya and a sharing a point with Kalpani De Silva. Arunodya won the Championship with the Gold Medal

S M I U Mudalige (Furguson High School) won the second place in the event and the only game she lost was the game played with the Champion. She beat MRTC Dayananda (a walkover), Viduni Dulansa, S A N Dilenya, E M B D Ekanayake, Thumeshi Thiranya Gunasena and Hasandie Aradhya Akuratiya to win the Silver Medal. With the advantage of better tie – breaker, Sasmi Sithumsa(Lyceum International, Ratnapura) standed out from the players who obtained 5.5 points and won the third place to get the Silver Medal. Her victories included the games played against Tharushi Kaveesha, Chathuththara Thenudi, Sriyaratna Akshana, Y T Geekiyanage, and V P A U Vidanapathirana. The game she played against O S Karunarathna was shared among two players and she had respect and accept the defeat in the fifth round against Arunodya, the Champion.

The Novices Division of the Sri Lanka Online National Rapid 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 top 25 players of the North-Western Open event and the Top 16 players of the Sabaragamuwa Women’s event will obtain the license 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, Round Robin event in the 1st stage of the finals while a knocked out of top four players of Round Robin event will be played as 2nd stage of the finals. The same structure will be followed in the Women's Event as well.