Esandi Newansa

Sri Lanka number 1 ranked, International Master, Harshana Thilakarathne won the Gold medal in the most important under 18 years (Open) category of the Western Asian Online Youth Chess Championships concluded on 20th September 2021. Harshana who is from Maliyadeva College played excellent Chess being the leader from the 1st round and won the Gold medal convincingly. He beat Aljabari Mohammad.A (Palastine), Radwan Mahmoud J (Palastine), FIDE Master Anees M Mohamed(India), Mazhkenov Alisher (Kazakhstan), Dhingra Aaditya(India) and Khazaei Parviz(Iran) and drew with Bosagh Zadeh Alireza and (Iran) and Ranjan Aryan(India) and lost one game to our own National player LMST De Silva to score 7 points out of possible 9 games to make us proud.

The young Oshini Devindya Gunawardena who is the current under 10 Years Girls World Chess Champion showed her supremacy by winning the under 10 Category Gold medal of this Championships. Though unfortunately she lost her 2nd game to Indian player, R Charudharshini(India) she recovered well scoring wins with all other players Bhuchar Ridhima(India), A Anjana (India), Reya Banker(India), Gunesh Dessai Saeeja (India), GHS Sanulya (Sri Lanka), Akbari Rosha (Iran), S Ukkali Krupa(India) and Dongre Anshika(India) to score 8 points out of 9 games and win the event. Oshini is from Furguson High School, Ratnapura and is coached by Mr. Akhila Kavinda, a prominent Chess trainer in the country.

The Sri Lankan prominent youth player in the National Chess Team, Susal De Silva of Nalanda College made the Silver in under 18 category by winning with the champion in the crucial penultimate round. He also suffered two early loses in 2nd and 3rd rounds to Ranjan Arayan(India) and Kusalwin Liyanage and he made a miracle by scoring 6 ½ points out of rest of 7 games to win the Silver Medal. He beat Al Busaidi Hamood(Oman), Radwan Mahmoud J(Palastine), Khalifa Essa Albalooshi(UAE), Dhingra Aaditya (India), Harshana and Mazhkenov Alisher(Kazakhatan) and drew with Khazaei Parviz(Iran) to score 6 ½ points out of 9 games.

M Esandi Newansa of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda made the Bronze Medal in the Under 12 years Girls category scoring 6 ½ points out of 9 games. She beat Anujana Hasandi (Sri lanka), Sachi Jain(India), Rouda Essa Alserkal(UAE), Sirin Kalyani(India), Ebrahimi Rashti Asal (Iran) and Abaeva Aiana and drew with Alavi Mahsa(Iran) and lost 2 games to Imani Adrina and Davari Sara both from Iran for her total of 6 ½ out of 9 games.

India dominated the event by winning 8 Gold Medals in Under 18 Girls by Prachiti Chandratreya with 7 ½ points out of 9 games, under 16 Open and Girls by FM Krishna S Rohit with a score of 7 ½ out of 9 games and WIM Divya Deshmuk with 9 points out of 9 games, Under 14 Open & Girls by Singh Sahib with a score of 7 ½ out of 9 games and M Sreekumar Anupam with a score of 8 ½ points out of 9, Under 12 Open by Mrinmoy Rajkowa, Under 10 years Open by Ethan Zaz with 8 points out of 9 and Under 8 Open by B Vishruth with a score of 8 points out of 9 games. Iran won 2 Gold medals in Under 12 Open by Devari Sara with a score of 8 points out of 9 games, Under 12 Girls by Davari Sara with a perfect score of 9 out of 9 games and under 8 Girls by Mirzakhani Bahar with 7 ½ point out of 9 games. The overall champion Went to India convincingly.

The western Asian Online Youth Chess Championships conducted by the Asian Chess Federation and organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka was held from 18th – 20th September 2021. A total of 850 players participated in this biggest online Chess Event of Asia on Tornelo platform. The time control is 15 minutes + 10 seconds for each move played. The Countries of Bangladesh, India, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Syria, UAE, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka participated in the event.

The Winners of each age group are selected to play the FIDE World Youth and Cadet Chess Grand Prix 2021 to be conducted by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). So the two Sri Lankan players, International Master Harshana Thilakarathne and Oshini Gunawardena will be selected for the event.