The National Youth Chess Championship 2019, one of the biggest Chess Events in the World was conducted successfully in last month at Visakah Vidyalaya, Colombo by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka. The event is organized in 12 events in under 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 Boys and Girls. A total of 2750 players participated in the event being one of the biggest events in the World, the most prestigious Youth Chess Championship in Sri Lanka. After 4 days of exciting Chess 12 new National Chess Champions emerged for the year 2019/ 20. Ten events we internationally rated except the under 7 Boys and Girls events
Initially 21 qualifying District events were conducted in October with nearly 15,000 players participated in all over the country and the finals were held as the mega event.
The live games were uploaded in 20 senior games while the important events are observed using CCTV cameras which was uploaded as to observed by any spectator. This year the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka awarded the DGT Chess clocks for the winners with Medals and Trophies.
Dulen Bimsath Labunahewage of Lycium College excelled in under 7 Boys category scoring total 9 points out of possible 9 games to get the Gold Medal, Trophy and National Youth Under 7 Championship 2019/20 title while Sanithu Dulsith Premarathne won the silver medal with 8 points and Lavindu Sohas Premarathne tying with 8 points to 2nd place had to satisfy with the Bronze medal on the tie breaker.
Devindya Osihini Gunawardana from Furguson High School Ratnapura also scored full points of 8 points out of possible 8 games. Shea was awarded the trophy and gold medal with the title of SL National Youth Under 7 Girls Chess Champion for the year 2019/20. Hansadi Aradhya Akuratiya also from Furguson College, Ratnapura tying with 5 more players scoring seven points managed to win the Silver medal and Nethmi Vimansa Fernando of Mahanama Vidyalaya, Panadura won the Bronze medal on the tie breaker.
G Haritha Hansana of Denipitiya Primary School, Matara and Disal Nimsara Weerasekara of Chandananda Buddhist School in Kandy score 9 points out of possible 10 Games. Haritha Hansana became SL National Youth Under 9 Chess Champion 2019/20 on the better tie breaker earning the trophy and the Gold Medal. Disal had to satisfy with the Silver Medal. Vinuda Vidmal Wickramasinghe of JMC International College, Kalutha managed to win the Bronze Medal with 7 points.
Jenuki Alwis of Lycium International School Wattala also scored the full points of 9 out of possible nine Games. She also crowned as the Sri Lanka under 9 National Youth Girls Chess Champion for the year 2019/ 20 with the Gold Medal and the trophy while SMG Somarathne of Royal International School Kurunegala scored 8 points out of 9 games to win the Silver medal on better tie breaker. Vishalini Umaakjan of Jaffna Hindu Primary College has to satisfy with the Bronze medal scoring same 8 points but having less in Tie breaker.
WD Malisha Savindu Weeratunga of Mayors Chess Club Score 8 1/2 points out of 9 games to earn the National Youth under 11 years title for the year 2019/ 20 with the trophy and the gold medal while Vinuda Shenal Gunathilake of Royal College, Colombo won the Silver Medal with 8 points. J Bhavanan of Jaffna Hindu College scored 7 1/2 points with better tie breaker to win the Bronze Medal.
After a 6 way tie with 7 points out of possible 8 games Nemindi Linaya Ramanayake of Bandaranayake College, Gampaha won the SL National Youth Under 11 Girls Chess Championship 2019/ 20 with the Trophy and the Gold Medal while Tharuli Ranganath of Yoshida Sonkaji International School won the Silver Medal and T Suheli Fernando of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda won the Bronze Medal according to the tie breaker.
The Sri Lanka National Player, FIDE Master LMST De Silva of Nalanda College won the SL National Youth under 13 years Chess Championship with the trophy and the Gold Medal scoring 8 points out of possible 9 games. SDBK Senevirathne of Maliyadeva College scored the same points but was awarded the Silver in lesser tie breaker. KGSTD Kiriella also from Maliyadeva College won the Bronze Medal scoring 7 1/2 points.
WMMN Wijesinghe(Girls High School), Sanidula Dahamdi (Musaeus College) and Chanindi Mewna Attanayake (Devi Balika Vidyalaya) scored 7 points each out of possible 8 Games. WMMN Wijesinghe won the SL National Youth under 13 years Girls title 2019/ 20 with the Trophy and the Gold medal on the better tie breaker. Sanidula Dahamdi and Mewna attanayake has to satisfy with the Silver and Bronze respectively with their tie break score.
Kevin Ranindu Silva of St. Benedict College scored 6 1/2 points out of 7 games to win the SL National Youth under 15 years title 2019/ 20 convincingly. He earned the Trophy and the Gold Medal. GWDM Dabarera from Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala and Aloka Feernando of Maristella College scored 5 1/2 points out of 7 games and GWDM Dagarera won the silver Medal on the better tie breaker. Aloka had to satisfy with the Bronze Medal.
MMWH Mapa of Girls High School, Kandy won the SL National Youth Under 15 Girls Chess Championship 2019/20 and the Trophy and Gold Medal scoring 6 1/2 points out of possible 7 games while Ashvini Pavalchandran of Wycherley International School scored 6 points to earn the Bronze Medal. Wonara Gunathileke of Furguson High School won the Bronze Medal with 5 1/2 points.
RKT Dissanayake of Dharmaraja College scoring 6 1/2 points out of possible 7 games won the SL National Youth under 17 Chess Championship 2019/ 20 convincingly with the trophy and the Gold Medal and Raguparan Illampoornan of St. Tomas College won the Silver Medal wwith 6 points. Himsara Kodituwakku of DS Senanayake College won the Bronze Medal scoring 5 1/2 points.
Nethmi Fernando and Chamodya Yapabandara, both from Girls High School Kandy scored 5 1/2 points each out of 7 games in the Under 17 Girls event. Finally Nethmi Fernando crowned as the SL National Youth Under 17 Girls Chess Champion 2019/ 20 with the Trophy and the Gold Medal with the better tie breaker while Chamodya had to satisfy with the Silver Medal. .THD Tharushi Niklesh of Visakha Vidyalaya managed to win the third place and Bronze medal with 5 points.
Mr. Upali Gunasekara, the Principal of Polymath College International and former Principal of Royal College, Mrs Suneetha Wijesuriya (WFM), The Gold Medalist at the 32nd World Chess Olympiad 1992 in Manila, Prof. Chandana Goontilleke, the 1st International Rated Player in Sri Lanka, Mr. Deepthi Hewageegana, CEO, United Tractors and a member of National Selection Committee and Mr. Ransith Fernando, Chairman, Coaching Commission of CFSL, Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, General Secretary of South Asian Chess Council and Commonwealth Chess Association, Vice President, Asian Chess Federation awarded the Trophies, Medals and gifts to the winners.