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Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya has been unanimously elected President of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka at the Annual General Meeting of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka. The AGM of Sri Lanka was held 11:00 am on 29^th of August 2020 at the CFSL Headquarters. The Neutral Election Committee elected at the CFSL Special General Meeting in 2019 December, Mr. Upali Gunasekara (Chairman), Mr. Aruna De Silva and Mrs. Nadeeka Perera conducted the CFSL Elections.

There were no other nomination for each post where a single nomination each was posted for 19 posts in the CFSL Executive Committee (see photo below), giving full authority to Mr. Wijesuriya’s team to take the Chess in Sri Lanka to next level

Mr. Malith Akalanka of Sri Lanka Army was elected as the Secretary General and former Sri Lanka National Player Deepthi Hewageegana was elected as the Deputy President.

Luxman Wijesuriiya (above photo with FIDE President) was the Sri Lanka National Chess Champion in 1996 and 2000. He has represented Sri Lanka in National level for 25 years from 1983 to 2008 including eight Chess Olympiads which is still the highest among Sri Lankan players. He won a Gold medal at the Asian Team Championship 1995 in Singapore. He is an International Arbiter and has officiated as an arbiter in most of the top World Chess events such as FDE Chess Olympiad, Women’s World cup and FIDE Men & Women Grand Prix.

Luxman being a leading Chess administrator in Chess after his retirement from the game,has done a great service to Chess in Sri Lanka during last decade. The number of Registered Chess players has reached 170,000 in the country.  CFSL organizes around 150 Chess Events per year. There are 11 International Ranking Events which gives more than 400,000/- cash awards in a year. Even the last year National Chess Champion was awarded with Rs. 100,000/=. A foreign Grand master was brought as National Coach in 2018 period which changed the level of Chess in a big way. Harshana Thilakarathne managed to win the IM Title from FIDE and Sasith Piyumantha won the Asian Under 16 Championship during last two years due to this development. He managed to get at least one Asian/ Commonwealth Chess event per year. Last year CFSL organized the biggest Chess Event in Asia, the Asian Youth Chess Championship with around 300 foreign players from 23 Asian Countries.

He is working as the General Secretary in both South Asian Chess Council & Commonwealth Chess Association. He is a Vice President in the Asian Chess Federation as well. Luxman is shown in photo below with Asian Chess Federation president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan.

Malith Akalanka, the Hony. Secretary is also a long serving Chess enthusiast who worked hard to promote Chess in the country. He is also and International Arbiter and one of the founding members who started the Dhamso International Chess Championship. He is a distinguished officer of Sri Lanka Army.

Mr. Deepthi Hewageegana who is the CEO of a leading company in Colombo, United Tractors, also played for the National Chess team which participated in Asian Chess Championships in Dubai, 1996 and in Genting Island, Malaysia 1989. He was continuously serving in the National Selection Committee for Chess and coming to the bigger position this year.

We have no doubt that the new team with a lot of young blood will do the best for the Chess in the Sri Lanka.

The Executive Committee Elected:

President                     -Mr. G Luxman Wijesuriya
Deputy President        – Mr. Deepthi Hewageegana
Vice President             -Mr. Dayal Siriwardena
Vice President             – Mr. Dharshana Hewawasam
Vice President             -Mr. Rajendra Kalugampitiya
Vice President             – Mrs. Sandya Kumari Aviruppola
Vice President             – Mrs. Buddhi Nirukshi Panagoda
Vice President             – Mr. Buddhi Alahakoon
Vice President             – Mr. Thushan Wickramaarachchi
Vice President (Appointed by Schools Chess association)  – Mr. Ranjith Thilakarathne

Hony. Secretary          – Mr. Malith Akalanka
Hony. Treasurer          – Mr. Erosh Sampath Jayasinghe
Hony. Tournament Secretary -Mr. Jagath Ketalawala
Hony Asst. Secretary              -Mr. Sumal Horawalavithana
Hony. Asst Treasurer              No Nomination
Executive Committee Member – Mr. Chinthaka Weerasinghe
Executive Committee Member – Mr. Vidura Koggala
Executive Committee Member – Mr. Buddhini Wackishta
Executive Committee Member – Mr. Akila Fernando
Executive Committee Member – Mr. Kanishka Welipitiya
Executive Committee Member – Mr. Jude Dorison

Executive Committee Member (Appointed by Schools Chess ass.) – Mr. Ranjith Wickramaratne

FIDE Master, LMST De Silva of Nalanda College, Colombo and Women International Master, Sachini Ranasinghe of Nf3 Chess Club won the Sri Lanka National Rapid Chess Championship on Saturday, the 22nd of August 2020 at the SATHARA Hall, Maharagam. Susal who is just 14 year schoolboy at Nalanda did a great performance scoring total 8.5 points out of 9 games being unbeaten throughout the event. he won the event outright and was awarded the title of Sri Lanka National Rapid Chess Champion 2020 with Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 20,000/= in cash. WIM, Sachini Ranasinghe, the most experienced women Chess player in the country was also outstanding when she scored total 6 ½ points out of 7 games, also being unbeaten to win the title. She is crowned as the Sri Lanka Women’s National Rapid Chess Champion 2020 with the Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 15,000/= in cash. Sri Lanka Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships were conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka on 21st & 22nd of August 2020 at SATHARA Hall. A total of 270 players participated in the Swiss system events where the men’s section had 9 games and women section is with 7 games. Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College Chandana Wijekoon of SL Navy Chess Club tied for the 2nd spot with 8 points each and Ranindu won the Silver Medal with a shared Rs. 10,000/= in cash on the tie breaker. Chandana Wijekoon has to satisfy with the Bronze medal. KM Sanidula Dahamdi (Musaeus College) and Nevanjee Hewawasam (Visakha Vidyalaya) tied for the second place with six points out of 7 games. Sanidula had the best tie breaker and was awarded the Silver Medal and shared cash award of Rs. 7,000/= while Nevanjee had to satisfy with the Bronze medal with Rs. 7,500/= in cash. The CFSL President elect, Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya who is the General Secretary of the South Asian Chess Council and Commonwealth Chess Association and Vice President of Asian Chess Federation was the chief Guest while CFSL Treasurer, Mr Erosh Jayasinghe also grace the Awards Ceremony. Ranindu and Sandeepani are National Blitz Chess Champions 2020 Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College, Colombo and Tharushi Sandeepani of Devi Balika Vidyalaya won the Sri Lanka National Blitz Chess Championship on Friday, the 21st of August 2020 at the SATHARA Hall, Maharagam. Ranindu who is a 15 year schoolboy yet was excellent in performance scoring total 9 points out of 9 games. he won the event outright Sri Lanka National Blitz Chess Champion 2020 with Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 15,000/= in cash. Tharushi Sandeepani, a 15 year school girl was also outstanding when she scored total 7 points out of 7 games to win the title. She will is crowned as the Sri Lanka National Blitz Chess Champion 2020 with the Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 10,000/= in cash. Sri Lanka Blitz Chess Championships was conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka on 21st of August 2020 at SATHARA Hall. A total of 270 players participated in the Swiss system event where the men’s section had 9 games and women section is with 7 games. Chirasana Lamahewa of Anandian’s Chess Club and CC Weerasinghe of Maroons Chess Club tied for the 2nd spot with 8 points each and Chirasana won the Silver Medal with a shared Rs. 7,500/= in cash on the tie breaker. CC Weerasinghe has to satisfy with the Bronze medal. Tharushi Niklesha of Visakha Vidyalaya won the second place with six points out of 7 games and claimed the Bronze medal with Rs. 6,000/= in cash. The third place was a three way tie among Esha Pallie, Methushi Amaya Fernando and Sinlay, Thanujana. Esha Pallie of Visakha Vidyalaya won the Bronze Medal with the better tie breaker.

 

With deep sorrow we learned of the demise of a long-time friend of chess, Mr. Emad Ghalayini.

Emad was one of the original founders of chess in the UAE. As Technical Secretary of the UAE Chess Federation, he helped start chess clubs around the UAE – in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah to start the chess movement here.

He made his mark in Asian and World chess. Emad thrice organized the Asian Cities Chess Team Championship in the 1990s in Dubai and he was Chief Organizer of the World Juniors Chess Championship 1985 in Sharjah and Chief Arbiter of the Chess Olympiad 1986 in Dubai.

Asian Chess Federation recognized his achievements in the first Asian Chess Excellence Awards in 2014. In photo below, Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan and former FIDE President Kirsan Iljumzhinov presented Emad Ghalayini the Meritorious Service Award together with Asian Chess Federation General Secretary Hisham Al Taher (right).

Sheikh Sultan extended sincere condolences to the family of Emad Ghalayini on behalf of the Asian Chess Community.

Dimuth Indeepa Samarweera of DS Senanayake College made the Chess history by winning the Inaugural Sri Lanka Youth Chess Grandprix yesterday at the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka Headquarters, Nugegoda. Dimuth who was performing extremely well from the 1st round has no hesitation in beating his schoolmate, Senuka Ahangama 1 ½ – ½ at the super finals held yesterday. He drew his first game and won the 2nd game convincingly. He was awarded the Championship Trophy, Gold Medal and a cash award of Rs. 25,000/=. Dimuth beat one of his schoolmates, Pesandu Liyanage in the Semi Finals yesterday. Senuka Ahangama also from DS Senanayake College had to satisfy with the 2nd place getting the Silver Medal with Rs. 15,000/= cash award. Senuka became the group Championship in Group X earlier and came to the final after a strong battle with Shenal Gunathilake of Royal College in the Semifinals yesterday. Peasndu Liyanage over came with Vinuda Shenal Gunathilake in the consolation finals and placed third with the Bronze Medal and Rs. 10,000/= in cash. The match they played was 1 each and Pesandu beat Vinuda on the first tie breaker, the Rapid Games. Peasandu beat Vinuda in both Rapid Games. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd, all three places went to DS Senanayake College Colombo. A total of 20 top under 14 years Chess players participated in this strongest youth Chess Championship conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka for the first time in the Chess history. The event is scheduled in a new format as 20 players are divided in to two groups with equal strength. So two, ten player round robin (9 rounds) events were played on 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th of August 2020. Then the Champion and the runner up in the groups played a knocked out as X winner Vs Y Runner Up, Y winner with X runner up as semifinals and then the finals between thewinners. The knocked out stage, each match had two games with different colours and tie breaks was two games with rapid play in two colours followed by two blitz games and if still tied, a sudden death game. The whole tournament games were live webcasted. Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, the expected President of CFSL who is the General Secretary of South Asian Chess Council and a Vice President of Asian Chess Federation was the Chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony with the Chief Arbiter Dayal Siriwardena and Mr. Erosh Jayasinghe, the Treasurer of CFSL. The Inugural Sri Lanka Youth Girls Chess Grand Prix will be started on 29th of August 2020.