The Sri Lanka National Chess Championships (open and Women) started 20th March 2024 at the Auditorium of the Institute of Sports Medicine with a total prize fund of One Million Rupees. The most prestigious Chess Event in the country with the top 14 ranked players in both Genders in Sri Lanka will be continued on 23rd, 24th, 25th, 29th, 30th and 31st of March 2024 at the same venue. All events are played with top technical facilities using DGT Boards and games are livestreamed.
There are 3 former National Champions, IM LMST De Silva (Nalanda College), IM Ranindu Liyanage (Ananda College) and IM Harshana Thilakarathne (University of Moratuwa) in the open section while 3 Women’s National Champions, WCM Sanudula Dahamdi (Musaeus College), WCM THD Niklesha (University of Kelaniya) and Nethmi Fernando (SLT Campus) competing in the Women’s National Chess Championship 2024. World Cadet Chess Champion – Under 12 Girls Oshini Devindya Gunawardena is also among the contestants.
The event has become the youngest event according to the average age for all these years. In the open section, the average age is 20 year while in the Women’s section, the average age is 15 years only.
This year’s event has become more competitive due to the FIDE world Chess Olympiad slated in September 2024 in Budapest, Hungary and the team will be picked from this Championships.
The Chess Federation is offering cash awards of Rs. 250,000/-, Rs. 150,000/-, Rs. 100,000/-, Rs. 60,000/- and Rs. 40,000/- for the top five players in the Open event while 200,000/-, Rs. 100,000/-, Rs. 50,000/-, Rs. 30,000/- and Rs. 20,000/- for the Women’s event. The last years Champions were International Master (IM), LMST De Silva of Nalanda College and Women Candidate Master (WCM) Sanudula Dahamdi of Musaeus College.
Instead of above three players, 11 other players, AACB Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara, TSS Peiris(Maroons CC), DDLN Dandeniya & SDBK Senevirathne (both Maliyadeva College), Pesandu Liyanage & Senuka Ashwin Ahangama (Both DS Senanayake College), Vinuka Wijerathne (Royal College), Dinujaya Kodithhuwakku (Mathara Rahula College), B Janukshan (Jaffna Hindu College), Kosala Sandeep Amaratunge (Boxwell College, Kaluthara) are participateing in the Open section. Instead of 4 Girls mentioned above, 10 more players, Janandani Abeysinghe (HNB), Chenaya Ekarathne (Musaeus College), Esandi Newansa & Methushi Amaya Fernando, (Both Dharmasoka College), Esha Pallie (Visakha Vidyalaya), Dulinma Hemalini Rathnayake (Viharamahadevi BMV, Kiribathgoda), Theruni Jayasekara, Sandithi Kaushalya Alwis (Anula Vidyalaya), Hesara Gunasekera (Mahamaya Girls College), Jayandi Bimansa (Bandaragama Central College) are playing in the Women event.
The Chess Results Links are:
https://chess-results.com/tnr912868.aspx?lan=1
https://chess-results.com/tnr912865.aspx?lan=1&art=1…