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The Chess Federation declared the Golden Jubilee Celebrations

The Chess Federation of Sri Lanka is completing the 50 years in 2022 and they declared the Golden Jubilee year with the plans of the Celebration activities at a grand Ceremony held on Saturday, the 22^nd of January 2022 at the Russian Center in Colombo. The event was held under the patronage of Prof. Ajith De Alwis, the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Moratuwa where he delivered the Keynote address.

About 50% of the National Chess Champions in last five decades were present where most of the others are abroad. Dr. Harsha Aturupane, Harinlal Aturupane, Sudharman Pitigala, TDR Pieris, Luxman Wijesuriya, Muditha Hettiagama, Chamika Perera, Rajeendra Kalugampitiya. Minul Doluweera, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage and the Current National Chess Champion, Susal De silva were present. The Women’s National Chess Champions, Suneetha Wijesuriya, Pramodya Senanayake, Dasuni Mendis and the reigning Champion Niklesha Tharushi were there. The National Team members of last five years and all Chess enthusiasts were invited for the function.

The official Logo of the Golden Jubilee year designed by a former Chess player Sanali Nathasha was launched by the National Chess Champion, Susal De Silva while the launching of the new CFSL Website was done with the hands of the current women’s National Chess Champion, Niklesha Tharushi.

Speaking at the Ceremony, the President of CFSL said that the Chess in Sri Lanka has come to the current level with a lot of ups and downs in the last 50 years. He said that Sri Lanka is third among Asia in Number of Players, Number of Rated Chess players and the Number of Technical officials. So, the required Chess Grand Master will come in soon if the current programs continues.

Prof. Ajith De Alwis, himself being a Chess player in his early years made a excellent speech on a way combined Chess with the science and Technology.

The Following are the plans of CFSL for the Golden Jubilee year:

1. The CFSL Golden Jubilee Online International Youth Chess Championships 2022 is already started and the age groups of under 10 years and Under 16 Years Girls are happening on 22^nd and 23^rd January 2022. This event will continue for another 8 Weekends for the Age groups of Under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18, as Girls and boys separately.
2. The Online Asian Under-14 Nations Cup will be organized from Sri Lanka
3. The FIDE Online World Junior Chess Championships 2022 will be conducted from Sri Lanka
4. The Asian School Chess Championships 2022 will be held from 20^th to 30^th August 2022
5. The Golden Jubilee Online Grand Master Chess Tournament will happen from 20^th to 30^th June 2022.
6. There are many Seminars on Training Trainers, Training arbiters and Women’s Chess.
7. The Final Ceremony will be held to felicitate the people who contributed to the game with appreciation for the winners will be held on 3^rd of September 2022, the Establishment of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka

Luxman Wijesuriya

President – CFSL

Chess Federation is 50 years old!

The Chess Federation is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year. The CFSL was formed at the time of the famous World Chess Championship match between Russian Grand master and reigning World Chess Champion Borris Spassky and energetic American Grand Master Boby Fischer in 1972. As the two countries were great rivals at the time and with Russia dominating the Chess World, American Fischer’s winning of the World Chess Championship became a golden history in World Chess.

As a result, the local chess enthusiasts got together and formed the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka on 3^rd September 1972 under the presidency of Mr. VP Vittachchi. After a ew years Mr. Bodinagoda who was the Chairman of the Lake House became President and some progressive activates happened at the time. There were some ups and downs between 1988 – 1999 due to political unstability in the country and security level. The current era began in 1999 under the presidency of Mr. Derrick Perera where two huge events, the Asian Junior Chess Championships were held in 2000 and 2001 in a grand style. Derrick was appointed as the General Secretary of Asian Chess Federation in 2002.

The 1^st National Chess Champion was Christopher Parakrama of Royal College and Sri Lanka started to play the FIDE Chess Olympiad for the first time in 1978 at Buanos Aires, Argentina. A team led by Arjuna Parakrama with Harsha Aturupane, L.C. Goonatilleke and Sunil Weeramantry were the team. After a non regular participation in 1982 to 1996 the CFSL started their regular participation of Chess Olympiads from 2000 in Turkey. After the year 2000 we were regular members in all Chess Olympiads which took place in Slovenia 2002, Spain 2004, Italy 2006, Germany 2008, Russia 2010, Turkey 2012, Norway 2014, Azerbaijan 2016 and Georgia 2018. But, Suneetha Wijesuriya brought honour to the country at the FIDE Chess Olympiad 1992 in Manila by winning a Board prize Gold Medal.

The current development came when Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya took control. He started a strong Internal structure of events with cash prizes, educated players on ratings and titles, started organizing official Asian events regularly. This resulted in developing the game rapidly and Sachini Ranasinghe became the winner of the Asian Zonal Women’s Chess Championship 2011 and became the first Woman International Master in the country. She qualified for the FIDE Women’s Chess  World Cup in 2012 and became the first player to play in the event.

Then Romesh Weerawardena performed well in the Asian Zone 2013 to win the first International Master title. Nelunika Methmani also got the Woman’s International Master title this year. Then Harshana Thilakaratne was the one who reached the highest level when he got the IM title in regular system with 3 IM norms and 2400 rating. Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage was fortunate to be the first player to play in the FIDE Chess World Cup 2021 in Russia.

Chess Federation has become the one of the most active Federations in Sri Lanka as well as one of the most active Chess Federations in Asia. Even with the pandemic situation the CFSL was having 100 odd Online events and possible over the board event. Golden Jubilee has come in the right time with the right person, Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya who is even the Genera Secretary of South Asian Chess Council and Commonwealth Chess Association and a Vice President of Asian Chess Federation is leading the CFSL.

The CFSL have planned a lot of activities to mark their Golden year as below:

1. Golden Jubilee International Youth Chess Championships 2022 – 12 categories
2. World Junior Online Chess Championships 2022
3. Asian Nations Cup U-14 Chess Team Championships
4. Asian Schools Chess Championships 2022
5. Training programmes for Technical officers
6. Golden Jubilee International Open Grand Master Chess Championships
7. Religious Ceremony on 2^nd and 3^rd of September 2022
8. The gathering of all top Chess Players and Officials

Be a part of this memorable year!

“Chess Association of Khorasan-Razavi province” in accordance with “The I.R. IRAN Chess
Federation” and “Khorasan Razavi Sporting and The Youth Office” holds the 11th
Ferdowsi International Chess Open Tournament (21st internaonal chess tournament,
held by chess association of Khorasan-Razavi) in Mashhad, northeastern of Iran, from
February 20-26, 2022, under the following regulations: Ferdowsi cup 2022-En

Passed Pawn Chess Club is the Champion

The passed Pawn Chess Club consists of WIM Sachini Ranasinghe (Captain), WIM Nelunika Metmani, WIM from India B Shri Savitha, WFM Dasuni Hansika Mendis and WCM Sanudula Dahamdi won the Championship of the 2^nd CFSL Online Women Team Chess Championships 2022 convincingly. They crushed their opponents, the Mayor’s Chess Club without an effort 3 ½ to ½ in both rounds. CM Sanudula Dhamdi repeatedly beat the Indian WIM Mishella Catherine in both rounds while Sachini Ranasinghe and WIM from India had no resistance from their opponents and got both points for their team. Dasuni Hansika Mendis drew the both games with HMMD Hearath.

Mayor’s Chess Club with Kaveesha Indrajith, HMMD Herath, WIM from India Michelle Catherine, BSMT Cooray and DADT Srilal placed runner up and received the silver Medal.

In the Consolation finals. Black Knight Black Knight Chess Club consists of Naduni Abeywardana, Wonara Gunatilake, Anuththara Chandrasiri, Roschell Nathasha Askey and Pevinya Pieris beat Kriegspiel Chess Academy team in both rounds 2 ½ – 1 ½ and earned the Bronze Medal. In the first round, Pevinya Pieris and Wonara Gunatilleke scored points for Black knight while SAK Chandrasiri got a draw to score 2 ½. NT Abeywardena lost to Minethma Lasandi Wickraamasinghe. In the 2^nd round, Roschell Nathasha Askey and Naduni Abeywardana scored 2 points while Pevinya Pieris got a draw. Anuththara Chandrasiti lost in this round to Saymi Gamage.

Kriegspiel Chess Academy with Minethma Wickramasinghe, Esandi Newansa, Sayumi Gamage and Kaveeshwari De Silva became 4^th.

The 2^nd CFSL Online Women Team Chess Championships 2022 was conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from 8^th to 12^th of January 2022 at Tornelo Platform. The time control was `5 minutes + 10 seconds per each move played.