A sixteen year School boy from Ananda College, Colombo, Ranindu Liyanage (photo above) was crowned national chess champion. Ranindu who was playing excellent chess from the beginning and concluded with a total of 10 ½ points out of possible thirteen. Young Ranindu suffered an unnecessary loss to CC Weerasinghe at the penultimate round gave only three draws to LMST De Silva, Lakshitha Randil and Gayantha Dissanayake and beat all other opponents to reach the top spot. He gained the national chess champion title, Rs. 100,000/= with the Trophy and the Gold medal.
Nethmi Fernando of Girls High School, receiving trophy above from Luxman Wijesuriya, was crowned as Sri Lanka Women’s National Chess Champion scoring 10 points out of 13 games. She had an excellent start in the first half of the event scoring 6 ½ points out of 7 games and started the second half of the event with a loss of two games to Sandeepani Tharushi and Newanji Hewawasam. But she came back strongly to score 3 ½ out of 4 in the last four rounds. Nethmi is also 16 years old and played strong chess to gain the Women’s National Chess Champion title with Rs. 60,000/= in cash and the Gold Medal and the Trophy.
The Sri Lanka National abnd Women’s National Chess Championship 2020 were conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from 11th to 21st September 2020 was a great success. The Chess Federation had organized the event in a grand manner at Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, where His Excellency Holger Seubert, the ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany was the Chief Guest. Mrs. Sandamali Aviruppola, Principal, Visakha Vidyalaya and Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, president of Chess Federation, General Secretary of South Asian Chess Council and Commonwealth Chess Association and Vice President of Asian Chess Federation gave away awards with Mr. Deepthi Hewageegana, the Deputy President.
Minul Doluweera of Royal College Colombo also had a good event where he scored 10 points out of the total 13. Unfortunately, he lost to Ranidu in the Championship battle and had to satisfy with the Silver Medal. He played an exciting game with International Master, Romesh Weerawardena in the final Round where a position of famous mating net arrived after Minul’s 21st move. 1.d4 d5 2. C4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.e3 dxc4 6.Bxc4 b5 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.O-O c5 9. Dxc5 Bxc5 10.a3 Nbd7 11. B4 Bb6 12. Bb2 O-O 13.Qe2 Rc8 14.Rfd1 Qc7 15.Ng5 Nc5 16.Nce4 Nxe4 17. Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Nxe4 Nc4 19. Kh8 Nf6 20. Qc2 gxf6 21. Bxf6 Kg8 22.Qe4 h5 23.Qh4 1-0
Fourteen year, Susal De Silva of Nalanda College did not have much glory at the event but was satisfied with the Bronze Medal in the Nationals. But, being the youngest players out of all fourteen players he has a long way to go. He gained the Bronze Medal and Rs. 25,000/= in cash. YoungTheekshana Deuwan of Ananda College who is also 16 years performed to place fourth erning Rs. 15,000/ while International Master Romesh Weerawardane placed fifth to get Rs. 10,000/=
After losing her first three games of the event Sandeepani Tharushi of Devi Balika came back strongly to score 9 ½ points with Ashvini Pavalachandran of Wicherly International School. Sandeepani got the Silver Medal on the better tie breaker and Ashvini the silver but shred Rs 22,500/= each as cash awards. Tharushi Niklesha of Visakha Vidyalaya placed fourth with 9 points and Rs. 10,000/= in cash while Senior player, Women International Master Sachini Ranasinghe won the fifth place with Rs. 5,000/= in cash.
The Chess Federation Donated Rs. 250,000/= in cash to the Sri Lankan Chess Hero, Master Harshana Thilakarathne of Maliyadeva College who reach the 2400 in the FIDE Ranking and received the International Master Title from FIDE, the World Chess Federation. He reached this rating after 36 years of FIDE Master Harsha Aturupane reach to the level in 1986. Since the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka has invited all National Champions of Sri Lanka former stars such as Harsha and Harinlal Aturupane and Suneetha Wijesuriya were present at the Awards Ceremony. All games were lively webcasted.
Final Standings – Men
| Rk. | Name | Club/City | Pts. | |
| 1 | CM | Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan | Ananda College – Colombo 10 | 10,5 |
| 2 | FM | Doluweera Minul Sanjula | Royal College – Colombo 07 | 10,0 |
| 3 | FM | De Silva L M S T | Nalanda College – Colombo 10 | 8,0 |
| 4 | Theekshana H G Denuwan | Ananda College – Colombo 10 | 8,0 | |
| 5 | IM | Weerawardane Romesh | 7,5 | |
| 6 | Randil Lakshitha | Japura Chess Club | 7,0 | |
| 7 | Dabarera G W D M | Maliyadeva College – Kurunegala | 6,5 | |
| 8 | FM | Galappaththi Chinthaka Anuruddha | Kandy YMCA Chess Club | 6,5 |
| 9 | Amarasinghe A A C B | Japura Chess Club | 5,5 | |
| 10 | Samaranayake K P R N | Pera Knights Chess Club | 5,5 | |
| 11 | Bandara Dhanushka | Kandy YMCA Chess Club | 5,0 | |
| 12 | Sivathanujan S | Kokuvil Hindu College | 4,0 | |
| 13 | Weerasinghe C C | Maroons Chess Club | 4,0 | |
| 14 | Dassanayake D M G S | St Sylvesters College – Kandy | 3,0 |
Final Standings – Women
| Rk. | Name | Club/City | Pts. | |
| 1 | Fernando G W Nethmi L | Girls’ High School – Kandy | 10,0 | |
| 2 | Sandeepani M Tharushi | Devi Balika Vidyalaya – Colombo 08 | 9,5 | |
| 3 | Pavalachandran Ashvini | Wycherley International School | 9,5 | |
| 4 | WCM | Tharushi T H D Niklesha | Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo | 9,0 |
| 5 | WIM | Ranasinghe S D | Nf3 Chess Club | 8,5 |
| 6 | WCM | Jayaweera Sayuni Gihansa | Dharmasoka College – Ambalangoda | 7,5 |
| 7 | WCM | Pallie Ehsha Mishela | Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo | 7,0 |
| 8 | Wijesinghe W M M N | Girls’ High School – Kandy | 7,0 | |
| 9 | WFM | Hewawasam H Y Nevanjee Dimanya | Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo | 6,5 |
| 10 | Abeysinghe H M H Janandani | NSBM Green University | 5,0 | |
| 11 | WCM | Wickramasinghe Minethma Lasandi | Sujatha Vidyalaya – Matara | 3,5 |
| 12 | Ranganath Tharuli Vihasna | Yoshida Shokanji International Scho | 3,0 | |
| 13 | Koswatte C T | Sri Lanka Airport & Aviation | 2,5 | |
| 14 | Mapa M M W H | Girls’ High School – Kandy | 2,5 |
Luxman Wijesuriya
President – CFSL
General Secretary – South Asian Chess Council
General Secretary – Commonwealth Chess Association
Vice – President Asian chess Federation