Susal and Sachini Win Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022

The Reigning National Chess Champion 17 year old FIDE Maste Susal de Silva of Nalanda College won the Sri Lanka National Chess Championship 2022 for the 2^nd Successive year scoring 10 points out of possible 13 games. Susal who is one of the most promising Chess players in the country kept the lead from the beginning, beat his rival Ranindu Liyanage in the 8^th round which gave him the needed tie breaking points to win the National Chess Championship 2022 title Trophy, the Gold Medal and share of cash award of Rs. 112,500/=.

Susal beat AACB Amarasinghe, Isuru Alahakoon, Dhanushka Bandara, Chandana Wijekoon SDBK Senevirathne, Brijeash Sarawanabhawan, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage and NPG Sithija Lahiru drew with  Nabil Nazar, KGTSD Kiriealla, Lisara Samadith Tennakoon  and Elath Mathanga De Silva and lost only one game to  Achinthya Shamane Kaluarachchi to earn 10 points.

Top seed FIDE Master, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College also scored ten points out of possible 13 games but had to satisfy himself with the Silver Medal due to the lack of tie breaking points. Ranindu beat  Brijeash Sarawanabhawan, KGTSD Kiriealla, NPG Sithija Lahiru, Elath Mathanga, Achintha Shyamane Kaluarachchi, Lisara Samadith Tennakoon, AACB Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara and SDBK Senevirathne, drew with  Chandana Wijekoon, & Nabil Nazar and lost two games to the Champion Susal and Isuru Alahakoon to reach 10 points, Silver Medal and Share of cash award of Rs. 112,500/=.

FIDE Master, Isuru Alahakoon of Sri Lanka Navy managed to place 3^rd with 8 ½ points out of 13 games. Isuru beat Elath Mathanga De Silva, Chandana Wijekoon, Nabil Nazar, Ranindu Liyanage, AACB Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara and SDBK Senevirathne, drew with Brijeash Saravanabhawan, KGTSD Kiriella and NPG Sithija Lahiru and lost to LMST De Silva, Achinthya Shamane Kaluarachchi and Lisara Tennakoon to win the bronze Medal with Rs. 40,000/= Thumula Kiriella  of Maliyadeva College scored 8 points and earned Rs. 20,000/= while Nabil Nazar Mohomed of Gateway College scored 7 ½ points to place 5^th and earn Rs. 10,000/=. In cash.

Four times Women’s National Champion, Women International Master, Sachini Ranasinghe won her 5^th Women’s National Chess Championship title convincingly scoring 9 points out of possible 13 games. She beat Pasindi Wijesuriya, Oneli Vithanawasam, Janandani Abeysinghe, Nemindi Ramanayake, Tiumi Yashora, WMMN Wijesinghe and Wishwara Mapa, drew with Yasasi Abeysekara, Chamodya Yapabandara, Desandi Gamage and Esha Mihisha Pallie with two loses against Sanudula Dahamdi and Minethma Wickramasinghe. She earned the Women’s National Chess Champion Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 100,000/= in Cash.

Desandi Dihansa Gamage of Sirimavo Bandaranaike College won the 2^nd spot with 8 ½ points out of 13 games. She scored wins against Tiyumi Yashora, Wishwara Mapa, Pasinidi Wijesuriya, Oneli Vithanawasam, Chamodya Yapabandara, Minethma Wickramasinghe and Yasasi Geemini Abeysekara, drew with Sanudula Dahamdi, Sachini Ranasinghe and Nemindi Ramanayake with two losses to WMMN Wijesinghe and Esha Pallie to earn the Bronze medal with Rs. 25,000/= in cash.

Janandani Abeysinghe of NSBM Green University managed to win the 3^rd place with 8 points. She beat Sanudula Dahamdi, Oneli Vithanawasam, Yasasi Geemini Abeysekara, Minethma Wickramasinghe, Nemindi Ramanayake, Desandi Gamage and Wishwara Mapa, Drew with Esha Pallie and Pasinidi Wijesuriya and lost 4 games to Sachini Ranasinghe, Chamodya Yapabandara, Tiyumi Yashora and WMMN Wijesinghe to earn the Bronze Medal with Rs. 25,000/- in cash.  Pasindi Yathra Wijesuriya of Passed Pawn Chess Club scored 7 ½ points out of 13 games to earn 4^th place with Rs. 15,000/- while Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe scored 7 points each with Wishwara Mapa and earn 5^th place on better tie breaker.

The top five players in both events are selected to the Sri Lanka National Open and Women Chess Teams which participate in the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 in India.

The Golden Jubilee year Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022 – Open & Women’s was conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka for a half a million Cash fund. The best 14 players of each section in Sri Lanka was competed in round Robin system in 13rounds for the supremacy.

The Awards Ceremony of the event was held on 1^st May at Hotel Taj Samudra just after the final round. Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya, President CFSL, General Secretary of the Commonwealth Chess Association and Mr. Wong, Deputy General Manager – Product of SLT Mobitel being the Main Sponsor of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka distributed the Awards for the National Champions.

The games can be taken from

Sri Lanka National Chess Championship – 2022

Link https://view.livechesscloud.com#97a5d9b6-d404-4667-b072-395ad40a3e9a

Sri Lanka Women’s National Chess Championship – 2022

Link https://view.livechesscloud.com#bc74da78-0d23-4c09-8c81-d5ac51ce9e13

The Final Standings