Nisal and Sandali grab regional chess titles
View(s):
Nisal Dilushana Thilakarathne of St. Thomas’ College, Bandarawela and Sandali Somarathne of Royal International School, Kurunegala won the Sri Lanka National Online Novices Division Chess Championship of the Sabaragamuwa Province (Open) and North Western Province (Women) convincingly.
Nisal was unbeaten throughout the whole tournament making it an impressive score of 7 out of 7 possible games. He beat Isira Halwathura, Rushith Chamara, Tharuli Dinethma, Imeth Handagama, Thenudi Chaththuthara, Ranpalee Attanayake and A.I. Dharmasiri.
Sandali, meanwhile, grabbed the North Western Province Novices Division Women Championship. She was also unbeaten and had an extraordinary score of 7 out of 7 possible games. She had a walkover in the first round beating Osandi Madurapperuma, Senuli Dinethma, Useli Bandara, Binudi Madurapperuma, Dahamli Rasnayake and Kavini Amarathunga.
Sathindu Vidujaya Lankathillake of St. Thomas’, Bandarawela and Yonal Sadeesha Sumanathilake of Royal International, Kegalle, both won 6 out of 7 possible games. But Sathindu claimed the silver medal with a better tie breaker while Yonal claimed the bronze. Sathindu drew with Nisal Perera and T.A. Tharanga and beat H.P. Kumara, Ruvin Jayasooriya, Ramithu Wickramasinghe, Dinethma Tharuli and Ruviru Jayathilake. Sathindu lost to A.I. Dharmasiri but beat Yasandu Jayawardane, Isira Hedeniya, P.B. Nawarathne, Dinethma Tharuli, Ranpalee Attanayake and Tharanga.
Useli Ikshana Bandara of Maliyadeva Girls’ School and Monadi Methusha Amarasinghe of Dhammissara NS, grabbed the silver and bronze medals respectively. Useli and Monadi both won 6 out of 7 possible games but Useli claimed the silver medal with a better tie break. Useli beat Dharani Ranawaka, Sehasa Samaranayake, Apurwa Gunaratne, J.S. Rasnayake, Pramudi Samarakoon and Yenuli Udapola but lost her fourth round to the champion Sandali. Monadi lost her fourth game to Yenuli but beat Lakvindee Karunathilake, Chulani Pathirana, Pramudi Samarakoon, Sandamini Hewage, Binudi Maddrapperuma and Dahamli Rasnayake. D.M.M.D. Dissanayake of Maliyadeva Girls’ School also scored six points but had to satisfy with the fourth place after a poor tie breaking score.
Top 19 players of the Sabaragamuwa Open and the Top 21 players of the North Western Women’s will advance to the Major Division Chess Championships , which is ongoing currently.
With that, the regional tournaments came to an end in style, marking the end of all seven regional Novices Division Chess Championships.
