Seneviratne and Minethma earn honours
View(s):Sri Lanka National Chess Championships Cycle 2022 – Premier Open and Women
S.D.B.K. Seneviratne of Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala and Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara won the Open and Girls’ events respectively of the Sri Lanka National Premier Division Chess Championships 2022. Seneviratne, just 15, was having a perfect score till seventh round but had two losses in a row at next two rounds to follow. Yet he recovered well in the final round to tie and with three more players vying for the top position, the bright Devan won the Open title of the championship with the better tiebreaker. He beat Sandwiaru Galukagama, Daham Jayasundara, Lahiru Manuranga, Buddhika Amarasinghe, Dhanushka Bandara, Chandana Wijekoon, Isuru Alahakoon and Jenith Weerathunga while losing to Lisara Tennakoon and Nabil Nazar Mohamed to earn 8 points and the title.
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- Winner S.D.B.K. Seneviratne
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- The second place was won by Wishwara Mapa
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- Nabil Nazar secured the third position
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- Minethma Lasandi won the Women’s title
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- Isuru Alahakoon was placed second
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- Dahamdi Sanudula experienced a rare setback and was placed third
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- Bridjeash Saravanabhawan was impressive to end up at fourth
Veteran and four-time national champion, Isuru Alahakoon of Sri Lanka Navy also had a good performance to score 8 points but was placed second overall according to the tiebreaker. Isuru beat S.M.H.D. Sathkumara, Marlon Fernando, Malith Madusanka, S. Sivathanujan, Osheen de Silva, K.G.S.T.D. Kiriella and Lisara Tennakoon, and drew with Chandana Wijekoon and Dhanushka Bandara while recording his only loss against champion S.D.B.K. Seneviratne to score 8 points.
Nabil Nazar Mohamed of Gateway College beat Induwara Wijewickrama, Chamin Vithanage, O.L.B. Yatawara, R.M.I.S.A. Ratnayake, Achintha Shamain Kaluarachchi, Sithija Lahiru and S.D.B.K. Senevirathne, drew with B. Janukshan and Brijeash Saravanabhavan to obtain 8 points and the third position on the tiebreaker.
Bridjeash Saravanabhawan of Gateway College also recorded his best performance in an event so far to tie for the top position but had to satisfy with the fourth place according to the tiebreaker. He beat Vinsith Perera, Ramiru Gunawardena, Yasantha Jayaweera, Kevin Ranindu Silva, N.P.G. Sithija Lahiru, M.N. Abdul Basith and Elath Mathanga de Silva while drawing with Lisara Tennakkon and Nabil Nazar Mohamed. His only loss came against Chandana Wijekoon. All four players shared the total cash award of Rs.140,000 as Rs.35,000 each per player.
Eleven players, D.B.K. Senevirathne, Isuru Alahakoon, Nabil Nazar Mohamed, Brijeash Saravanabhavan, Lisara Tennakoon of Dharmaraja College, Elath Mathanga de Silva, Thumula Kiriella of Maliyadeva College, N.P.G. Sithija Lahiru, Buddhika Amarasinghe, Achinth Shamain Kaluarachchi of St. Mary’s College, Kegalle and Dhanushka Bandara of Kandy YMCA qualified to the final of the Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2022 directly, to play alongside reigning national champion Susal se Silva of Nalanda College, with over ELO 2300 players, Harshana Thilakarathne and Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage. Chandana Wijekoon of Sri Lanka Navy would be the first standby player to replace if anyone out of the 14 withdraws.
Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe also had seven straight wins with Punsadi Devaraja, Hansali Thrinethsari, Pasindi Wijesuriya, Chethani Chamathka, Tharuli Ranganath, Devindya Oshini Gunawardena, Esha Pallie and Chamodya Yapabandara in the final round. She drew with W.I.M. Sachini Ranasinghe in the penultimate round and lost only one game to Wishwara Mapa to score 8½ points and earn the outright title with Rs.50,000 in cash.
Wishwara Mapa of Girls’ High Schools, Kandy also had an excellent performance to score 8 points out of 10 games and earn the second place and a cash reward of Rs.25,000. She beat U. Vishlini, Ranumi Dange, Devindi Vithana, Javindi Akuratiya, Chanindi Mewna Attanayake, Minethma Lasandi Wickramasinghe and Desandi Dihansa Gamage, drew with Tiumi Yashora and Sanidula Dahamdi with lost to Chethani Chamathka in the second round.
K.M. Dahamdi Sanudula of Musaeus College was placed third with 7½ points out of 10 games and earned the bronze medal with a cash reward of Rs.15,000. She beat R. Laxiha, Sumudu Wijesinghe, Nemindi Ramanayake, R.G.R.D.M. Rajapakse, Chanethma Marasinghe, Janandani Abeysinghe and Esha Pallie, drew with Wishwara Mapa in the last round and lost to Oneli Vithanawasam and Desandi Dihansa Gamage.
Thirteen players, Minethma, Mapa, Dahamdi Sanudula, Desandi Dihansa Gamage of Sirimavo Bandaranaike BMV, WIM Sachini Ranasinghe of Grand Prix Chess Club, G.P.Y. Wijesuriya of Passed Pawn CC, Chamodya Yapabandara of Girls High School, Tiyumi Yashora of Colombo University, Esha Pallie of Visakha Vidyalaya, Janandani Abeysinghe of NSBM Green University, Oneli Vithanawasam of Lyceum International School, Wattala, W.M.N. Wijesinghe of Girls’ High School, Kandy and Nemindi Linaya Ramanayake of Bandaranayake College were selected to play in the Sri Lanka Women’s National Chess Championship 2022 finals alongside the reigning national champion, Niklesh Tharushi of Visakha Vidyalaya. Yasasi Geemini Abeysekara of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara will be standby for any withdrawals.
The third level of Sri Lanka National Chess Championships Cycle 2022, Open and Girls’, the Sri Lanka National Premier Division Championship was conducted by Chess Federation of Sri Lanka at Palm Beach Hotel in Mt. Lavinia with a total cash award of Rs. 230,000 on offer. Events were held according to the Swiss System in 10 rounds with 20 games of the events being streamed live. The final phase of the
Sri Lanka National and Women’s National Chess Championships 2022 will be held during the latter part of April in Colombo.