Nadev and Sandithi clinch Junior Chess titles
View(s):Nadev Insara and Sandithi Kusalya Alwis were clinical in clinching the titles of their respective categories at the Sri Lanka Junior Nationals Open and Girls’ Chess Championships 2024 held in Polgolla.
The four-day competition, hosted at the main hall of the National Institute of Co-operative Development (NICD) in Polgolla and organised by the Kandy District Chess Association on behalf of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, presented handsome cash rewards to the winners, in addition to medals and certificates. Both championships were conducted as ten-round Swiss events with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move 01.
(From left) Rajeendra, K.P.L. Liyanage, Dishal Nimsara, Nadev Insara, B. Janukshan, Bharat Singh Chauhan, Luxman Wijesuriya with winners
The Open Championship, where a total of 444 players competed fiercely for the title. Nadev Insara of Royal College, Panadura emerged victorious, scoring 8.5 out of 10 points. While four players tied for the championship with 8.5 points apiece, Nadev clinched the title with a better tie-break. AFM B. Janukshan of Jaffna Hindu College and Dishal Nimsara Weerasekara of Sri Chandananda Buddhist College, secured the first and second runner-up positions respectively, based on tie-break criteria. AIM K.P.L. Liyanage from Dharmaraja College finished at fourth place.
(From left) Rajeendra Kalugampitiya, Dulinma Hemalni, Sandithi Kusalya, Sahanlee Perera, Bharat Singh Chauhan and Luxman Wijesuriya
In the Girls’ Championship, where a total of 273 players competed, Sandithi Kusalya Alwis of Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda emerged champion with a score of 8.5 out of 10 points. Although two players tied for the championship with 8.5 out of 10 points, Sandithi secured the title with a better tie-break. Yenuthi Sahanlee Perera of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara, claimed the first runner-up position, while AFM Dulinma Hemalni secured the second runner-up position based on tie-break criteria.
The awards ceremony was graced by Bharat Singh Chauhan, the Chairman of the FIDE Advisory Board, Chairman of the Commonwealth Chess Association, and Deputy President of the Asian Chess Federation. He was joined by Luxman Wijesuriya, President of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, and Rajeendra Kalugampiriya, the President of the Kandy District Chess Association.