Sachini wins as Niklesha, Ashvini warm up for FIDE world online Chess Olympiad

Inaugural Sri Lanka Women Chess Grand Prix 2020

Four time national champion Sachini Ranasinghe won the women’s title at the Inaugural Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Grand Prix 2020 as school chess players Tharushi Niklesha and Ashvini Pavalchandran warmed up for the forthcoming FIDE World Online Chess Olympiad at the event concluded on Sunday.

WIM Sachini Ranasinghe (Nf3 Chess Club) was crowned the champion as she accumulated 9 ½ points despite conceding defeat at the hands of Tharushi Sandeepani of Devi Balika Vidyalaya.

A four times women’s National Champion (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013), Ranasinghe played in four FIDE Chess Olympiads (in 2010 in Russia, 2012 in Turkey, 2016 in Azerbaijan and 2018 in Georgia. She was awarded the Trophy, Gold Medal and a cash award of Rs. 30,000.00 for her performance.

WFM Dinushki Premanath of University of Moratuwa made a notable come back scoring six straight victories to finish with an aggregate of eight points after a relatively poor performance in the first four rounds. Dinushki was the National Champion in 2010 and 2018 and has played in couple of Chess Olympiads (in 2012 and 2018). Dinushki won the silver medal with a shared prize of Rs. 12,000.00.

WCM Tharushi Niklesha (Visakha Vidyalaya) and WIM Nelunika Methmani (University of Sri Jayawardenapura) also finished with eight points each, tying with Dinushki, but had to satisfy with the bronze medal and the fourth place respectively according to the tie breaker. Tharushi lost her final round game to Janandani Abeysinghe of NSBM Green University and Nelunika Methmani drew with Ashvini Pavalchandran of Wycherly International School. Tharushi received the bronze medal and both of them were awarded a shared prize of Rs. 12,000.00. Ashvini Pavalchandran who will compete at the IDE World Online Chess Olympiad later this week was placed fifth with 7 ½ points and she was awarded Rs. 4,000.00.

The event conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka was held on July 25, 26, 27, 31 and August 1 and 2 at the Chess Federation Headquarters, Delkanda, Nugegoda.

Luxman Wijesuriya, General Secretary of South Asian Chess Council and Commonwealth Chess Association and a Vice President of Asian Chess Federation was the chief guest at the awards ceremony.

Sri Lanka chess enthusiasts will now shift their focus onto the FIDE World Online Chess Olympiad

which commences on August 7.

Sri Lanka will compete in level three with national champion Harshana Thilakarathne and Isuru Alahakoon competing in the men’s open category.

FIDE world online Chess Olympiad is a National Chess Team event. While Dewnethmie Dahampriya and Pavalachandran Ashvini compete in the open women’s category the Under-20 boys and girls participants are Susal de Silva and Gihansa Jayaweera.