Sports

Chess veteran warns players must use head and not heart

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/12

Derrick Perera (left) is seen playing against T.D.R. Peiris at the Senior National Chess Championships for the year 2022 worked off at the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka Headquarters in Nugegoda.

by a Special Sports Correspondent

The Senior National Chess Championships for the year 2022 conducted recently produced two players who shared equal first after seven rounds of matches. Derrick Perera, rated second, and T.D R Peiris, rated third, finished on top after several rounds of competitive chess worked off in keeping with the Swiss Scoring System at the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) Headquarters in Nugegoda.

The tournament attracted several accomplished veterans and among them were Sudarman Pitigala, Nandika Ruwan and A.H Katugampola.

Derrick Perera who finished on a high airing his views on the tournament said that he maintained the mentality to always play for a win. “In competitive chess, you cannot settle for draws. You have to find ways of keeping yourself motivated and conserving your energy because playing three games during certain days of the tournament can be taxing,” said Perera who was at one time a competitive player and also the president of the CFSL.

Perera said that he always advised players to play for wins unless games would end in technical draws. But according to records at the tournament there had been players who were quite happy offering draws; promoting a sense of camaraderie among players.

Perera said that he had returned to competitive chess after a long break. “I’m not a professional chess player, so I don’t play under unwanted pressure. But I always played to win; and this approach helps to bring the best out in players. I was relaxed and concentrating and as a result I tried new things during matches,” he said.

He said that it’s important to know when to release ones pressure. “You have to keep the opponent guessing all the time regarding when you are going to release your pressure,” said Perera. He said that in round six there had been a power outage and that had affected the players. Perera is a diabetic and under medication and he said that it was also important for someone under medication to maintain health during a competitive tournament. “I made it a point not to release my pressure too early in the tournament,” said Perera who had to win his last three games-scheduled for the final day- to have any hopes of winning on a high. He won all three games. One of his setbacks during the tournament was losing to T.D.R. Peiris, but that game was played before the final day of the tournament.

According to Perera most players are chess coaches as well. As a result they neglect their playing. “In Sri Lanka it is very hard to play chess for a living, but chess coaching is quite a lucrative occupation over here. I’m not a coach and concentrated on my game and playing. Those who took the latter approach to the game were able to come to the tournament and destroy the field,” explained Perera.

Perera said that it’s very important for players to have other interests in life outside chess. “Chess is a game which taxes the mind. Some players who are obsessed with the game don’t know to knock off; hence they run the risk of burnout or even brain damage,” he said. Perera is an academic, practises the Christian faith and is a family man. He said that his attention is spanned over many areas in life. “I play chess with my brain and think of other things important to me using my heart,” he said.

T.D.R Peiris said that he was happy to finish joint first at the tournament. Peiris, who is 64 years old-who commenced the final day of the tournament with 3 ½ points and managed to get 4 ½ points at the conclusion of the tournament. Peiris coaches players and makes chess equipment for a living. He said that he has struggled to maintain a family and continue playing chess because the sport doesn’t offer many avenues to raise revenue. When asked to explain the reason behind his lack of prosperity despite his lifelong commitment to chess, Peiris had this to say, “I think it’s probably because I make crucial decisions from the heart when others would take such decisions using the mind”.

P.K Chandrasiri, Pitigala and Ajantha de Silva finished tied with 4 ½ points each.

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Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise

Published

5 hours ago

2026/10/7

Priyan

Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's leading scorer (Aljazeera)

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal ‌coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly ⁠explain his omission ⁠against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute ⁠that prompted his departure from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark ⁠matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

Portugal’s ‌captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did ⁠not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account⁠, but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open ⁠for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates, accepting that his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed ‌and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions to a farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring ‌goals, ‌I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

(Aljazeera)

Sports

Nalanda on the cusp of reaching knockout stage as unbeaten run continues

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Rusandu Silva has nine wickets against his name after three matches.

by Reemus Fernando

Nalanda College, Colombo continued their unbeaten run to come closer to securing a berth in the knockout stage as they beat Gurukula College by nine wickets in the Under 19 Division I Tier A Limited Overs Tournament match played at Campbell Place on Tuesday.

‎With Rusandu Silva continuing his impressive run in the tournament, Nalanda did well to restrict the team from Kelaniya to just 113 runs (in 35.4 overs).

‎After two outings Rusandu had six wickets against his name coming to this match.‎Rusandu and Methuka Perera claimed three wickets each. ‎Lithum Wijekumara also impressed with two wickets, while Santhul Wijeyarathne took one.

‎Adeepa Pinsara was the only batsman to make a contribution of note as he top-scored with 35 off 49 balls, including four fours and two sixes, while Javindu Madusanka made 20.

‎In their chase Nalanda made light work of the modest target, reaching 114 for one, scoring at a rate of over a run a ball.

‎Nadul Jayalath cracked an unbeaten 62 from just 52 balls. His innings contained four fours and five sixes. He received valuable support from Lithum Wijekumara, who scored 35 off 42 deliveries with six boundaries.

‎Ranmith Senarath completed the successful chase with an unbeaten 10 off seven balls, including two fours.

‎Nalanda lost only one wicket as the opening pair added 89 for the first wicket. Jayalath and Senarath then finished the contest comfortably, securing a convincing nine-wicket victory with many overs to spare.

‎It was Nalanda’s third successive victory in the Tier A tourney after having beaten Thurstan (155) by seven wickets and St. Servatius’ Matara (187) by four wickets in the first two matches.

‎As of now, they are the leading team in Group G where they have only St. Joseph’s Darley Road to meet before the knockout stage.

‎With just two teams advancing to the next stage from each Group Nalanda are almost assured of their place.

Sports

Wins for Hayley’s Group ‘A’ , HNB ‘A’ and CDB on Saturday

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

33RD SINGER – MCA Super PREMIER LEAGUE

Hayley’s Group ‘A’, HNB ‘A’ and CDB registered wins by defeating Colombo Aces, Fairfirst Insurance and SLC Youth in the matches of the Mercantile Cricket Association’s Super Premier League cricket tournament on Sunday (04).

The MCA Super Premier League is sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka for the 33rd consecutive year.

At the Bloomfield Cricket ground, Nishan Madushka, Pulindu Perera and Minod Dhanuka smashed half tons as Hayley’s Group ‘A’ registered their second win of the tournament defeating Colombo Aces by six wickets.

At the Thurstan ground, Nipun Dhananjaya and Muditha Lakshan posted eighty plus scores to help CDB amass 307/8, which the bowlers defended by 71runs.

At the Colts Ground Milan Rathnayake starred with bat and ball [71 and 3-24] to help HNB ‘A’ overcome SLC Youth by 41 runs. Rehan Pieris topped SLC Youth score card with a 108 ball 77 with six fours and a six.

At Bloomfield Ground Colombo:

Hayley’s overcome Colombo Aces by six wickets

Colombo Aces 222/10 in 49 overs

[ Kavin Bandara 62, Dinura Kalupahan 50; Dhanajaya Lakshan 2-14, Ramesh Mendis 4-36]

Hayleys Group A 227/4 in 25.2 overs [Nishan Madushka 61, Pulindu Perera 51, Minod Bhanuka 54; Dinura Kalupahana 2-35]

At Thurstan College Ground:

CDB BY 71 runs

CDB 307/8 in 50 overs

[ Vishsd Randika 53, Nipun Dhananjaya 86, Muditha Lakshan 89; Himesh Ramanayake 3-49, ]

Fairfirst Insurance 236/10 in 46.4 overs

[Sanoj Dharshika 58, Yasiru Rodriga 78; Movin Subasinghe 3-27, Lahiru Madushanka 2-16]

At Colts ground;