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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Sports

Rajiva wins gold and silver medals at Singapore Masters Athletics Meet‎

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/8

Thilina Walpola

Masters double international Rajiva Wijetunge, who participated in his 100th athletics meet, made it a memorable one by winning gold for Shot Put and silver for Discus Throw in the 65 – 69 age category at the Singapore Masters Athletics Meet conducted at the Home of Athletics Stadium, Kallang Singapore over the weekend. With the gold and the sliver madals won by Rajiva, his international medals tally stands at 34 on his 67th birthday today (June 08).

Sports

Dinara and Aahil crowned ITF J30 week 2 champions at SSC

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/8

Thilina Walpola

Dinara de Silva and Aahil Kaleel pose with Chammika de Silva (Tournament Detector) after they won the titles. (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi

The ITF J30 Week 2 Junior Tennis Tournament concluded at the SSC Courts on Sunday with Sri Lanka’s rising stars Dinara de Silva and Aahil Kaleel emerging as the girls’ and boys’ singles champions respectively.

‎The St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo player produced a commanding performance in the girls’ singles final, defeating fellow Sri Lankan Yuhansa Peiris 4-1, 4-1 to secure the title. The victory marked another significant achievement for one of the country’s leading junior players.

‎According to family sources, the tournament is expected to be Dinara’s final ITF Junior event on Sri Lankan soil, making the title triumph a memorable farewell appearance before she turns her attention to competitions abroad.

‎In the boys’ singles final, S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia player Aahil Kaleel battled back strongly to defeat India’s Chauhan Shiok 4-5, 4-0, 10-6 in an entertaining contest. After narrowly losing the opening set, Aahil dominated the second set before holding his nerve in the match tie-break to clinch the championship.

‎The victory was historic for Aahil, who became the first Sri Lankan player in 14 years to win the boys’ singles title at an ITF Junior tournament held in Sri Lanka. The last local player to achieve the feat was Shamal Dissanayake, who captured the title in 2012.

‎Adding further significance to the double success, both Dinara and Aahil train under the guidance of the Dineshkanthan Tennis School, highlighting the academy’s growing contribution to the development of Sri Lankan junior tennis.

‎The tournament concluded on a positive note for Sri Lanka, with local players claiming both singles titles and demonstrating the promising future of the country’s next generation of tennis talent.

Sports

Rumesh’s Rome heroics a watershed moment for Sri Lankan Athletics

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/8

Thilina Walpola

Rumesh Tharanga in action in Rome.

Sri Lanka’s former national javelin record holders Sachith Maduranga and Waruna Lakshan Dayaratne have hailed Rumesh Tharanga’s historic performance at the Rome Diamond League as a defining moment for Sri Lankan athletics, saying it has shattered long-standing misconceptions about the country’s ability to compete with the world’s best.

‎Tharanga produced a stunning world-leading throw of 92.62 metres at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meeting in Rome, setting a new meet record and becoming the first Sri Lankan athlete to win a Diamond League event.

‎Former national record holder Sachith Maduranga described the achievement as a watershed moment that had broken a number of myths which had prevented Sri Lankan athletes from believing they could excel at the highest international level.

‎”He has taken the javelin to a totally new level,” Maduranga said in an interview with The Island from Australia.

‎Reflecting on Tharanga’s early days in the sport, Maduranga recalled the confidence and determination displayed by the athlete from a young age.

‎”In one of his first encounters with me, he said that he would definitely break my junior record,” Maduranga said.

‎The former Asian Championships medallist revealed that after Tharanga’s impressive performances as a junior athlete, he strongly encouraged him to seek overseas training opportunities. Maduranga said he, together with a former president of Sri Lanka Athletics, had urged Tharanga to follow a similar path to the one that helped him secure success at the continental level.

‎However, Tharanga remained committed to working under his long-time coach Tony Prasanna.

‎”But he insisted that he would continue to train with his coach Tony Prasanna. Now he has proven that the knowledge of his local coach was enough to beat the world. This is phenomenal,” Maduranga said.

‎Former national record holder Waruna Lakshan Dayaratne also praised Tharanga’s remarkable achievement, joining the growing chorus of admiration for a performance that has elevated Sri Lankan athletics to unprecedented heights.

‎Tharanga’s Rome triumph has not only rewritten the record books but has also provided compelling evidence that world-class success can be achieved through dedication, talent and high-quality coaching available within Sri Lanka. His achievement is expected to inspire a new generation of athletes to dream bigger and challenge the world’s elite on the global stage. (RF)