National Chess Championship commences

Published : 9:49 pm  March 23, 2012 |  No comments so far  |     |   (5)  |  

The National Chess Championship 2012 which commenced yesterday at the Etisalat Auditorium in Bambalapitiya will come to an end on April 1. The Men’s Championship this year has attracted 14 players with sixteen- year-old Chaminka Perera last year’s champion in action. Chaminka is the youngest to win the national championship and he will be a big challenge to the other competitors. The championship will see former champion Fide Master Sunil Weeramantry competing after a lapse of four years.

Sachini Ranasinghe from Musaeus College who holds the International Masters level is among the fourteen competitors battling for the national title. Sachini won the 2009 championship to be the youngest player to win it. Malithi Navaratne who made a big impact winning the selection trials will be the biggest threat to her.

Meanwhile two International Fide Masters level chess players Pramodya Senanayake and Dinushki Premanath have made their way to the last fourteen with ease. The winner will receive a prize worth Rs.150,000.

Finalists:

Men

Chamika Perera, Sunil Weeramantry, Rajindra Kulugampitiya, G.C. Anuruddha, Prasanna Kurukulasuriya, N.C.O. Saranga, Kasun Wimalasuriya, M. Jayasundera, Isuru Alahakoon, Chandana Wijekoon, Oshin de Silva, Vidura Koggala, Dulan Edirisinghe and Samith Madumadha.

Women

Sachini Ranasinghe, Pramodya Senanayake, Dinushki Premanath, Malithi Navaratne, Y. Methmali, Sayuri Sumothraarachchi, Manisha Guneratne, Panchali Perera, I. U. Basnayake, D. S. Kahanda, Sachini de Silva, Mihirani Jayatilleke, K.T. Chankami and A.K. Chandrasiri.