Kandy Open International Chess Festival 2018

Kandy Open International Chess Festival 2018 has started on 07th August with a huge recording number of 770 players with 18 foreign players. This tournament organized by the 64 squares international chess academy in collaboration with the chess federation of sri lanka.

For the opening ceremony the chief guest was Mrs. Chathuirka Sirisena. Mr.Thilina Bandara Thennakoon - MInister of Sports , Industry , Youth and Women’s affairs and development of the Central Province , Mrs. Mumudu Karunarathne - Secretary of Sports MInistry , Mr. Chandana Thennakoon - Commosioner of Kandy Muncipal Council , Mr. Rajeendra Kalugampitiya - CEO of the 4 squares international chess academy and many more guests has attended the ceremony.

This year Kandy Open broke it’s own record for the biggest chess event in Sri lanka by passing the last year number of

667 with more than 100 new entries. This tournament has offered a total of 850,000 LKR . Champion will get 100,000 LKR.

Kandy Open Blitz Chess championship , another event of the Kandy Open Chess Festival will be held on the 11th , Saturday at 2.00 pm at NICD - Polgolla. Total entries for this event will be limit to 500 players.

After 06 rounds there are four players with full points. T.G.M.Peiris , K.R.V.R. Subasinghe, Chinthaka Anuruddha and Chathulanka Gamage leading the event with full points. The most amazing story of the tournament is Sri Lankan youngster Lisara Kodithuwakku defeated the top seed Indian International Master Somak Palit in Round 05. Lisara had a 700 rating difference with the Indian Master but 13 years old boy played with beyond his potential to score the point. Another 12 years old Sri Lankan boy K.G.T.S.D.Kiriella defeated the top rated woman player of the tournament Woman Fide Master Supreetha Potluri in Round 04.

Kandy Open is the only tournament which has 11 rounds. This is a big opportunity for all sri lankan players to get in the international ratings system. Tournament will be finished on 12th August 2018 and the prize distribution ceremony will be held on the same day at 6.30 pm at the NICD Main Hall.

For more details - please visit www.kandyopen.com website.