Susal and Chanindi win Gold Medals at National B Chess Championships 2021
Susal De Silva of Nalanda College won yet another Championship bagging the Sri Lanka National B Chess Championship 2021 convincingly, scoring 7 ½ points out of 9 possible games and remaining unbeaten.
Susal De Silva led the event from round one to the end just giving three draws to Denuwan Theekshana, Chehan Weerasinghe and Isara Banindu Dahanayake. He beat six players – Surath Wijerathne, SDBK Senevirathna, Sanudula Dahamdi, Buddhika Amarasinghe, Osheen De Silva and Nabil Nazar.
Theeksana Denuwan of Ananda College won the Silver Medal scoring full points against Thisarindu Induwarad, Kalindu Deshapriya, Senuka Ahangama, Chehan Weerasinghe, Yasantha Jayaweera and Sanudula
Dahamdi, drawing with Susal De Silva and Osheen De Silva with only one loss to Nabil Nazar.
Chanindi Mewna Attanayake of Devi Balika Vidyalaya reached to a milestone in her chess career when she beat the all-time leader Desandi Dihansa Gamage to reach the top of the women’s event with a score of 7 points. She lost only one game to Janandani Abeysinghe, drew two other games with Chethani Chamathka and THD Tharushi Nklesha and beat Anujana Sendanayaka, Sathini Liyanage, Minethma Wickramasinghe, Oshini Gunawardena, Dasuni Hansika Mendis and Dehansa to reach 7 points to win the gold Medal.
Desandi Dihansa Gamage of Sirimavo Bandaranayake Vidyalaya led until the penultimate round with 6 ½ points and had to be satisfied with Silver after losing the last round. She beat Sithuli Sithumya, Kavisha Indrajith, Dasuni Mendis, Nemindi Ramanayake and
Esandi Nevansa, drew with Janandani Abesinghe, Oshini Gunawardena, Tharushi Niklesha and lost the final game to Chanindi Attanayake.
Tharushi Niklesha also scored 6 ½ points, but had to be satisfied with the Bronze medal due to a poor tie breaker.
The Sri Lanka National B Chess Championship was held to select players for the Sri Lanka National Chess Championships 2021 organised by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka and played according to the Swiss System in nine rounds. It was the first over-the-board event conducted since the pandemic, and was internationally rated and held with the usual time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move played.