Anatoly Karpov Chess Club celebrates 20th Anniversary

The 20th Anniversary celebrations of the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club ( AKCC) was held at the Russian Centre Colombo (RCC) on October 29, amidst a large gathering of Chess lovers. First Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Anastasia Khokhlova was the Chief Guest, while RCC Director Buddhapriya Ramanayake, RCC Chief Executive Officer Lakshman Wijesuriya, former Vice President of the Asian Chess Federation and Tournament Secretary of the Sri Lanka Chess Federation and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Prof Kumara Hirimburegama graced the occasion.

The celebration was a platform to commemorate the 500 coaching camps conducted by the AKCC of the RCC in the past 20 years, and its contribution towards popularising Chess in Sri Lanka. Awards were presented to 20 emerging players in the National Pool and 20 Best Players of the AKCC, throughout the years, respectively.

According to Woman FIDE Master ( WFM) Suneetha Wijesuriya, who is the founder President of the AKCC, it is the leading Chess Club in Sri Lanka, which, in the last two decades, has conducted its activities according to the following 5 methods. 1) Islandwide coaching

camps.

2) Advanced Chess coaching programmes to upgrade knowledge, with the support of international grandmasters.

3) Sending players for

International Chess com- petitions in India and Russia.

4) Conducting various Chess tournaments in Age Group, Women’s, New Millennium, Independence Trophy and Russian Ambassador Cup Categories.

5) Distributing Chess boards and books to students in rural areas, with the support of Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, former Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the Russia Federation and General Secretary of the Sri Lanka- Russia Friendship Society and former Sports Ministers.