Rishikaran, Minudi claim Novices Chess Titles

On Aug 2, 2021

Rishikaran Sivaskaran of Jaffna Hindu College and Minudi Ranasinghe of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda won the Northern and Southern Open titles respectively at the National Online Novices Chess championship.

In the Northern Open event, Rishikaran drew with Janukshan but won all seven games against Methiyugan Kavinaya, Keishan Deijan,

Rithika Shamy, Sanjey Haneshkumar, Perinpanayagam Loghi, Vathmira Geesan and Nuwana Chamara respectively to score an unbeaten 7.5 points.

Adshayan Senthilnathan (Jaffna Hindu College) and K. Sajeev (Jaffna Hindu College) were placed second and third respectively after obtaining seven points out of possible eight games. Meanwhile, Ranasinghe was crowned winner of the Southern Women’s event as she defeated Onaya Chenuthi, Nithuni Pehesara, Sanuli Dulanya, Dinuli Nimansa, Esandi Sinhansa and Sethumlee Devhara.

Devhara Palliyage (Sanghamitta BV, Galle) was placed second and out of three players who obtained 5.5 points while Namya Dinethmi Thilakawardana (St. Thomas Girls’ High School, Matara) was able to win the third place according to the tie-breaker.

Top 29 players of the Northern Region Open and the Top 17 players of the Southern Province Women’s events will qualify for the appropriate Majors Division Chess Championships to be held in August.