Susal to compete at FIDE World Cup 2023

Sri Lankan National Chess Champion, International Master Susal De Silva, is all set to make his mark at the upcoming FIDE World Cup 2023, where he will compete alongside the world’s top chess players. The prestigious event, celebrating its 10th edition, will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from July 30th to August 24th, with a massive combined prize pool of USD 2.5 million, the FIDE World Cup has drawn 206 players in the open section and 103 in the Women’s competition. This makes it the single largest prize pool in any chess event worldwide. The tournament follows an 8-round knockout format, with the top 50 seeds receiving a bye directly into the second round. The semi-final losers will have a chance to compete for the third-place spot.

The event’s rating favourites include renowned players like Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and many other chess stars from around the globe.

For players like Susal De Silva, the World Cup represents a golden opportunity to contend for the World Championship crown. The top three finishers in the event will qualify for the highly exclusive Candidates Tournament, one more spot compared to the previous edition in Sochi 2021. This adds an extra layer of excitement and anticipation to the already thrilling competition in Baku.

In the first round, Sri Lanka’s young International Master Susal De Silva,representing Nalanda College, will face off against the strong Grand Master Eric Hansen from Canada on board number 86. The initial matches will be held on July 30th and 31st, with two games played, with colours reversed. In case of a tie, a tiebreak event will be held on August 1st, 2023, to determine the advancing player to the second round.

To support IM Susal De Silva’s participation in this esteemed event, the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) is proudly sponsoring him, allocating approximately Rs 500,000.00 for his journey.

This generous support allows him to represent Sri Lanka on the global chess stage, aiming to bring glory to the motherland. (D.R)