The most awaited chess tournament of 2020, National Chess Championship/ Women's Chess Championship was started on 11th Sep 2020 at CFSL Headquarters, Nugegoda. Before the round one of the tournament starts, there was a traditional opening ceremony with the participation of guests and players.
There are 28 players in both women and men categories (14 each). In both categories, 14 players consist of the first thirteen players of National B and the present National Chess Champion/ Women's Chess Champion. Players are paired according to the Round-robin method and at the end of the tournament, the player with the most points in both categories will be awarded as the National Chess Champion/ Women's Chess Champion.
The first round of the tournament was started on the 11th of Sep 2020 at 4.00 PM. From the first round of the tournament, we have been able to see some rising stars performing well in their games. In the first round, young FideMaster L M S T was able to score a full point against, IM Romesh Weerawardana. The opening of the game was a Sicilian open version and at the middle game, L M S T was able to convert the game into a Sicilian closed one by 20. Nh2... 21. F4... After some time the pawn on e5 was able to go forward because IM Romesh has exchanged his Bishop on e6 with the knight. Then he has sacrificed his pawn on e6 and he successfully pressured on the kingside. Finally, the game looks like this.
Also in the first round of the women's category, the amateur player was able to score half a point against the former women's national champion, WCM Sayuni Gihansa.
The second day of the tournament was started on 12th Sep 2020. There were 2 rounds in both categories. In the men's category, it was a good day for two young masters, CM Liyanage Ranidu Dilashan and Dabarera D W D M. CM Ranidu Liyanage was able to score a full point against Theekshana Denuwan while in the afternoon round he was able to score a full point against Amarasinghe A A C B. It was a Pirc game and from the opening, Ranindu gains an advantage by capturing b7 pawn and he was able to maintain that advantage until the end. Meanwhile, Dabarera was able to defeat the L M S T who was at the first of the starting rank. At the beginning of the game, L M S T gained an advantage in the kingside of the game but during the middle game, he does a huge blunder by opening a8 - h1 diagonal. Then by taking that chance Dabarera made a successful attack on the kingside. Also in the second round of day 2, he was able to score a half-point against IM Romesh Weerawardana. In the middle game, Dabarera was able to pressure on the kingside but in the end, the game was drawn by repetition.
Meanwhile, in the women's category, it was a bad day for former National Champion, WIM Ranasinghe. She lost both games of day 2 against Wijesingha W M M N and Nethmi Fernando. Also, it was a good day for the rising star, Nethmi. She won both games against Ranasinghe SD and Pavalachandran Ashvini.
At the end of day 2 in the men's category Ranindu and the former National Champion, FM Minul Doluweera shared the lead with 3 points while in the women's category Nathmi Fernando was able to lead with 3 points.
The day three of the tournament was started on 13th September 2020 at 9.00 AM. As we predicted it was an interesting day for both players and for the chess community. Everyone is fighting to be awarded as the National Chess Champion/ Wome's Chess Champion.
The young master Ranindu Liyanage was able to maintain his form during the day 3 too. He was able to draw the morning game against L M S T while he scored a full point against Dabarera. Ranindu's morning game was a French game. In the opening, he was able to gain a slight advantage on the kingside. But finally, he failed to maintain that advantage and the point was shared among him and L M S T. Ranidu's afternoon game was a closed Sicilian game. In that game, he was able to attack the queenside of the game by his queen, and then he was able to make a pass pawn on the 'c' file. After he moved that pawn to the c7 Dabarera resigned. Following is the last position of that game.
Also on day 4, Ranindu was able to continue his form to gain 1 and 1/2 points in both rounds. In the morning round, he was able to draw the game against Randil Lakshitha. Meanwhile, in the second round, he was able to gain a full point against IM Romesh Weerawardana. It was a Sicilian closed game and in the middle game Ranidu was able to gain an advantage in the Queen sid and he was able to maintain that advantage until the game ends. Also, the game between Minul Sanjula and L M S T looked liked somewhat interesting. L M S T attacked on the kingside of the game Rh6, Qh3. But Minul was able to defend successfully against that attack and the point was shared among two players.
Also in the women's category, Nethmi and Esha who was at the second place in the women's category shared the point in the morning round while. Nethmi Fernanda was able to score a full seed against Janandani Abeysingha. Also, 4th day was a bad day four Sayuni Gihansa because she lost both games against Niklesh and Ranasinghe.
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