Sachini, the Queen of Sri Lanka Chess
View(s):
Sachini Ranasinghe
Sachini Ranasinghe, former Musaeus College chess player representing Nf3 Chess Club was crowned the ‘Queen of Sri Lanka Chess’ when she emerged champion at the inaugural Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Grand Prix 2020 at the Chess Federation Headquarters.
Coming into the event with a bundle of experience behind her, Sachini maintained her lead up to the final round until she faced an unexpected defeat at the hands of young Tharushi Sandeepani of Devi Balika Vidyalaya.
The champion scored 9½ points out of possible 11 games to walk away with champion trophy along with a cash prize of Rs. 30,000/- and a gold medal. Sachini was a four-time women’s national champion. She won the title in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. She also had taken part in four FIDE Chess Olympiads – 2010 in Russia, 2012 in Turkey, 2016 in Azaerbaijan and 2018 in Georgia.
When the Education Times spoke to her after the championship event, Sachini said she was the first women player to take part in the Men’s Nationals. She failed to give her best after the last national win but was determined to bounce back. She said in the international events she did exceptionally well. Sachini added that the experience she gained in the Olympiads made her a matured player who can read the opponent’s movements with ease.
She went on to say that the standard time control at the Olympiads were as the same as in Sri Lanka and the local players didn’t find it difficult in competing at the world event. She is worried that the young Sri Lankan girls with lot of talent tend to give up the game soon after they reach G.C.E. O/L and A/L standards. The former professional players should also take part so that they can guide the youngsters.
“As chess is a game that socially very few people know in Sri Lanka. In countries like India, Tunisia and Georgia chess games can view live online. Anyone who is interested in the game can watch a match live which had made the game popular in those countries. Sri Lanka also should follow countries like that and should make the game online will do a lot to popularise the game in Sri Lanka. In countries like Armenia the government had made chess a compulsory sport in schools,” she elaborated.
Having started to play the game at the age of four, Sachini is Sri Lanka’s first Women’s International Master and her goal is become a Grand Master. The event conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, was the first women’s sporting event of the country after the COVID-19 outbreak.
Results of the Final Round:
Prasansa Premanath (Girls High School, Kandy) beat Sayumi Gamage (Musaeus College, Colombo)
Nelunika Methmani (University of Sri Jayawardenapura) drew with Ashvini Pawalachandran (Wycherley Intl’ School)
Janandani Abeysinghe (NSBM Green University) beat Tharushi Niklesha (VisakhaVidyalaya, Colombo)
Sayumi Piyumanthi (Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda) lost to Dinushki Premanath (University of Moratuwa)
Sachini Ranasinghe (Nf3 CC) lost to Tharushi Sandeepani (Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo)
Oneli Weerawardena (Lycium Intl’ School) – received a bye
Final standings:
Sachini Ranasinghe –
9½ points
Dinukshi Premanath –
8 points
Tharushi Niklesha –
8 points
Nelunika Methmani –
8 points
Ashvini Pavalachandran –
7 points
Sandeepani Tharushi –
6½ points
Prasanna Premanath –
5½ points
Janadani Abeysinghe –
5½ points
Oneli Weerawardena –
3½
Sayumi Gamage –
3 points
Sayumi Piyumanthi –
1½ points