Passed Pawn White Chess Club Clinches Victory at Sri Lanka National Women’s Rapid Team Chess Championship 2024.
The Sri Lanka National Women’s Rapid Team Chess Championship 2024 concluded with a stellar performance by Passed Pawn White Chess Club, emerging as champions. The event, held on November 16, 2024, at Sasthrananda Vidyalaya, Dehiwala, was organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka. The federation offered a prize fund of Rs 70,000, alongside medals, certificates, and trophies to the top performers.
The championship attracted 36 teams from across the nation, competing in a 7-round Swiss format event with a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. Passed Pawn White Chess Club demonstrated exceptional skill and consistency, securing the title with an impressive 13 out of 14 match points.
The Queen’s Squad Chess Club claimed the first runner-up position, narrowly missing the championship with 12 match points. The battle for the second runner-up spot saw a four-way tie at 10 match points. However, Queen’s Gambit Chess Club outperformed on tie-break criteria to secure the podium finish.
Best Board Performances
Individual excellence was recognized with best board prizes, awarded as follows:
Board 01: Hirudi Koswattage (SPIRIT)
Board 02: WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana (Passed Pawn White Chess Club)
Board 03: B P Chanthuli Thanishka De Silva (Anula Queens Under 15)
Board 04: Biseni Thavindya Kuruppu (Maroons Club Team B)
Board 05: WIM Nelunika Methmani (Passed Pawn White Chess Club)
Here are the team members of the top three winning clubs:
Passed Pawn White Chess Club (Champions)
- WIM S D Ranasinghe
- WIM Nelunika Methmani
- WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana
- WFM Dasuni Hansika Mendis
- H M H Janandani Abeysinghe
The Queen’s Squad Chess Club (First Runners-up)
- WCM K M Dahamdi Sanudula
- J M Theruni V Jayasundara
- H Sandithi Kusalya Alwis
- M Esandi Newansa
- Gehansa Ranumi Dange
Queen’s Gambit Chess Club (Second Runners-up)
- Liseni Weerasinghe
- H M A Herath
- Devni Sathma
- R M Sandadini Bandara
- I M N H Idirisinghe
The Sri Lanka National Women’s Rapid Team Chess Championship 2024 was a resounding success, highlighting the growing prominence of women’s chess in the country. The event showcased exceptional talent, strategy, and sportsmanship, making it a memorable tournament for all participants. The awards ceremony was attended by officials of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, who praised the players for their remarkable performances and commitment to the sport.
Congratulations to Passed Pawn White Chess Club for their victory, and to all the teams for their competitive spirit and participation.
