The Sri Lanka Women’s National Premier Division Chess Championship 2026 delivered ten days of the finest women’s chess the country has to offer, played from March 13 to 22, 2026, at Lanka Sathosa Delkanda, Nugegoda. Organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka and directed by IA Erosh Jayasinghe, with IA Tharindu Weerasekara serving as Chief Arbiter, the Women’s National Premier is the pinnacle of competitive women’s chess in Sri Lanka — the tournament where the country’s strongest female players gather to contest the most coveted title on the national women’s chess calendar. The 2026 edition produced an outstanding champion and a series of thrilling performances across all eleven rounds of Swiss System FIDE-rated chess, with a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move.
With an average rating of 1625 and a remarkably young average age of just 14 across the field, the 2026 Women’s National Premier was a powerful and inspiring statement of the depth, quality, and youthful energy of Sri Lankan women’s chess at its very highest level.
WFM Sanudula — A Champion in Dominant Form
WFM Dahamdi K M Sanudula produced a masterclass in consistent and dominant championship chess, claiming the 2026 Sri Lanka Women’s National Premier Division title with an outstanding 9 points from eleven rounds. Having already delivered strong performances throughout the 2026 chess calendar — including her Blitz title at the Chronicles of Checkmate International and her top finish at the Queens Chess Classic — Sanudula’s Women’s National Premier title is the crowning achievement of a remarkable year, cementing her status as Sri Lanka’s leading active women’s chess player. Her campaign across the ten days in Nugegoda was a model of precision, composure, and competitive excellence from the very first round to the last.
WCM Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage pushed hard throughout the eleven rounds and finished as a deserving runner-up with 8.5 points — an excellent campaign that demonstrated her quality as one of Sri Lanka’s finest young women’s players. Third place went to Yenuthi Sahanlee Perera B with 8 points — a player who has been one of the standout performers of the entire 2026 women’s chess circuit, and whose National Premier podium finish was richly deserved. WCM J M Theruni V Jayasundara finished fourth with 7.5 points, while G A Senaree M I Gamaarachchi and WCM Sayuni Gihansa Jayaweera both finished with 7.5 points for fifth and sixth places respectively — underlining the exceptional depth of quality throughout the top half of the Women’s National Premier field.
A Deep and Star-Studded Women’s Field
The competition across the full eleven rounds was fierce from top to bottom. K P K Hesara Gunasekara and P Y S Hasansee both finished with 7.5 points for seventh and eighth places respectively, while Chenaya Ekaratne and B P Chanthuli Thanishka De Silva completed the top ten also on 7.5 points — a remarkable reflection of the quality and competitiveness of the 2026 Women’s National Premier field.
H Sandithi Kusalya Alwis, the highest-rated player in the field at 1975, finished eleventh with 7.5 points, while Hesanya Thanthulage, M A D D D Munasinghe, Sayumi Sithumila Halangoda, and J M Senudhi Ahasya Jayasinghe all finished with 7 points to complete a top fifteen that showcased the very best of Sri Lankan women’s chess talent across all eleven rounds.
The Chess Federation of Sri Lanka deserves great credit for once again delivering a superbly organised and professionally run Women’s National Premier Division Championship alongside the Open section across the same ten days. Tournament Director IA Erosh Jayasinghe and Chief Arbiter IA Tharindu Weerasekara ensured that all eleven rounds were conducted smoothly and efficiently throughout the competition at Lanka Sathosa Delkanda, Nugegoda.
Congratulations to Women’s National Champion WFM Dahamdi K M Sanudula, runner-up WCM Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage, third-placed Yenuthi Sahanlee Perera B, and every participant who competed in the Sri Lanka Women’s National Premier Division Chess Championship 2026. This tournament represents the very best of Sri Lankan women’s chess, and with an average age of just 14 across the field, the future has never looked brighter. Keep playing, keep improving, and keep dreaming big! ♟️🇱🇰
