The Junior National Chess Championship 2026 came to the Central Province from March 13 to 15, 2026, with Sri Dheerananda College, Pilimathalawa serving as the venue for a highly competitive and exciting provincial selection event. Organized by the Kandy District Chess Association on behalf of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, the Central Province selection brought together the province’s finest young chess talent across both the Open and Girls sections for three days of intense FIDE-rated competition under the Swiss System format, with a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move from move 1. Tournament Director Mr A G Thushan C Abeysinghe oversaw the event, with Chief Arbiter Mr Lahiru T Kalupahana managing both sections throughout.
The Junior National Chess Championship series provides junior players across all provinces with their own dedicated selection competition, with the top performers from each provincial event earning the right to represent their province at the national stage. With the Open field averaging a rating of 1433 and the Girls field averaging 1413 — both with an average age of 12 — the Central Province selection was a powerful showcase of the province’s young chess talent from the hill country.
Open Section — Chandrasena Claims Central Province Glory
P W B G Siddharth Lo Chandrasena delivered an outstanding campaign across all seven rounds to claim the Central Province Junior National Open title with 6.5 points — a composed and consistent performance from start to finish that marked him out as a thoroughly deserving provincial champion. Chandrasena’s ability to maintain his focus and precision throughout seven rounds of competitive junior chess was the hallmark of his title-winning run, and he will carry Central Province’s hopes confidently onto the national stage.
Minura Ekanayake matched Chandrasena’s 6.5 points exactly and pushed all the way to the final round, claiming second place on tie-break in a razor-thin finish at the top — a superb result from one of Central Province’s most talented young players. Third place went to ACM Abdullah Rafi with 6 points — the highest-rated player in the field at 1578 — while T G V Y B Chandrarathna also finished with 6 points for fourth place on tie-break. A M Anuja Danuddha Alagiyawanna rounded out the top five with 5.5 points, completing a top five that showcased the remarkable depth of junior chess talent across the Central Province.
Girls Section — Chandrasiri Shines for Central Province
The Girls section produced an equally compelling title race, with Senadi Chandrasiri claiming the Central Province Junior Girls title with 6 points from seven rounds — a composed and assured performance that made her a worthy and deserving provincial champion and a Chess Queen to watch on the national stage.
Neksha P Maddumage matched Chandrasiri’s 6 points exactly and finished as a very close runner-up on tie-break, delivering an equally impressive campaign across all seven rounds. Third place went to A W Sandasi Nethara Kumarathunge with 5.5 points — the highest-rated player in the Girls field at 1473 — while Chamathka Sanudi Samaraweera also finished with 5.5 points for fourth place on tie-break. Bishara Firdous Amal rounded out the top five with 5.5 points as well, underlining the remarkable strength in depth of the Central Province Girls section across all seven rounds.
The Kandy District Chess Association deserves great credit for delivering a superbly organised provincial selection event at Sri Dheerananda College. Tournament Director Mr A G Thushan C Abeysinghe and Chief Arbiter Mr Lahiru T Kalupahana ensured that all seven rounds across both sections were conducted smoothly and professionally throughout the three days.
Congratulations to all the champions and participants of the Junior National Chess Championship 2026 — Central Province. The future of Sri Lankan chess is in very capable hands, and we look forward to seeing these talented young players carry the Central Province flag proudly onto the national stage. Keep playing, keep improving, and keep dreaming big! ♟️🇱🇰
