Asian Individual Chess Championships 2026: Sri Lankan Players Complete Campaigns in Ulaanbaatar
The Asian Individual Chess Championships 2026 took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from May 29 to June 6, organized under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation. The event was contested under the Swiss system over nine rounds, with a classical time control of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game and a 30-second increment per move from move one. Both the Open and Women’s championships were held concurrently, drawing participants from federations including Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, among others.
The championships were directed by Chief Arbiter IA Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, with Deputy Chief Arbiters IA Genden Altan-Och and IA Genden Oyunchimeg, supported by a panel of international arbiters overseeing both sections throughout the nine-day event.
Sri Lanka’s Representation
Sri Lanka fielded two representatives across the two sections: IM Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage in the Open Championship and WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana in the Women’s Championship.
Liyanage, rated 2429, finished the tournament with 6 points out of 9, recording an average opponent rating of 2463 — notably higher than his own. His tournament included a first-round win, followed by draws against opponents rated 2589 and 2571, both Grandmasters. He then secured a win in round four before drawing again with a Grandmaster rated 2476. A loss in round six against a Grandmaster rated 2625 was followed by a win in round seven, a draw against a 2552-rated Grandmaster in round eight, and a win in the final round against a Grandmaster rated 2470. The result places Liyanage’s performance rating above his current FIDE rating, reflecting a tournament played consistently against stronger opposition.
Gunawardhana, rated 2340, finished with 5 points out of 9, with an average opponent rating of 2098. Her tournament began with a first-round loss to a player rated 1963, before she found her form with consecutive wins in rounds two through four against opponents rated 1878, 2013 (draw), and 1997. A further win in round five was followed by a loss in round six against WGM Mary Ann Gomes, rated 2258, before she added another win in round seven against an opponent rated 2107. The event concluded with a loss in round eight and a draw in round nine. Her result of 5/9 reflects a tournament played mainly against opposition rated below her own, and the campaign points to areas for development against more closely or higher-rated players in future events.
Results at the Top
In the Open Championship, IM Kong Xiangrui of China topped the field with 7 points out of 9, finishing ahead of GM Xiao Tong on tiebreak after both players ended on the same score. GM Tsydypov Zhamsaran of FIDE completed the podium, also with 7 points. Notably, GM Mitrabha Guha and several other strong Grandmasters from India featured prominently in the top standings, underlining the strength of the field.
In the Women’s Championship, the title was shared on tiebreaks between IM Savitha Shri B of India and WGM Afruza Khamdamova of Uzbekistan, both finishing on 7.5 points out of 9. IM Song Yuxin of China took the bronze medal position with 6.5 points.
A Strong Field, A Valuable Experience
With participants from close to thirty federations and an average rating exceeding 2200 in the Open section, the Asian Individual Chess Championships 2026 represented one of the most competitive events on the continental calendar this year. For Sri Lanka, the tournament provided both Liyanage and Gunawardhana with valuable international experience, with Liyanage’s run against top-tier opposition standing out as a particular highlight for Sri Lankan chess.
Congratulations to all the champions, medalists, and participants of the Asian Individual Chess Championships 2026, including Sri Lanka’s representatives, IM Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage and WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana.
