The Junior National Chess Championship 2026 came to the Sabaragamuwa Province from March 13 to 15, 2026, with President’s College, Avissawella serving as the venue for what proved to be a highly competitive and exciting provincial selection event. Organized by Black Knights CC in collaboration with Castle CC on behalf of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, the Sabaragamuwa 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. Chief Arbiter IA H N Chathuranga Gunasena oversaw both sections throughout the event.
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 1425 and the Girls field averaging 1407 — both with an average age of just 12 — the Sabaragamuwa Province selection was a powerful showcase of the province’s young chess talent.
Open Section — Jayasinghe Claims Sabaragamuwa Glory
Adeesa Aminda Jayasinghe delivered a composed and consistent campaign across all seven rounds to claim the Sabaragamuwa Province Junior National Open title with 6 points — edging out a closely packed field on tie-break in what was one of the tightest title races of the entire provincial series. Jayasinghe’s disciplined and mature chess throughout the event was the hallmark of a deserving champion, and he will carry Sabaragamuwa Province’s hopes confidently onto the national stage.
E G P A Gamage matched Jayasinghe’s 6 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. AFM D M Welikumbura, the joint top seed entering the event at 1549, finished third with 5.5 points — a strong campaign from one of the province’s most experienced junior players. R G Lithula Dinsith Weerathilake also finished with 5.5 points for fourth place on tie-break, while J A T S Jayasinghe, the highest-rated player in the field at 1586, claimed fifth place also with 5.5 points — underlining the remarkable depth and competitiveness of the Sabaragamuwa Province Open section. E G Ashen Induwara Gamage and Nethula Nivein Bandara both finished with 5.5 points for sixth and seventh places respectively, completing a top seven that reflected the exceptional quality of junior chess talent across the province.
Girls Section — Jayathilaka Shines for Sabaragamuwa
The Girls section produced a dominant and commanding champion in H R J G Jayathilaka, who claimed the Sabaragamuwa Province Junior Girls title with an outstanding 6.5 points from seven rounds. Jayathilaka’s near-flawless campaign from start to finish made her a worthy and deserving provincial champion — a Chess Queen whose performance was the highlight of the Girls section and who will be a strong representative for Sabaragamuwa Province at the national stage.
R A Indeewari Vidusarani Ranasinghe finished as runner-up with 5.5 points, delivering a solid and consistent campaign throughout the seven rounds. Third place went to Binithi Yashara Rupasinghe with 5.5 points on tie-break — the top-rated player in the Girls field at 1484 — while B G Miheli Hiyansa Bopeththa and U K Wethara Wosandi Amarakeerthi also finished with 5.5 points for fourth and fifth places respectively, underlining the strength in depth of the Sabaragamuwa Province Girls section. M D Ashinsana Sandilmi Rajapaksha rounded out the top six with 5 points in a Girls section that showcased the very best of Sabaragamuwa Province’s junior women’s chess talent.
The Black Knights CC and Castle CC deserve great credit for delivering a superbly organised provincial selection event at President’s College, Avissawella. Chief Arbiter IA H N Chathuranga Gunasena 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 — Sabaragamuwa Province. The future of Sri Lankan chess is in very capable hands, and we look forward to seeing these talented young players carry the Sabaragamuwa Province flag proudly onto the national stage. Keep playing, keep improving, and keep dreaming big! ♟️🇱🇰
