The Primary Section of Polonnaruwa Royal College became the beating heart of Sri Lankan youth chess on August 11, 2026, as the All Island Queenstar Open Age Group Chess Championship 2026 gathered the country’s rising stars for a full day of competition. Organized by the Queenstar International Chess Coaching Academy, the championship spanned ten sections—Under-7, Under-9, Under-11, and Under-13 in both girls’ and open categories, along with an open women’s section and a top open division for all comers.
Nine of the ten sections were played as a five-round Swiss-System event, with the Open Women contested as a round-robin. Every game was played at the classical time control of 90 minutes per player, giving these young minds room to think deeply and fight hard. The event was directed by NT Lakmal Amarasekara, with FA Rajeew Thialakarathne officiating as chief arbiter, and the results were compiled and uploaded through the Sri Lanka School Chess Association.
If one word defined the day, it was “perfect.” A remarkable cluster of champions swept all five of their games. Anuki Minsadi Jayathilake was untouchable in the Under-7 Girls, closing with a final-round win over her nearest rival to seal a flawless 5/5. In the Under-7 Open, Kenuja Ameesha Pushpakumara did exactly the same, saving his sternest test for the last round and passing it with flying colours. Thedas Sanudika Heshan powered through the Under-9 Open without dropping a point, finishing a clear half-point ahead of a chasing pack.
The Under-9 Girls produced the day’s tensest finish. Both K G M M Gamage and N V C Y Gunarathne marched to a spotless five wins from five, yet the two never crossed paths over the board. With their scores identical, the gold came down to tiebreaks, and it was Gamage who edged ahead by the finest of margins, leaving Gunarathne with a heartbreaking silver despite a faultless run.
The under-11 girls served up a champion’s showdown of its own. ACM R P N D Thilakarathne saved the biggest game for last, overcoming the higher-rated ACM Tinudi Sasathma Jayarathna in the final round to complete a commanding 5/5 and claim the title outright.
Elsewhere, the drama came from comebacks and knife-edge tiebreaks. In the Under-11 Open, K P H D Hiranya and ACM Thisum Sashilka Rajapaksha both finished on 4.5 points, with Hiranya taking gold on tiebreak ahead of a field that included top seed A M V N B Abeysinghe. The Under-13 Open told a story of grit: Ruvin A Sandaru stumbled to a first-round loss, then reeled off four straight wins to storm onto the podium in third, while AFM A M D S B Abeysinghe held his nerve for the title on 4.5.
The premier Open section, boasting the strongest field of the day, saw AIM Mihiran Dehigama control proceedings from the front, needing only a calm final-round draw to secure first place on 4.5. In the Open Women round-robin, Vinudini Sesadi was in a class of her own, finishing well clear on 4.5 points.
Beyond the trophies, the atmosphere was pure joy—proud parents crowding the doorways, coaches offering last-minute words of calm, and hundreds of children learning the lifelong lessons that only competition can teach. Events like the Queenstar Championship are exactly how a chess nation grows, giving young players the stage, the nerves and the memories that turn beginners into believers.
Warmest congratulations to every champion, every medallist, and every single boy and girl who sat down to play. To the winners, your hard work shone through. To those who came up short this time, take heart; your breakthrough is closer than you think. A heartfelt thank you to the Queenstar International Chess Coaching Academy, the arbiters and officials, and the families whose support made this wonderful day possible.
