The Chandiv Hotel in Matara, Sri Lanka, played host to some of the fastest and most fearless chess of the year as the 4th Rahulians International Chess Festival 2026 rolled through the southern coast in mid-August. Organized by the Rahula Old Boys Chess Association, the festival’s Rapid and Blitz championships drew a large, genuinely international field — with players from Sri Lanka and India battling it out — across FIDE-rated competition that carried real weight on the international rating list.
Both events were run as nine-round Swiss-System tournaments. The Blitz championship took place on August 15 at a breathless time control of three minutes plus a two-second increment, while the Rapid championship unfolded over August 16 and 17 at ten minutes plus a five-second increment — long enough to think, short enough to keep hearts pounding. The festival was directed by FI T N Alahakoon, with IA Tharindu Weerasekara serving as Chief Arbiter and IA H N Chathuranga Gunasena and IA D G D Chamil Thilakarathne among the deputies keeping the many boards running cleanly.
The Blitz championship produced a thrilling logjam at the summit. An extraordinary five players stormed to eight points from nine games, turning the final standings into a tiebreak thriller. When the dust settled, it was S D Nadev Insara who came out on top, his consistency across the day earning him gold ahead of India’s P Santhana Prabu Ayyappan and the higher-rated Sailesh R, who took bronze. Just behind them, CM Kosala Sandeepa Chamikara D Amarathunge and K P Aakash also reached eight points, underlining just how fierce the fight for the podium had been. Sri Lanka’s AFM Gesandu Kithnula and C U Hettiarachchi rounded out a strong local showing on 7.5.
If the Blitz was a sprint, the Rapid was a marathon of concentration — and it belonged to CM Chenitha Sihas Dinsara Karunasena. The Sri Lankan reeled off a superb run, holding his nerve through a series of tense top-board clashes to finish on eight points and claim the title on tiebreak. Chasing him all the way was Sailesh R, who once again showed his quality by finishing on eight points for second place — a remarkable feat, having already medalled in the Blitz. Third went to FM Dishal Nimsara Weerasekara, whose steady 7.5 capped a fine weekend after he also finished among the leaders in the Blitz event.
There was plenty of drama further down the standings, too. Sanuk Nanayakkara, WFM Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage, Kisandu Randira Perera and Sehath Abayasinghe all reached 7.5 points in the Rapid, ensuring that the battle for the trophies went right down to the wire. The presence of experienced Indian players like Sailesh R and Ashirwad Swain lifted the standard across both events and gave local juniors a golden chance to test themselves against strong international opposition — exactly the kind of exposure that helps a chess nation grow.
Beyond the results, the festival captured everything that makes chess special: the buzz of a packed playing hall, the quiet tension before each round, and the camaraderie of players from different countries sharing the same passion. Set against the backdrop of Matara’s southern coast, the 4th Rahulians International Chess Festival was as much a celebration of the game as it was a competition.
Warmest congratulations to every champion, every medallist, and every player who made the journey to Matara to compete. To the winners, your speed and steel shone through. To everyone who fought for every point, your effort is what made this festival so special. A heartfelt thank you to the Rahula Old Boys Chess Association, the arbiters and officials, and all the families and supporters who brought the event to life.
