Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage is getting closer to making chess history in Sri Lanka.
The young chess player from Sri Lanka won first place at an important tournament in Serbia. He earned 7 points out of 9 games at the RUDAR XXIXB – GM Round Robin tournament. This victory is very special because it gave him his second Grandmaster norm.
What is a Grandmaster Norm?
In chess, players need three Grandmaster norms to become a Grandmaster. A Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can earn. Ranindu now has two norms. He needs just one more to become Sri Lanka’s first-ever Grandmaster.
The Tournament
The tournament took place in Pozarevac, Serbia, from January 30 to February 6, 2026. Ten strong chess players competed in this round-robin event. This means every player played against all the other players.
Ranindu showed excellent skills throughout the tournament. His performance rating was 2605, which is much higher than his current rating of 2384. This shows he played at Grandmaster level during the event.
Strong Competition
The tournament included several experienced players. There were Grandmasters and International Masters from different countries, including Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Bosnia. Despite facing tough opponents, Ranindu came out on top.
Behind him, Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi from India finished second with 6 points, and Rosh Jain, also from India, took third place with the same score.
A Historic Dream
If Ranindu earns his third and final norm, he will become the first Grandmaster from Sri Lanka. This would be a proud moment for the entire country. The Sri Lankan chess community is very excited and supportive of his journey.
Ranindu’s success shows that hard work and dedication can help achieve big dreams. The whole country is cheering for him as he continues his journey toward the Grandmaster title.
The chess world watches closely as Ranindu moves closer to making history for Sri Lanka!
