The Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Team is making waves at the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024, maintaining an undefeated streak despite missing the first two rounds. Their remarkable fighting spirit has propelled them to 38th place after seven rounds, an impressive climb from their initial ranking of 82nd.
The 45th Chess Olympiad 2024, held in Budapest, Hungary, began on September 10 and will run until September 23. The Olympiad, organized by the Hungarian Chess Federation in collaboration with FIDE, is a prestigious event in the chess world. Hungary, which hosted the first unofficial Chess Olympiad in 1926, is now welcoming teams from all over the world to compete in this prestigious tournament, held at the iconic BOK Hall.
The Olympiad features both Open and Women’s categories, with a total of 11 rounds using a Swiss-system format. The time control for each game is 40 moves in 90 minutes, with an additional 30 minutes for the rest of the game and a 30-second increment per move starting from move one.
In the Women’s category, 183 teams are competing. The Sri Lankan team, despite starting with a two-round deficit, has shown resilience and skill, now holding 38th place after seven rounds. They have secured wins against Cote d’Ivoire, Bahamas, Suriname, and Egypt, while managing a draw against Norway, which was initially ranked 35th. This strong performance sets them up for a key clash against the 22nd-ranked Romanian team in the eighth round.
The Sri Lankan Women’s Team consists of:
- WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana (ELO 1956)
- WCM K M Dahamdi Sanudula (ELO 2023)
- WCM T H D Niklesha Tharushi (ELO 1852)
- WCM Ehsha Mishela Pallie (ELO 1767)
- H M H Janandani Abeysinghe (ELO 1752)
- Maheshika Rupasinghe as the non-playing captain.
In the Open category, 197 teams are battling for supremacy. The Sri Lankan Open team, initially ranked 134th, has now moved up to 108th place after seven rounds, thanks to victories over Gabon, Angola, and Senegal. With six match points, the team is set to face Sudan in the eighth round. The standout player for Sri Lanka is K K Dinujaya Kodithuwakku, who has scored an impressive 4/7 points.
The Sri Lankan Open Team consists of:
- IM Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage (ELO 2366)
- Kosala Sandeepa Chamikara Amarathunga (ELO 1956)
- Dhanushka Bandara (ELO 1903)
- K K Dinujaya Kodithuwakku (ELO 1826)
- The non-playing captain of the Open team is IM Zhanibek Amanov.
As the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024 progresses, the Sri Lankan teams are poised to continue their strong performances. Their resilience and determination have already made a mark, and the chess world will be watching as they push for even greater success in the remaining rounds.
Best of luck to the Sri Lankan teams. May they continue to make the nation proud on the global chess stage.
