The Sri Lanka National Chess Championship and the Women’s National Chess Championship will be held on 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14 June at the CETRAC Seminar Room, Pelawatte, Battaramulla.

The first round will start at 2.00 p.m. on Friday, June 5. The tournament which will be a 13 round, round-robin event has one game on the first day and two games each on all other days.

Sri Lanka Telecom Ltd. has come forward to sponsor this prestigious chess event. A total of 150,000 will be on offer at the championship.

Athula Russell, the reigning National chess champion gains direct qualification while G. C. Anuruddha, Luxman Wijesuriya, Prasanna Kurukulasuriya, Dulan Edirisinghe, Rajeendra Kalugampitiya, Thiwanka Mallawarachchi, Shamine De Moraes, Isuru Alahakoon, Gayan Peiris, Oshadhi Kottahachchi, Chandana Wijekoon, Mihiranga Jayawardena and Lahiru Hapuarachchi have gained qualified from the National B Chess Championship held last month.

Supeshala Thilakawardena obtains direct entry to the Women’s Nationals as she is a Women FIDE Master. Since the reigning women’s National chess champion, Vineetha Wijesuriya is out of the country, 13 players, Samasha Undupitiya, Sachini Ranasinghe, Irindu Basnayake, Dinushki Premanath, Lakshika Wanasinghe, Lihini Walallawita, Jeewanthi Rathnayake, Samanthi Wettasinghe, Naduni Abeywardena, Navodya Selvaratnarn, Dilshani Ranasinghe, Tiumi Yashora and Yashmi Lamawansa were selected from the Women’s National B Chess Championship for the Women’s Nationals.

The awards ceremony will be held on June 14, at the CETRAC Auditorium at 5.30 p.m.