Army’s chess players, who have been in existence for just a year, won the first and second runner-up slots in the Mercantile and Government Sector category at the eighth Dhamso International Chess Festival 2018 held from April 19 to 23 at Thomas de Silva Memorial Auditorium in Ambalangoda.
The tournament was organized by the Old Boys of the Chess Association of Dharmasoka College in collaboration with the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka under the aegis of the World Chess Federation.
International and National level players numbering 397 competed for the title of the DICF Player of the year. Among them there were two (International Masters) from India and Spain.
Captain WATD Sumanadasa of the Signal Corps won the third place in the ‘unrated category’.
In addition, Corporal SMD Suraweera of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment clinched the second place in what called the ‘Disabled Category’ as a vision impaired competitor who competed in the tournament with able players.
Army was able to secure the achievements within a very short span of time of one year since the introduction of chess as a sport due to the fully fledged support of the commander of the Army and the sheer commitment and dedication of the players and coach Werochana Perera besides the Army Chess Committee.
Army A team: Captain WATD Sumanadasa SLSC, Lance Corporal HIDR. Amarasinghe SLAOC, Lance Corporal WPPGS Prematilake SLLI, Lance Corporal DNS de Silva SLAMC and Signalman LDD Madushanka SLSC
Army B team: Corporal MAGA Priyantha SLEME, Corporal YMDP Yapa SLAMC, Corporal HKG Sampath SLEME, Lance Corporal Madushanka TAT SLAMC and Signalman EMK Rupasinghe SLSC