Ranindu draws, GM is too strong for Susal

Asian Zonal Hybrid Chess Championship 2021

Bangladesh Grand Master, Ziaur Rahman(2434) beat Sri Lanka FIDE Master Susal de Silva of Nalanda College comfortably to remain in the lead with 6 ½ points after seven games. He was in the sole lead followed by grandmaster Enamul Hussain(2402) is also from Bangladesh.

SL National Chess Champion Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College fought hard in his game playing black against Bangladesh FIDE Master Islam Aminul(2182) but ended in a draw taking him to 4 ½ points after seven games.

Buddika Amarasinghe also lost with his usual English opening to International Master Fahan Rahman(2314). In a game with space advantage, Buddika gave a center pawn which was the losing point for him.

Susal and Ranindu were staying in the sixth and seventh positions with two games to go. Buddhika is in the 14th place in the event dominated by the Bangladeshi players. Susal was scheduled to meet Zia Tajwar (2178) and Ranindu was to meet FIDE Master Mehdi Parag(2187) both from Bangladesh. Buddhika was scheduled to meet Kusatha Niken (Nepal) in the eighth and penultimate round on Tuesday.

A total of 39 players are participating in the event. While the majority of 20 players are from Bangladesh, 10 players are from Pakistan. Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka are fielding three players each. Unfortunately, some leading Chess players of Sri Lanka including rank no 1. Harshana Thilakaratne could not participate in the event due to the current situation in the country.

The Asian Zonal Chess Championship 2021, the preliminary events for the FIDE World Chess Cup 2021 for the South Asia started on 1st of June 2021 on the Tornelo platform. The Bangladesh Chess Federation is conducting the event from Dhaka and the Sri Lankan players are competing from the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka headquarters, Gangodawila, Nugegoda.

Today is the final day of the event which commenced on June 1. It is held according to the Swiss System of nine rounds. The games are played from 3.00 – 8.30 p.m each day. The event is sponsored by the SAIF POWERTEC Ltd.