Mega Simultaneous chess exhibition tournament
Photos - Part 1
Photos - Part 2
Lanka Chess Foundation was organized a very successful Mega Simultaneous chess exhibition tournament at Defence Services College, Colombo. Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse. Secretary of the Defence Ministry graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and Mr. Ayrat Akhmetov was their Guest of Honour. Mr. S Hettiarachchi, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, International Secretary of Sri Lanka Russia Friendship Society, Mr. Buddhapriya Ramanayake, Chief Executive Officer of the Russian Centre, Major General Siri Ranaweera, Director of the Defence Services College, Mr. Pramuditha Wickramasinghe, Principal of Defence Services College, Mr. Ramal Jasinghe, President of the Mercantile Chess Association and the Chief Executive Officer of Asian Alliance Insurance PLC and Mr. Sumith Pinnawala, Director of Lanka Chess Foundation were also at the event as the Special Guests.

By welcoming all Mrs. Suneetha Wijesuriya, Chairperson of Lanka Chess Foundation mentioned that she is doing all these activities through the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club and Lanka Chess Foundation to create chess Grand Masters in Sri Lanka. Since Lanka Chess Foundation has a land in Colombo she invited all to help to put up a chess centre with a hostel and with an Auditorium.

The Chief Guest at this function Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse, Secretary of the Defence Ministry mentioned that Chess will help the players to face any challenges in their life to have a very successful future. Players should play the game with determination without thinking the opponents level then Sri Lankan players will get the opportunity to beat world champions. He wish all the chess players for a bright future.

The Guest of Honour Mr. Ayrat Akhmetov, the 1st Secretary of the Russian Embassy and the Director of the Russian Centre mentioned that he is very proud and happy to have Mrs. Suneetha Wijesuriya as the President of Anatoly Karpov Chess Club under the Russian Centre who always think and do chess promotional activities to create Grand Masters in Sri Lanka.

Mrs. Suneetha Wijesuriya, Chess Olympiad Gold Medalist, Mr. Prasanna Kurukulasuriya, International Rated Player, Mr. Erosh Jayasinghe, International Chess Arbiter, Mr. Nishantha Withanage, International Rated Player and Mr. Shelton Wijesuriya all played with 110 players at once at this Mega Simultaneous Chess Exhibition Tournament. The Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour played their 1st moves to start this Chess Exhibition.

Report by Suneetha Wijesuriya, Photos by Nishantha Withanage, Srimal Wijesuriya

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