Ranindhu Dilshan Liyanage was crowned as the champion in the National ‘B’ Chess Tournament held at Nugegoda recently. He is ranked third in the National Chess ratings. A GCE Advanced Level student at Ananda College, Colombo, Ranidhu will sit the Advanced Level exam in 2022. Currently, Ranidhu is participating in the National Chess championship that began since last weekend. The Youth Observer met him to find out about his achievements in chess.
Q: Ranindhu, how did you start playing chess?
A: I will never forget my beginning. It is a miracle which happened to me in 2010. At that time, I was studying at Ashoka Primary School in Kalagedihena. When I was introduced to chess I was in grade two. Nimalsiri sir is the first instructor I met in the game of chess. He taught me about chess. Our instructor introduced me to all the chess chess pieces and how to how to move them on the board. Then my parents enrolled me with another chess instructor, Liyanapathirana sir. I developed my game under his guidance. That was the start of my relationship with chess.
Q: In 2010 you won a medal. It is known as the country medal in Chess. Can you tell us about this?
A: Yes, I will never forget it. That victory totally changed my life. The tournament was the Asian Schools Chess Championship held in Sri Lanka in 2010. I participated in that tournament as a child and was ranked at number seven. Accordingly, I won first place in local chess players. After winning the first place as a local player the organisers of the tournament presented me the ‘country gold medal’. That medal changed my journey rapidly and I saw a brighter future for me in this game. Fortunately, Ananda College invited me to join the College’s grade three class and continue my education at the College. That is also a miracle in my life.
Q: How about your experience with chess at the new school?
A: I got a chance to play and practice under Suneetha Wijesooriya, the World Chess Olympiad gold medalist. Because, she is the chess instructor for the primary classes in Ananda College. Prassana Kurakulasooriya is the chess instructor of my upper classes. They all helped my past achievements.
Q: You got a great opportunity to develop your game in the past decade. If anyone else studied with your chess instructors they too can reach your level. Do you agree with this statement?
A: My father and mother helped me to develop my career. As I win more tournaments, they back me further and help to sharpen my skills. They also see learning as the key to success in chess. So, they encourage me to progress in chess. That was their main reason to direct me to several skillful coaches.
Q: Your next step was to start training under one of the well-known chess instructors in our country, Romesh Weerawardana. Can you explain why this decision was taken ?
A: Exactly. Romesh is well known coach in local chess field and I play under his supervision now. He is the only International Master here. Romesh helps me to develop my tactics in the game.
Q: You are a student studying at Ananda College now and training with chess instructors. How do you balance your time?
A: I finish my day to day work. And I have never postponed any work in my whole life. Until the beginning of this year I have been highly involved with the game. I never worked hard for my O/L exam. So, I had enough time to be involved with chess. Before the O/L exam I also participated for several overseas tournaments as well. I think if we can manage our time, we can do everything. Without management of time there cannot be success in life.
Q: What about the milestones in your chess career?
A: As a member of the National team I won a bronze medal in the Asian Nation Cup Chess Championship held in China in 2016, representing Sri Lanka at the Best Asia Youth Championship in 2017, the Olympiad Online Chess Championship in 2020 and being the National ‘B’ Championship winner and first runner up at the first National Rapid Chess Championship are remarkable moments in my chess career.
Q: We know that most players only think of their FIDE rankings and make a great effort to stay undefeated in their game. Much of the time they never think about defeating their opponent and try to draw most of their games. Do you also follow these tactics?
A: No. I do not try to tie in any game. I want to win and go forward in my career. None of my coaches have influenced me to draw any game. Some of the games will be drawn depending on the strength of the opponent. But generally, it never happens in my sports career.
Q: You have a big work load with the A/L exam looming up. The A/L calls for harder work load than the O/L. How do you balance this situation?
A: During the O/L days I never worked hard for the exam. Before the exam I participated in more sports events. For example , a month before the exam I went for one of the overseas tournaments. I passed the O/L’s with four A’s, three B’s and two C’s. This I did with the help of result my teachers, friends and my parents. . But the A/L exam is more competitve than the O?L exam w. So, I will seriously focus on this exam.
Q: Do you means that the A/Ls will temporally interrupt your chess playing ?
A: Absolutely not. I will balance these two paths in my life. Although I am not little or elderly I have certain responsibilities to Family, School, Society and My country. I must develop my capacity to do it. I plan to succeed in these two fields simultaneously. It is easy for me that chess widens my mental capacity as well.
Q: You have a lot of international experience in chess. Do you know the reason for the rapid improvement in chess which our neighboring countries have achieved?
A: I think, that in India and Russia people have been playing chess for generations. This is so in other countries as well. They have many Grand Masters (GM). It is the main reason for their development in the chess field. However, we have not created any Grand Master yet. If we can participate in more ranking tournaments we can produce GMs.
Q: However, we have more difficulties with regard to participation in overseas tournaments. As a chess player you know about it very well. Would you like to comment on this?
A: Yes. We do not have enough sponsors for overseas tournaments. Much of the time, we have to bear those expenses ourselves. Our Chess Federation tries to give our air tickets some times.o But it is not a common thing. It is the main barrier we have to face. this situation.
Q: However, you complete several overseas tournaments during your chess career.
A: I did it with my parents help. I went to eleven countries for many chess tournaments. Asian region is not too expensive but Europe is too costly for us. To date, my father and mother have spent more than five million rupees for my overseas trips. I want to give enough value for their money as soon as I can.