By Ishani Upatharitha
Sri Lanka played extraordinarily well in the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2021 to finish fourth.
Though suffering losses in the first two rounds against strong Belorussia (1 1/2 - 4 1/2) and Norway (2 - 4), Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe (4 ½ - 1 1/2), Portugal (4 - 2), Albania (3 1/2 - 2 1/2), Montenegro (4 - 2), and Scotland (4-2), along with two draws against champion Israel and top-seed Sweden to score 12 match-points to end up in an impressive fourth place.
Israel won first place outplaying Belorussia, who was the leader till the eighth-round of the final leg winning all eight games, except a draw against Sri Lanka.
Belarus became second with 16 points while Sweden was the third with 13 points.
Sanudula Dahamdi scored 7 ½ points out of nine games while Susal De Silva scored 6 ½ points out of his nine games in the last two boards. Ranindu Liyanage, playing the strongest top board, managed to score 4 ½ points out of eight games.
- Ranindu Liyanage (CM) / 8 / 4.5
- Minul Doluweera (FM) / 8 / 3.0
- D. Premanath (WFM) / 8 / 3.5
- S.D. Ranasinghe (WIM) / 4 / 1.0
- Susal De Silva (FM) / 9 / 6.5
- S. Dahamdi (WCM) / 9 / 7.5
- Isuru Alahakoon (FM) / 2 / 1.0
- T.H.D.T. Niklesha (WCM) / 6 / 3.0