Sneha Halder superb at 7th SSC Classical and Blitz Rating Open 2025

by Shahid Ahmed - 02/06/2025

WFM Sneha Halder scored 9/10 to win 7th SSC Rating Open 2025. She finished a half point ahead of the rest. Senarathne A A H M B (SRI), CM Hansana G Haritha (SRI) and Geenuka Kavinu Gunaweera scored 8.5/10 each. They secured second to fourth place according to tie-breaks. In the Blitz Rating Open, Sneha scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to become the champion. Dharmakeerthi G K Pasindu Nimsara (SRI), Jayaweera Y (SRI) and Hettiarachchi C U (SRI) scored 8/9. They secured second, third and fourth place respectively. The total prize fund was LKR 1.6 Million. The top three prizes in Classical were LKR 150000, 100000 and 75000 along with a trophy and medal each. The tournaments were organized by SSC International Chess Academy at Grand Rockland Hotel in Matara, Sri Lanka from 1st to 5th May 2025. This is Sneha's first and second second rating tournament triumph of the year. It is not every day that a girl wins an open tournament, let alone two. So this was an incredible feat by Sneha. Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

Clear champion in both events

Four players - Senarathne A A H M B (SRI), WFM Sneha Halder, Suvankar Maity and CM Hansana G Haritha (SRI) were sharing the lead 8/9, heading into the last round. Sneha defeated compatriot Suvankar to become the champion. Hansana drew with Senarathne and they secured third and second place respectively. Suvankar finished sixth. He is the only other Indian to make a top ten finish.

Champion in Classical - Sneha Halder 9/10 | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

WFM Sneha Halder and CM Kodithuwakku K K Dinujaya (SRI) were coleaders 7.5/8, going into the final round of Blitz. Sneha defeated her coleader, Kodithuwakku to become a clear champion. Dharmakeerthi G K Pasindu Nimsara (SRI) and Jayaweera Y (SRI) won against Tennakoon Lisara Samadhith (SRI) and Akash Tiwari to secure second and third place respectively.

Champion in Blitz - WFM Sneha Halder 8.5/9 | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

WFM Sneha Halder with both of her Classical and Blitz Champion's trophies | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

WFM Sneha Halder scored 9/10 in Classical event, finished a half point ahead of others and gained 3.2 Elo rating points

WFM Sneha Halder scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 in Blitz Rating Open, finished a half point ahead of others and increased her Elo rating by 50.8 points

Sneha Halder lighting up the lamp | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

6th in Classical - Suvankar Maity 8/10 | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

Trophies and medals for the prize winners | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

Group photo of various prize winners | Photo: Event by Navod De Silva

A total of 505 players took part from all over Sri Lanka and five from India. The five-day ten round Rating Open tournament was organized by SSC International Chess Academy at Grand Rockland Hotel in Matara, Sri Lanka from 1st to 5th May 2025. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move.

Final standings in Classical

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	1	WFM	Sneha, Halder		w	IND	2084	9	62,5	68	9	48
2	3		Senarathne, A A H M B			SRI	1951	8,5	66,5	71	7	50,5
3	8	CM	Hansana, G Haritha	U15		SRI	1879	8,5	62	65,5	7	48,5
4	29		Gunaweera, Geenuka Kavinu			SRI	1713	8,5	60,5	65,5	8	47,5
5	11		Samaranayake, Pamok Methdinu	U15		SRI	1849	8	64,5	69	6	48
6	5		Suvankar, Maity			IND	1896	8	63,5	68	7	47,5
7	4	FM	Alahakoon, Isuru			SRI	1939	8	63,5	67,5	8	48
8	19		Sarukkalige, Chanaka Praneeth			SRI	1794	8	61,5	66,5	6	44,5
9	32		Weerathunga, Kavinu Sathnura	U13		SRI	1693	8	61,5	66	8	45
10	25		Tennakoon, Lisara Samadhith			SRI	1745	8	56	59,5	8	45
11	12		Hettiarachchi, Jeewantha Aloka			SRI	1841	7,5	67,5	73	6	49
12	22	AFM	Arachchi Perumpuli, Lithula Raveesh	U13		SRI	1764	7,5	64,5	69,5	6	47
13	9		Jayaweera, Y			SRI	1873	7,5	64,5	67,5	6	45,5
14	31		Nimthaka, U J Nimuthu	U15		SRI	1696	7,5	62,5	65,5	6	46,5
15	26		Perera, M A Kisandu Randira	U15		SRI	1735	7,5	61,5	65,5	7	44,5
16	23		Jayawardana, Chenuka Nethvidu			SRI	1760	7,5	61	66,5	6	43
17	44		Abayasinghe, Sehath	U13		SRI	1630	7,5	61	66	6	43,5
18	28		Pathirana, Malan			SRI	1717	7,5	61	65,5	6	43
19	62		Rajapaksha, Isuru			SRI	1566	7,5	60,5	65	7	43,5
20	20		Miraj, Akila			SRI	1792	7,5	60	64	6	44,5
21	17		Perera, B Yenuthi Sahanlee	F15	w	SRI	1802	7,5	60	63	6	44
22	37	ACM	Manuranga, D Lahiru			SRI	1665	7,5	59	64	6	43,5
23	35		Fernando, W K B Thumula Theekshana	U15		SRI	1686	7,5	58,5	63	5	45,5
24	16		Chandula, E D S			SRI	1802	7,5	58,5	61,5	6	43,5
25	18		Manna, Chiranjit			IND	1796	7,5	57,5	62	6	43,5

Details

A total of 329 players took part from all over Sri Lanka, two from Germany and six from India. The one-day nine round Blitz Rating Open tournament was organized by SSC International Chess Academy at Grand Rockland Hotel in Matara, Sri Lanka on 3rd May 2025. The time control of the event was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move.

Final standings in Blitz

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	1	WFM	Sneha, Halder		w	IND	2036	8,5	53	56,5	8	43,5
2	10	AGM	Dharmakeerthi, G K Pasindu Nimsara			SRI	1864	8	49	53	8	41
3	22		Jayaweera, Y			SRI	1760	8	48,5	53,5	8	39
4	12		Hettiarachchi, C U			SRI	1846	8	48,5	52,5	8	37
5	11	CM	Kodithuwakku, K K Dinujaya			SRI	1854	7,5	51	55,5	7	43
6	7		Senarathne, A A H M B			SRI	1893	7,5	49	53	7	39
7	32		Gunaweera, Geenuka Kavinu			SRI	1707	7,5	48,5	52,5	7	38
8	8	FM	Alahakoon, Isuru			SRI	1879	7	54	58	6	41,5
9	3		Nabil Nazar, Mohamed			SRI	1985	7	51,5	56	7	39
10	21	AIM	Akash, G K Adheesha			SRI	1770	7	50	54	6	36
11	6		Suvankar, Maity			IND	1896	7	48,5	53,5	5	38,5
12	2		Liyanage, Pesandu Rashmitha			SRI	2003	7	48,5	52,5	7	37
13	53		Perera, M A Kisandu Randira	U15		SRI	1619	7	48,5	52	7	34
14	48		Tennakoon, Lisara Samadhith			SRI	1639	7	48,5	51	6	38,5
15	4	WCM	Sanudula, K M Dahamdi		w	SRI	1974	7	48	51	7	34
16	39		Prematunge, H R Homindu Dulaj			SRI	1664	7	46,5	48,5	6	36,5
17	19		Hettiarachchi, Jeewantha Aloka			SRI	1778	7	46	49	7	35
18	24		Abiru, K A Aken			SRI	1745	7	45	49	7	37
19	50	AFM	Perumpuli, Arachchi Lithula Raveesh	U13		SRI	1630	7	45	48,5	6	35,5
20	5	WCM	Newansa, M Esandi		w	SRI	1923	7	42,5	45,5	7	30
21	9		Akash, Tiwari			IND	1872	6,5	51	55,5	5	37,5
22	25		Devasurendra, Menuksha Sahen	U13		SRI	1744	6,5	51	55	6	37
23	17		Manna, Chiranjit			IND	1797	6,5	50,5	55,5	5	36,5
24	15		Samaranayake, Pamok Methdinu	U15		SRI	1807	6,5	50,5	54,5	6	39
25	16		Abayasinghe, Sehath	U13		SRI	1800	6,5	49,5	54,5	5	36,5