Sachini Ranasinghe (17) can be called a chess whiz. Having started playing the sport at the tender age of four, she said, “When I was small, I liked the pieces, I found them really interesting,” and that was how it all began for the number one National (female) chess player.

Ranasinghe played netball and also participated in athletics and hockey but didn’t quite find it as challenging and tough as chess. “I find the game to be really creative and one that needs imagination and calculation,” she said adding, “There are so many rules and regulations to keep in mind – For me, it is almost like meditation.”

The Anatoly Karpov Chess Club at the Russian Centre is where she started playing chess and learning about the finer points in the sport. Ranasinghe was the only Sri Lankan to have won the title of Women’s International Master in 2011 in the open category of the Asian Zonal Championship. She has been the National Champion three times and all her awards have been won in the open category, while in her age group she has won all the championships. At the age of 12, she was placed second in the Open National Chess Championship in 2006, while in the 2009 National Open at the age of 15 she was placedn first, making her the youngest to have won in the tournament. She is currently balancing her time between studies and chess and is preparing for her Advanced Level examinations in 2013 and is studying Media, Sinhala and Drama. “I’m kind of into writing,” she says adding, “I’ve written a story book giving basic knowledge about chess.” She goes on to state, “When I was small I used to make up stories, tell my mum about them and write them down. My mum said they were interesting and suggested publishing them, so that’s what I did.” The book is written for kids to get them interested in the sport as it can initially be a boring sport for a child to learn....read more: