The Sri Lanka Open Chess Championship was conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from 19th to 23rd March 2008 at the Co-operative Development Institute in Polgolla, Kandy. The event was played over 9 games and the closing Ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr. RD Gunaratne, the Vice President of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka National Chess Champion GC Anurudda shared for the 1st place by beating RS Kalugampitiya in the last round at the Sri Lanka Open Chess Championship yesterday. Anuruddha scored a total of 8 points out of possible 9 to make this historical win. But, the International Master Atanu Lahiri was victorius against strong TS Ravi, the other International Master from India to win the Championship on better tie breaker. He lost only to Akhila Kavinda out of nine games while Anuruddha lost to HLM Hapuarachchi. The winner did not play each other due to the total number of participants is very high compared to number of rounds. They shared Rs. 75,000 the cash awards for the 1st and 2nd places.

Danuke Kuruppu also shined to claim the bronze with 7.5 points beating Akhila Kavinda on the last round.

IM TS Ravi had to retain in the 4th place with four others, MK Athula Russell, RMCM Rajapakse(Dharmaraja College), Prasanna Kurukulasuriya and Mohan Dehigama (University of Peradeniya).

Young Akhila Kavinda (St. Annes College, Kurunegala) and HLM Hapuarachchi (Kingswood College) who were leading the points table with much needed points with IMs suffered two consecutive defeats in the last two rounds to be ranked below. Akhila shared 9th place with TS Mallawarachchi and RS Kalugampitiya.

Best girls prize went to Women`s International Master from India, Sai Meera convincingly. Young Anuththara Chandrasiri of Girls High School, Kandy performed well to claim the 2nd place among women's while two players, Harshini Konara and Samanthi Wettasinghe shared the third place among girls.

Other category prizes are as follows:

Under 15 Boys

1. Kaveesha Amarasena (Richmond College)
2. WCC Perera (Trinity College)
3. Thilina Sampath Egodage (Dharmashoka College)

Under 15 Girls

1. Sachini Dinushima Ranasinghe (Musaeus College)
2. Nanayakkara Janani
3. Wanasinghe Lakshika (Girls High School)
4. Dilshani Ranasinghe (Girls High School)

Under 12 Boys

1. S. Yogit (India)
2. Dimithri Mudith Premachandra (Kaluthara Vidyalaya)
3. Karunaratne WMVWB

Under 12 Girls

1. Sinali Kumarasinghe (Southland College)
2. Vimasha Premasiri
3. HWN Yasara

Under 10 Boys

1. Widyalankara Sandalu (Asian International School)
2. Ranmith WS (Dharmashoka College)
3. Kuruppu KDSD (Ananda College)
4. Wijethunga T. Viraj
5. Gunaratne Mojitha Sathsara (Ananda College)
6. KN Gamage
7. Sachintha Abeywickrama (Bandaranayake Central College)

Under 10 Girls

1. Inuri Dileka Kahanda (Southland College)
2. YS Gallage (Dharmashoka Colege)
3. De Silva KR (Southland College)
4. Weerakkody DD
5. Kottahachchi Anagi (Musaeus College)

Best among unrated players

1. Akhila Miraj
2. WA Lasitha Subash
3. Malinda Seneviratne
4. Amarasinghe AMCBJB (Alawwa Central College)
5. Marlin Hettikarannagoda
6. HG Sahan Sachintha
7. Wickramanayake TU
8. Kumara LT
9. Perera LN
10. Ketalawala JKC.(University of Peradeniya)

Best among the rating category 1800 - 1999

1. Pieris TGM
2. Osheen De Silva
3. HLM Hapuarachchi (Kingswood College)
4. Priyankara Chamil Y
5. Biswajit Bharaswaj (India)
6. De Moraes Shamine
7. Randil Laksitha (St. Annes College)
8. Alahakoon Isuru (Dharmaraja College)

Best among the rating category below 1800

1. Irindu Basnayake (Girls High School)
2. Supeshala Thilakawardena (Musaeus College)
3. Maduri N. (India)

Luxman Wijesuriya
Chairman - Organising Committee.