Blog - Hiruja Edurapola

♟️ My Journey as a Chess Player

Chess became part of my life thanks to my father. We played almost every weekend, and those simple games were the start of everything. In 2016, when I was in Grade 1, I officially joined the school chess club. The coach did a great job building the foundation I still use today.

I stopped for a few years and then restarted around 2023–2024 with much more maturity and understanding. Returning to chess felt natural, and I slowly rebuilt my passion for the game.

My Play Style

According to ChessPersonality.com, I am a Technician — more calculation than intuition, more positional than attacking, calm rather than emotional, and studious rather than playful. I like control and clarity. My main weakness is still the middlegame, especially converting advantages.

Ratings & Achievements

My estimated Elo according to ChessMonitor is 1498. I’ve had several notable tournament performances over the years, including:

• 9th place in the All-Island Tournament (2021)
• Kalutara District — 1st Place (2025)
• Multiple podium finishes in school sports meets
• Several merits in inter-school tournaments

How I Train

Nothing too complicated — I play, analyze, and improve. I regularly watch chess YouTubers like GothamChess and Igor, and also my club/coach’s channel: Golden Kings Chess Coaching Academy.

What Chess Means to Me

I don’t have long-term chess goals right now. I simply enjoy playing, learning, and competing. Maybe someday I’ll chase a rating formally — but for now, I just love the game.