Chess was introduced to the Royal College in 1906 by Dr. C. A. Hewavitharane, an old boy. Royalists formed the chess club during the revival of chess in the 1950s. A Master-in-charge was appointed, and the Royal College Chess team was formally recognized.

In 1973, the Chess Federation organized and directed the National Schools Chess Tournament for the first time, and Brooke Bond Ceylon Limited sponsored the event. The National Chess Championship was after this. Christopher Parakrama, an 18-year-old Royalist and the first of the 4 Royalists to clinch the most prestigious title in Sri Lanka, won the National title.

The ‘Golden age’ of Royal College Chess began after past captain Arjuna Parakrama coached the team on a more permanent basis. From 1984 until the end of the decade, the school won the junior and senior titles every year, retaining both titles for nine consecutive years.

The Royal College Chess Club prides itself on organizing the ‘The Battle of the Kings’ annually. It is the longest successively conducted Interschool Chess Championship organized by a school and the only Interschool team tournament to receive the ‘International Rated’ status by the World Chess Federation.