Ulster Chess Union News: October 1997

Chess Ireland web site http://ireland.iol.ie/~jghurley

Hello!

Welcome to the new chess season! As per last year I will be producing a monthly one page newsheet covering news, forthcoming tournaments, results and league tables. This first edition is free. For a 4 pound subscription you can receive the newsheet and all tournament fliers throughout the season. Subscriptions should be sent to Geoffrey Collins, 94 Newtownbreda Road, Belfast, BT8 4BP, phone 640409 (cheques should be payable to the Ulster Chess Union). Please note that even if you don't subscribe you may still receive fliers for some tournaments.

Committee 97/98

The following were elected at the AGM on 24th September 1997. Tom Clarke (President), Alex Beckett (Minutes Secretary), Danny Mallaghan (Correspondence Secretary), Neil Green (Treasurer), Stephen Morgan (Vice-Treasurer), David Houston (League Controller), Stephen Scannell (ICU Representative), Geoffrey Collins (Publicity Officer), David Barlow, Richard Proctor. To be appointed: Schools Officer. Arthur Pinkerton has kindly agreed to continue calculating ratings for the UCU.

Results

Bangor Congress, Senior S Scannell 6; P Gillen 4.5; A Gillen 4, T Douglas 4, D Mallaghan, J Strawbridge (grading prize) 3.5; M Redman, P McGuigan, W McGrattan, P McLaughlin 3; A McConnell, S McCann 2.5; D Barlow 2; B Thompson 1.5; A Burns, R Proctor 1. Junior B Jamison, E Bell 5; A Beckett, N Cooper 4; S Elliott (grading prize), S Cooper 3.5; A Parker, J Sloan, F Hughes, M Kane, P Morrison, M McKimm 3; S Cree, H Patterson 2; J Bell 1.

Civil Service Summer Tournament 1st M Redman (84.6%), 2nd D Mallaghan (78.5%), 'A' band grading prize B Thompson (65.4%), 'B' band grading prize R Proctor (65.4%), 'C' band grading prize F Hughes (73.5%).

Irish Senior Championship lst J.Ryan 8.5/9, 2nd S.Brady 8, 3rd C.Daly 7, Jt 4th D.McMahon, G.O'Connell 5. Irish Intermediate lst B.Fitzpatrick 5/6, 2nd E.Bennett 4.5, Jt 3rd T.O'Brien, G.Freeman 4. Irish Junior 1st M.Dooley 5, Jt 2nd D.Path, D.Smith, A.Burns 4.5. Irish Novices 1st M.McGuire, 2nd C.Kenny, 3rd A.Doyle. Summer Weekender #2 Jt lst K.Butler, P.Murtagh, R.Dunne, R.McDermott, T.O'Brien 4/5. Grading prize: J.O'Connell.

Norms etc Congratulations are due to Brian Kelly who has made his second IM norm with a round to spare at a closed ten player IM tournament in Newport. Brian went on to Zagan in Poland for the World U-20s scoring 6/13. Notable results included draws against current French champion Christian Bauer (FIDE 2525), third seed Sergei Movsesian (2555) and a win against fifth seed, Boris Avrukh (2550), the latter two both GMs. Finally Brian competed in the European Junior Championships finishing joint 6th with 6.5/11, again doing well against the strongest opposition.

Indicative Chess Calendar 97/98

I've spoken to as many organisers as I can to put this calendar together. Bold entries show events I was able to confirm. The rest were drawn up by comparison with last year. I will list definite dates as they become available.