This web site offers a window or perhaps also a mirror view of Irish chess from a mainly Dublin perspective, with some information about tournaments/events, clubs and useful contacts links combined with some news and opinion features. Divided up into specific areas of interest, our main area of pride is a whole section by former Irish chess champion and Fide Master Colm Daly who, with his own section, "Colms Corner" has promised to provide regular chess features and analysis in the form of his astute observations and musings on a plethora of diverse chess topics.
Young Irish international David Fitzsimons had another big result when he secured outright first with 4.5 points from 6 rounds ahead of IM Gavin Wall who was second on 4 points. The Major section of the tournament, which was also held over the last weekend in December, was won by Stephen Moran More details may folllow at the Mark_Orr / ICU website.
Karl McPhillips - Ryan Griffiths Keep Irish Flag Flying At Hastings International Open
Two of Irelands most promising younger players are both in action at what is possibly the worlds oldest international open chess tournament. Karl McPhillips made a big mark early on when he drew with arguably England's most promising young star player: GM David Howell , who is rated 2593! Details of the event, as it goes into the final rounds, are available at the official website.
Tough Start - Disappointing Finish For Irish Men's Team At 2008 Dresden Olympiad
Sam Collins Makes GM Norm – Irelands First Home Grown Grandmaster?
The recent Budapest First Saturday GM norm event saw Sam Collins score an astounding result when he finished first outright, and secured his first GM norm with an effortless 11 move draw in the last round.
Will this lead to Sam becoming Irelands first home grown Grand master? Well maybe? But ahead of him at this moment is Brian Kelly who just needs one more GM norm, as he has already had his rating above 2500, whereas Sam will also need to get his rating up to 2500. Still, he has shown he is hungry enough to go for it so hopefully Sam and Brian may well succeed before too long. Both are playing in the 2008 Chess Olympiad so we might have some good news very soon indeed?
Irish Chess Players Set To Descend On Liverpool
The largest contingent of Irish internationals in quite a while are descending on the 2008 European City of Culture: Liverpool, for the 4th European Union Championship which is probably the strongest Swiss Open event ever held in the British and Irish isles. As usual, some reports, pics and video coverage will be available here on dublinchess.com. The spearhead of the Irish contingent sees Sam Collins, Alex Lopez plus Colm Daly all set for some tough games while the rest of the players: John Redmond, Jim McCarthy, Tony Fox, Ray O Rourke, Peter Caffola, Oisin Benson will also doubtless make their presence felt too. Live coverage is available at the
official website.
David Fitzsimons Wins City of Dublin
Young Irish international David Fitzsimons had a big result when he secured outright first with a last round draw against Gerry O Connell plus an earlier win against Colm Daly and Gavin Wall Joint second was Gavin Wall, Gerry O Connell and Ryan Griffiths. More details and some games to follow.
Karl McPhillips In Action At The World Junior Chess Championships
Irish international Karl McPhillips is currently [August] playing in the world junior in Turkey. You can watch his progress and read, round by round, reports from International Master, Lawrence Cooper , who is reporting as English coach at Summerscale Chess Clubs website
New Irish Champion Lashes Out At Fellow Irish Players
In a curious statement by the new joint Irish Open Champion [and also sole Irish Champion] just one day after his impressive victory, Alexander Baburin accuses unnamed Irish players of having "campaigned hard against me playing in the Irish championship" going on to then say "the same few players realised that with me and a few Irish IM's playing, there would be chances for IM norms in the championship, so they wanted me to play" and "Predictably, my reaction was "Thanks, but no, thanks!" This creative interpretation and rewriting of recent Irish chess history seems so at odds with the facts as to be very mysterious and bizarre indeed. See full story
Alexander Baburin - Alon Greenfeld Win 2008 Irish Open Championships with 8/9
Ireland's top player Alexander Baburin and Alon Greenfeld of Israel are the new Irish Open Champions, with Alexander Baburin also having the incidental bonus of winning the title of Irish Champion too. Since last year the title of Irish champion has been incorporated within the Irish Open. This was after the governing body of chess in Ireland [ICU] had decided to abandon the traditional Irish Championships, and as a matter of policy, refrain from having a national championships any more .Certainly it is hard to find a single example of such a scenario being the case in any other European nation. However the new policy of scraping the national championships seems to be popular with the top players [though hardly any seemed inclined to participate in either event] and the chess public at large. It at least suits the players who just want to play in an International Open with Fide rated games.
Last years Champion Mark Hebden finished outright third with 6.5 and fourth place went to Stephen Jessel after Colm Daly gifted him a win in the last round when Daly needed a win to secure an IM norm and joint third place with Mark Hebden Throwing away many wins in a crazy time scramble in the second session Daly finally blundered into a lost position on move 64 in the third session.
Overall the tournament did however feature many interesting and some good quality games, most of which were played by the two winners who played creative and fighting chess in almost all their games. For most of the event it felt like a two horse race and the gap of 1.5 points to the nearest player tells the tale of their impressive form.
The two winners were hardly ever in real trouble with Alon Greenfeld saving a lost position against Baburin in round four and Alexander Baburin turning the tables on Mark Hebden in round six when he seemed to be losing in the opening/middlegame. Then again in round seven Alexander Baburin got a full point in his game against Stephen Jessel when a certainly drawn endgame position got complicated and Stephen Jessel missed what was a most peculiar tactic [43...Ne1] which gives Black an advantage, though as pointed out by Alexander on the Mark Orr/ ICU website he should be able to hold with best play after 44 Nd2. However in the last round Alexander Baburin raised his game yet again with a fine win against Stuart Conquest with Black.
Karl McPhillips Wins Inaugural Tramore Chess Festival
The recent Tramore weekender was won outright by Karl Mc Phillips who secured outright first with a last round win over Mark Quinn , who in turn shared joint second place with Rory Quinn and Ray O Rourke who defeated Stephen Jessel also in the last round. No further details available at this time.
Alexander Baburin and Petr Velicka Win Bray Rapidplay
In an exciting and fun day of chess Alexander Baburin and Petr Velicka emerged victorious after critical wins against Mark Evidenced [last round] and Colm Daly [second last round] respectively. Colm Daly was unable to make it three rapid play tournament wins in a row after a fighting draw with Alexander Baburin in round four was followed by a defeat to Petr Velicka who avenged his defeat from two years before at this same event after Daly misplayed a very good position and was ruthlessly punished with patient and clever play. Details of the event are available at the Mark Orr/ ICU website .
Colm Daly Wins Inaugural Leinster Rapid play
In an exciting and fun day of chess Colm Daly emerged victorious after critical wins against Mark Heidenfeld [second last round] and Mark Quinn [round four] respectively. A report of the event is available at the Official Leinster Rapidplay Website .
Sample video links of footage from the event below:
Colm Daly Wins Finbarr Allison Memorial Rapid play
In an exciting and fun day of chess Colm Daly emerged victorious ahead of 2nd / 3rd placed Gawain Jones, Jan Sodoma, Ray O'Rourke and Nelman Lagutin respectively. A report of the event is available at the Cork Chess Website .
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