Excited chatter. Then a pause of silence whilst a round of chess started. Discussions of chess problems if I do this this will happen then I can do that..... lots of logic.

Chess games are creative works of two minds fighting a battle. Each person is responsible for their move and its consequences - the wrong move and you could loose. In loosing you learn your mistakes and improve your play. Every game is a work of creation.

Calculating chess puzzles improves your game. It allows talk of chess positions. An excellent fun pasttime. Perhaps most challenging is marking the puzzles before the end of the session.

The results of the puzzle competition

Primary Section - Puzzle Winner Aaditya Singh P3

Secondary Section - Puzzle Winner Daniil Zelenchuk F2

The Primary section consisted of seven rounds. A tough section with Dexter Harris having just returned with brilliant results from the Leincester Junior Championships, Adam Fitzsimons back from coming 5th in the London Junior Chess Championships and Calvin Patterson who has been winning the Childrens Chess competitions for the last couple of years. How would the competition play out?

Round 1

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name          Feder Total

 1 Calvin Patterson P5    [0]      1:0    Katy Thornton P7    [0]  
 2 Ahmed Haridy     P5    [0]      0:1    Dexter Harris P4    [0]  
 3 Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [0]      1:0    Farida Haridy P3    [0]  
 4 Edward Hall      P3    [0]      0:1    Jasper Grady  P6    [0]  
 5 Aaditya Singh    P3    [0]      1:0    John Hall     P2    [0]  
 6 Ben Lawson       P3    [0]      1:0    BYE                      

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

Thanks to Ross Harris the youngsters have been given ratings (see the Childrens Chess Ratings Facebook page) which means when the players are paired in the rounds the higher rated players wont meet until latter. The first round goes to rating. New players John Hall and Edward Hall get an estimated rating.

Round 2

No Name          Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Jasper Grady  P6    [1]      0:1    Calvin Patterson P5    [1]  
 2 Dexter Harris P4    [1]      1:0    Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [1]  
 3 Katy Thornton P7    [0]      0:1    Aaditya Singh    P3    [1]  
 4 John Hall     P2    [0]     .5:.5   Ahmed Haridy     P5    [0]  
 5 Farida Haridy P3    [0]      0:1    Edward Hall      P3    [0]  
 6 Anjali Singh  P5    [0]      1:0    BYE    

Youngsters have a choice of activities on Saturday afternoons and sometimes this means its difficult to attend the Chess - we welcome latecommers (just adding them to the draw - and if leaving early removing them from the draw), Anjali playing a musical instrument arrived late and was added to the draw. Calvin wins against Jasper, Dexter beats Adam - the lines are being drawn. Aaditya has a good win against Katy. Edward gets his first win of the tournament.

Round 3

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name          Feder Total

 1 Aaditya Singh    P3    [2]      0:1    Dexter Harris P4    [2]  
 2 Calvin Patterson P5    [2]      1:0    Anjali Singh  P5    [1]  
 3 Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [1]      1:0    Jasper Grady  P6    [1]  
 4 Edward Hall      P3    [1]     .5:.5   John Hall     P2    [.5] 
 5 Ahmed Haridy     P5    [.5]     0:1    Katy Thornton P7    [0]  
 6 Farida Haridy    P3    [0]      1:0    BYE       

Dexter and Calvin are still yet to play each other and both win their matches - looks like they will soon have a play-off. Brothers Edward and John get a draw. Katy wins here first game of the tournament.

Round 4

No Name          Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Dexter Harris P4    [3]     .5:.5   Calvin Patterson P5    [3]  
 2 Aaditya Singh P3    [2]      0:1    Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [2]  
 3 Katy Thornton P7    [1]      1:0    Edward Hall      P3    [1.5]
 4 Jasper Grady  P6    [1]      1:0    John Hall        P2    [1]  
 5 Anjali Singh  P5    [1]      1:0    Farida Haridy    P3    [1]  
 6 Ahmed Haridy  P5    [.5]     1:0    BYE         

Dexter and Calvin play and agree a draw. Adam continues his wins.

Round 5

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Calvin Patterson P5    [3.5]    1:0    Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [3]  
 2 Jasper Grady     P6    [2]      0:1    Dexter Harris    P4    [3.5]
 3 Anjali Singh     P5    [2]      1:0    Aaditya Singh    P3    [2]  
 4 Farida Haridy    P3    [1]      0:1    Katy Thornton    P7    [2]  
 5 Edward Hall      P3    [1.5]    0:1    Ahmed Haridy     P5    [1.5]
 6 John Hall        P2    [1]      1:0    BYE   

Calvin and Dexter maintain their lead by beating Jasper and Adam. It is difficult to see who might beat them.

Round 6

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Dexter Harris    P4    [4.5]    1:0    Anjali Singh     P5    [3]  
 2 Ahmed Haridy     P5    [2.5]    0:1    Calvin Patterson P5    [4.5]
 3 Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [3]      1:0    Katy Thornton    P7    [3]  
 4 Aaditya Singh    P3    [2]      1:0    Jasper Grady     P6    [2]  
 5 John Hall        P2    [2]      0:1    Farida Haridy    P3    [1]  
 6 Edward Hall      P3    [1.5]    1:0    BYE         

Round 7

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Calvin Patterson P5    [5.5]    1:0    Aaditya Singh    P3    [3]  
 2 Katy Thornton    P7    [3]      0:1    Dexter Harris    P4    [5.5]
 3 John Hall        P2    [2]      0:1    Adam Fitzsimons  P4    [4]  
 4 Anjali Singh     P5    [3]      1:0    Edward Hall      P3    [2.5]
 5 Jasper Grady     P6    [2]      1:0    BYE             

Standings

Place Name             Feder Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.

 1-2  Calvin Patterson P5    6.5      17.0  26.0   26.0
      Dexter Harris    P4    6.5      17.0  26.0   26.0
  3   Adam Fitzsimons  P4    5        17.0  25.0   19.0
  4   Anjali Singh     P5    4        18.5  27.0   14.0
 5-7  Aaditya Singh    P3    3        20.5  28.5   15.0
      Jasper Grady     P6    3        20.0  28.0   12.0
      Katy Thornton    P7    3        19.0  27.5   12.0
 8-9  Ahmed Haridy     P5    2.5      14.5  22.5    7.5
      Edward Hall      P3    2.5      13.5  18.5   10.5
10-11 John Hall        P2    2        13.5  20.5    8.5
      Farida Haridy    P3    2        11.5  18.0    5.0
 12   Ben Lawson       P3    1         0.5   0.5    1.0

In a very rare circumstance Calvin Patterson and Dexter Harris jointly win the tournament with the same points and the same scores in the M-Buch, Buch and Progr - so no tie-split. Both are awarded the P5 winning prize. Adam comes a clear third followed by Anjali and Aaditya Singh. New comers John and Edward Hall gaining a good 2 and 2.5 points respectively. A tough tournament.

The Secondary section also consisted of 7 rounds. With the winner of the Leinster Junior Chess Championships Under14 Daniil Zelenchuk - being the person to beat.

Round 1

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name           Feder Total

 1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [0]      1:0    Adam Rushe     F4    [0]  
 2 Nathan Byrne     F3    [0]      0:1    Jake Patterson U6    [0]  
 3 Hannah Patterson F5    [0]     .5:.5   James Kane     F3    [0]  
 4 Louis McConkey   F2    [0]      0:1    Ciaran Rowan   F4    [0]  
 5 Phoebe Patterson F1    [0]      1:0    BYE                

Again players were rated so the first round usually means the lower rated players play the higher rated. And as the results show the games went to rating apart from Jame Kane drawing against Hannah Patterson. As controller I had missed Phoebe from the draw - but luckily for me having the lowest rating Phoebe would have received the bye.

Round 2

No Name           Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Ciaran Rowan   F4    [1]      0:1    Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [1]  
 2 Jake Patterson U6    [1]      1:0    Phoebe Patterson F1    [1]  
 3 Adam Rushe     F4    [0]      0:1    Hannah Patterson F5    [.5] 
 4 James Kane     F3    [.5]     1:0    Nathan Byrne     F3    [0]  
 5 Louis McConkey F2    [0]      1:0    BYE    

Daniil continues his series of wins. Jake plays and beats sister Phoebe. Whilst Hannah wins against Adam.

Round 3

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name           Feder Total

 1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [2]     .5:.5   Jake Patterson U6    [2]  
 2 Hannah Patterson F5    [1.5]    1:0    Louis McConkey F2    [1]  
 3 Phoebe Patterson F1    [1]      1:0    James Kane     F3    [1.5]
 4 Adam Rushe       F4    [0]      1:0    Ciaran Rowan   F4    [1]  
 5 Nathan Byrne     F3    [0]      1:0    BYE           

Jake challenges Daniil series of wins by drawing against him. The games are excellent to watch - some fantastic positions and challenging endings.

Round 4

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Jake Patterson   U6    [2.5]    1:0    Hannah Patterson F5    [2.5]
 2 Phoebe Patterson F1    [2]      0:1    Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [2.5]
 3 James Kane       F3    [1.5]   .5:.5   Ciaran Rowan     F4    [1]  
 4 Nathan Byrne     F3    [1]      0:1    Louis McConkey   F2    [1]  
 5 Adam Rushe       F4    [1]      1:0    BYE        

Daniil, Jake and Hannah enter this round all on 2.5 points. Daniil wins as does Jake so two leaders on 3.5 points going into the next round.

Round 5

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [3.5]    1:0    Hannah Patterson F5    [2.5]
 2 James Kane       F3    [2]      1:0    Jake Patterson   U6    [3.5]
 3 Louis McConkey   F2    [2]      1:0    Adam Rushe       F4    [2]  
 4 Nathan Byrne     F3    [1]      0:1    Phoebe Patterson F1    [2]  
 5 Ciaran Rowan     F4    [1.5]    1:0    BYE    

Round 6

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [4.5]    1:0    James Kane       F3    [3]  
 2 Jake Patterson   U6    [3.5]    1:0    Louis McConkey   F2    [3]  
 3 Ciaran Rowan     F4    [2.5]   .5:.5   Phoebe Patterson F1    [3]  
 4 Adam Rushe       F4    [2]     .5:.5   Nathan Byrne     F3    [1]  
 5 Hannah Patterson F5    [2.5]    1:0    BYE      

Round 7

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Louis McConkey   F2    [3]      0:1    Daniil Zelenchuk F2    [5.5]
 2 Ciaran Rowan     F4    [3]     .5:.5   Jake Patterson   U6    [4.5]
 3 Phoebe Patterson F1    [3.5]    0:1    Adam Rushe       F4    [2.5]
 4 Hannah Patterson F5    [3.5]    1:0    Nathan Byrne     F3    [1.5]
 5 James Kane       F3    [3]      1:0    BYE  

Standings

Place Name             Feder Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.

  1   Daniil Zelenchuk F2    6.5      16.5  24.0   25.5
  2   Jake Patterson   U6    5        16.0  23.5   22.0
  3   Hannah Patterson F5    4.5      17.5  25.0   17.5
  4   James Kane       F3    4        18.5  26.0   15.5
 5-7  Ciaran Rowan     F4    3.5      18.0  27.0   13.5
      Phoebe Patterson F1    3.5      18.0  25.5   16.0
      Adam Rushe       F4    3.5      16.0  23.5   11.0
  8   Louis McConkey   F2    3        18.5  26.0   13.0
  9   Nathan Byrne     F3    1.5      17.0  24.5    6.0

Daniil wins the tournament with Jake second followed by Hannah third.

This is the second tournament in the Grandprix series of tournaments leading to invitations to an elite tournament at and award ceremony at Stormont. The current standings will be calculated and published on this site shortly.

As part of the prize giving special certificates were given to Players who had done well in competitions outside of Ulster. recieving these were Dexter Harris, Avrora Zelenchuk, Daniil Zelenchuk - all doing well at the Leincester Childrens Chess Championships and Adam Fitzsimons who did well at the London Junior Chess Championships - for more details click here

Thanks to everyone - the young players for creating such a good atmosphere, the volunteers for making the event possible, the parents for supporting their youngsters and our event, Methodist College for the excellent location and the person donating our excellent trophies.... thankyou all!

The next tournament of the series is at Methodist College on Saturday 11th February at 12:30pm. Looking forward to seeing you there...

The problems solved.