Ulster Blitz Championship 2023 Report
18 rounds, yes 18 rounds of blitz chess was played in Greenisland Football Club today. What a day it was. By the end of the day we crowned a new Ulster Champion and left some exhausted, but highly satisfied Arbiters looking forward to the next event.
The field was 46 players deep with India, Hong Kong, Scotland, England, France and Ireland all represented. We saw the return of the Gillen brothers to the Irish Chess scene. We saw the returning Champion Robbie Wright, and Ross Du Berry who ran him so close last year put up massive resistance to the brothers Gillen.
At the half way point, Adrian and Stephen were both on 7.5 points. It was at this point that dark horse, Alex Goss showed his metal and potential to be the Gillen’s biggest rival with 7 points.
Lunch must have done something, we saw another win by Stephen Gillen, but a loss from Adrian Gillen and we had an outright leader with a chasing pack of 6 players a point behind.
It was now we saw the resilience of top class players. After 13 rounds, Stephen, Adrian (Gillen) and Alex Goss pulled ahead of the pack by 2 points. The race to the finish was on.
In the remaining rounds the top three players traded win for win but in the end Stephen Gillen won on tie break from his brother Adrian with 15.5/18 and Alex Goss pushing them to the end on 14.5/18.
Special mention should go to Henry Majury and Christopher Dunseath who were playing in their first FIDE tournament. What a one to choose.
A huge thank you to FA John Loughran and NA Edward Khanzharov for their help in arbitrating the tournament.
Results;
Winner: Stephen Gillen
2nd: Adrian Gillen
3rd: Alex Goss
Intermediate
1st: Jack Edens
2nd: Caleb McClean
3rd: Aashay R Kher
Junior
1st: Andrzej Wesolowszi
2nd: Finn Cummins
3rd: Christopher John Neill
