We setup the 2 chess class-rooms with sets and clocks and handgel with windows open for ventilation, for 6 rounds of exciting chess. 24 players from all over Ulster playing to become an Ulster Champion. The players arrived registered and took a puzzle sheet and pencil. The first round started about 10:30am. We had one section. Focused concentration and quietness fell across the 2 rooms.

We had players aged 8 to 18 and players from new starters to

The timetable for the day was a target with each player having 25mins on the clock. Players were encouraged todo the puzzles between rounds.

10:00 registration

10:30 rd1

11:20 rd2

12:10 rd3

13:00 lunch

13:30 rd4

14:20 rd5 Problems

15:10 rd6

16:00 prize giving

For me the chess puzzles are always a key part of the day. A sample of some of these are given below. The Secondary and Primary School puzzle sheets are very similar - the Primary has a row of mate in 1's to allow them to get warmed up with the idea of solving the problems. The Secondary sheet has a row of mates in 3 to replace this. The reverse sheet has the same puzzles - we give clues if students get stuck. But hope that the youngsters will see the solution for themselves, as this is the most rewarding experience, when you suddenly visualise the solution and realise how beautiful it is. For solutions see the bottom of the page.

The Primary School Champion Puzzle Solver: Lorcan Rippon - with a brilliant score of 15. Better than some of the secondary school solvers.

The Secondary School Champion Puzzle Solver: Calum Glendinning

Puzzles are taken from the brilliant books

1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations – Fred Reinfeld

1000 Checkmate Combinations – Victor Henkin

Round 1

Results

No Name                          Feder Total  Result   Name                      Feder Total

 1 Calum Glendinning             U19   [0]      1:0    Daniel Hill               U19   [0]  
 2 Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   [0]      0:1    Calvin Patterson          U16   [0]  
 3 Ben Toogood                   U16   [0]      1:0    Beth Lillie               U19   [0]  
 4 Emily Maguire                 U19   [0]      0:1    Ashwanth Subramanian      U19   [0]  
 5 Ethan Cole                    U10   [0]      1:0    Nicolas Herrera Topchevod U14   [0]  
 6 Patrick O'Donnell             U19   [0]      0:1    Anjali Singh              U16   [0]  
 7 Eoin Boyle                    U16   [0]     .5:.5   Oliver Pearce             U16   [0]  
 8 Josh Webster                  U16   [0]      0:1    Aaditya Singh             U12   [0]  
 9 Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   [0]      1:0    Zach Webster              U14   [0]  
10 Thomas Loughrey               U12   [0]      1:0    Peter Murphy              U14   [0]  
11 Lorcan Rippon                 U10   [0]     .5:.5   Saoirse Rippon            U12   [0]  
12 Isaac Ryan                    U8    [0]      1:0    BYE                                  
13 James Huang                   U14   [0]     .5:0    BYE   

by Swiss Perfect (TM) www.swissperfect.com

To allow for a better pairing of players I gave players approx ratings.  Calum Glendinning started off as favourite with the top grade. The first 6 boards were won by players with the higher rating. Then Oliver Pearce got a good draw against Eoin Boyle. Followed by a good win by Thomas Loughrey against Peter Murphy. Saoirse  Rippon drawing against her brother Lorcan. The youngest player Isaac Ryan played a friendly against our volunteer helper Jake Patterson, he got a full point bye there being an odd no of players present.

Round 2

Results

No Name                      Feder Total  Result   Name                          Feder Total

 1 Anjali Singh              U16   [1]      0:1    Calum Glendinning             U19   [1]  
 2 Calvin Patterson          U16   [1]      1:0    Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   [1]  
 3 Aaditya Singh             U12   [1]     .5:.5   Ben Toogood                   U16   [1]  
 4 Ashwanth Subramanian      U19   [1]      1:0    Thomas Loughrey               U12   [1]  
 5 Isaac Ryan                U8    [1]      0:1    Ethan Cole                    U10   [1]  
 6 James Huang               U14   [.5]     1:0    Lorcan Rippon                 U10   [.5] 
 7 Saoirse Rippon            U12   [.5]     0:1    Eoin Boyle                    U16   [.5] 
 8 Oliver Pearce             U16   [.5]     1:0    Peter Murphy                  U14   [0]  
 9 Daniel Hill               U19   [0]     .5:.5   Patrick O'Donnell             U19   [0]  
10 Nicolas Herrera Topchevod U14   [0]      1:0    Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   [0]  
11 Beth Lillie               U19   [0]      0:1    Josh Webster                  U16   [0]  
12 Zach Webster              U14   [0]      0:1    Emily Maguire                 U19   [0]  

Calumn and Calvin win their games. While board 3 sees 2 challengers Aaditya and Ben obtaining a draw. Ethan Cole and Ashwanth Subramanian win their games. A bunch of players go into round 3 on full points.

Round 3

Results

No Name                          Feder Total  Result   Name                      Feder Total

 1 Calum Glendinning             U19   [2]      0:1    Ashwanth Subramanian      U19   [2]  
 2 Ethan Cole                    U10   [2]      1:0    Calvin Patterson          U16   [2]  
 3 Ben Toogood                   U16   [1.5]    1:0    Oliver Pearce             U16   [1.5]
 4 Eoin Boyle                    U16   [1.5]    0:1    James Huang               U14   [1.5]
 5 Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   [1]      0:1    Aaditya Singh             U12   [1.5]
 6 Josh Webster                  U16   [1]      0:1    Anjali Singh              U16   [1]  
 7 Emily Maguire                 U19   [1]      1:0    Isaac Ryan                U8    [1]  
 8 Thomas Loughrey               U12   [1]      0:1    Nicolas Herrera Topchevod U14   [1]  
 9 Lorcan Rippon                 U10   [.5]     0:1    Daniel Hill               U19   [.5] 
10 Patrick O'Donnell             U19   [.5]     1:0    Saoirse Rippon            U12   [.5] 
11 Peter Murphy                  U14   [0]      1:0    Beth Lillie               U19   [0]  
12 Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   [0]      0:1    Zach Webster              U14   [0]  

There's an upset on board 1 Calum Glendinning is beaten by Ashwanth Subramanian. Ashwanth making moves towards the U19 Trophy and the Championship. Ethan Cole gets a good win against Calvin Patterson. Ben Toogood, James Huang and Adaditya all add points to their score of 1.5.

Round 4

Results

No Name                 Feder Total  Result   Name                          Feder Total

 1 Ashwanth Subramanian U19   [3]      0:1    Ethan Cole                    U10   [3]  
 2 James Huang          U14   [2.5]    0:1    Ben Toogood                   U16   [2.5]
 3 Aaditya Singh        U12   [2.5]    0:1    Calum Glendinning             U19   [2]  
 4 Calvin Patterson     U16   [2]      1:0    Emily Maguire                 U19   [2]  
 5 Anjali Singh         U16   [2]      1:0    Nicolas Herrera Topchevod     U14   [2]  
 6 Daniel Hill          U19   [1.5]    0:1    Eoin Boyle                    U16   [1.5]
 7 Oliver Pearce        U16   [1.5]    1:0    Patrick O'Donnell             U19   [1.5]
 8 Isaac Ryan           U8    [1]      0:1    Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   [1]  
 9 Peter Murphy         U14   [1]      1:0    Josh Webster                  U16   [1]  
10 Zach Webster         U14   [1]      0:1    Thomas Loughrey               U12   [1]  
11 Beth Lillie          U19   [0]      1:0    Lorcan Rippon                 U10   [.5] 
12 Saoirse Rippon       U12   [.5]     0:1    Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   [0]  

The two leading players meet. Ethan and Ashwanth, following a little dispute and with only pawns and minor pieces Ethan wins and takes the competition lead. Chased by Ben Toogood 1/2 point behind. Calum stays within contention beating Aaditya.

Round 5

Results

No Name                          Feder Total  Result   Name                 Feder Total

 1 Ethan Cole                    U10   [4]      1:0    Ben Toogood          U16   [3.5]
 2 Calum Glendinning             U19   [3]     .5:.5   Calvin Patterson     U16   [3]  
 3 Anjali Singh                  U16   [3]      0:1    Ashwanth Subramanian U19   [3]  
 4 Oliver Pearce                 U16   [2.5]    0:1    James Huang          U14   [2.5]
 5 Eoin Boyle                    U16   [2.5]    0:1    Aaditya Singh        U12   [2.5]
 6 Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   [2]      1:0    Peter Murphy         U14   [2]  
 7 Nicolas Herrera Topchevod     U14   [2]      1:0    Zach Webster         U14   [1]  
 8 Emily Maguire                 U19   [2]      0:1    Daniel Hill          U19   [1.5]
 9 Patrick O'Donnell             U19   [1.5]    1:0    Isaac Ryan           U8    [1]  
10 Thomas Loughrey               U12   [2]      1:0    Beth Lillie          U19   [1]  
11 Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   [1]      0:1    Lorcan Rippon        U10   [.5] 
12 Josh Webster                  U16   [1]      1:0    Saoirse Rippon       U12   [.5] 

At the start of round 5 our volunteer Jake Patterson collected in the problems and started to mark them.

Ethan continues to maintain the lead with a good win against Ben Toogood. Calum and Calvin drew their game. Ashwanth stays close with a win against Anjali. The youngest player Isaac Ryan was enjoying the day - which is the best way to learn - to move onto the next game and leave the last game as a lesson behind you.

Round 6

Results

No Name                      Feder Total  Result   Name                          Feder Total

 1 James Huang               U14   [3.5]    0:1    Ethan Cole                    U10   [5]  
 2 Ashwanth Subramanian      U19   [4]      1:0    Calvin Patterson              U16   [3.5]
 3 Ben Toogood               U16   [3.5]    0:1    Calum Glendinning             U19   [3.5]
 4 Aaditya Singh             U12   [3.5]    1:0    Anjali Singh                  U16   [3]  
 5 Nicolas Herrera Topchevod U14   [3]      1:0    Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   [3]  
 6 Patrick O'Donnell         U19   [2.5]    0:1    Eoin Boyle                    U16   [2.5]
 7 Daniel Hill               U19   [2.5]    1:0    Oliver Pearce                 U16   [2.5]
 8 Peter Murphy              U14   [2]      0:1    Emily Maguire                 U19   [2]  
 9 Zach Webster              U14   [1]      1:0    Josh Webster                  U16   [2]  
10 Lorcan Rippon             U10   [1.5]    1:0    Thomas Loughrey               U12   [3]  
11 Beth Lillie               U19   [1]      0:1    Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   [1]  
12 Saoirse Rippon            U12   [.5]     1:0    Isaac Ryan                    U8    [1]  

The final round. Ethan Cole wins the Championship. In such a strong section this is a brillant result for such a young player. Ashwanth Subramanian came a clear second and Calvin Patterson and Aaditya Singh joint 3rd with 4.5 points. Full list of the age group champions is given below.

Standings

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

  1   Ethan Cole                    U10   6        14.5  20.0   21.0
  2   Ashwanth Subramanian          U19   5        14.0  23.0   18.0
 3-4  Calum Glendinning             U19   4.5      15.0  23.0   16.0
      Aaditya Singh                 U12   4.5      13.0  19.5   15.5
  5   Nicolas Herrera Topchevod     U14   4        11.0  19.0   12.0
6-10  Calvin Patterson              U16   3.5      15.5  23.5   15.0
      Ben Toogood                   U16   3.5      15.0  22.0   15.5
      James Huang                   U14   3.5      12.5  21.0   14.0
      Eoin Boyle                    U16   3.5      12.0  18.0   12.0
      Daniel Hill                   U19   3.5      11.5  18.5    9.5
11-14 Anjali Singh                  U16   3        15.5  22.5   13.0
      Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam   U12   3        11.5  16.5   11.0
      Emily Maguire                 U19   3        11.0  16.5   10.0
      Thomas Loughrey               U12   3        10.5  16.5   11.0
15-17 Oliver Pearce                 U16   2.5      13.0  18.5   11.0
      Patrick O'Donnell             U19   2.5      10.5  14.5    8.5
      Lorcan Rippon                 U10   2.5      10.0  14.5    6.0
18-21 Zach Webster                  U14   2        11.0  17.0    5.0
      Peter Murphy                  U14   2        10.5  14.5    7.0
      Umaiorubagam Karpagavinayagam U16   2         9.5  14.5    4.0
      Josh Webster                  U16   2         8.5  14.0    7.0
 22   Saoirse Rippon                U12   1.5       9.0  13.0    4.0
23-24 Isaac Ryan                    U8    1        11.5  19.0    6.0
      Beth Lillie                   U19   1         9.5  15.0    3.0

Ulster Schools Champion : Ethan Cole

Ulster Schools Girls Champion : Anjali Singh

Ulster Schools U19 Champion : Ashwanth Subraman

Ulster Schools U16 Champion : Calvin Patterson

Ulster Schools U14 Champion : Nicolas Herrera Topchevod

Ulster Schools U12 Champion : Aaditya Singh

Ulster Schools U10 Champion : Ethan Cole

Ulster Schools U8 Champion : Isaac Ryan

Thanks to all the players. See you at our next competition in the New Year. Have a good Christmas and New Year. Plenty of time to practice puzzle solving and studying endgames!