Another month another exciting chess tournament at our excellent location of Belfast Methodist College.

With some 28 players registered of varying strengths and ages we were looking forward to a brilliant afternoon of chess games and solving puzzles.

We are fortunate to have some of the top young players in Ulster. Ethan Cole is Ulster Schools Champion at the age of 9. Calum Glendining, Ashwanth Subramanian, Aaditya Singh, James Huang and Aadhi Sooraj all are capable of winning. This enriches the tournament and brings everyones game up a level.

We give out chess puzzle sheets at the start of the afternoon and collect them usually at about 3:00pm so we have time to mark them and write out certificates. Everyone recieves a certificate from Gold to Bronze.

We allow discussion of solutions and give clues to the harder problems. Its a great way to discuss chess. Also the realisation of the solution is very rewarding.

The Secondary Puzzle Champion: Calum Glendinning.

The Primary Puzzle Champion: Ethan Cole, Lorcan Rippon.

Both Ethan and Lorcan did brilliantly - considering their ages and the difficulty of the problems.

Some of the puzzles are shown below. Answers are shown at the end of this page.

Round 1

Results

No Name              Feder Total  Result   Name                 Feder Total

 1 Calum Glendinning L6    [0]      1:0    Jack O'Neill         F2    [0]  
 2 Joseph Quinn      P6    [0]      0:1    Ashwanth Subramanian U6    [0]  
 3 Ethan Cole        P5    [0]      1:0    Aadhi Sooraj         P5    [0]  
 4 Ezekiel Gavaghan  P5    [0]      0:1    Aaditya Singh        F1    [0]  
 5 Dev Chaudhry.     P6    [0]      1:0    Michael Wright       F1    [0]  
 6 Isaac Ryan        P3    [0]      0:1    Matthew Loughrey     P3    [0]  
 7 James Huang       F3    [0]      1:0    Henry Riddell        F1    [0]  
 8 Advait Tahmankar  P4    [0]      0:1    Cillian Mccann       F4    [0]  
 9 Harry Stewart     F1    [0]      1:0    Shlok Thoke          P5    [0]  
10 Aidan Butterwick  P5    [0]      0:1    Michael Higgins      F2    [0]  
11 Evan Butterwick   P7    [0]     .5:.5   Owen Chan            P5    [0]  
12 Peter Riddell     P5    [0]      1:0    Dan McGeough         F2    [0]  
13 Lorcan Rippon     P5    [0]     .5:0    BYE                             
14 Saoirse Rippon    F1    [0]     .5:0    BYE                             
15 Myles Hove        F1    [0]     .5:0    BYE                             

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

As in previous competitions Geoff Hindley took one room and I took the other. This month we had assistance from two fellow chess players who each had their sons playing, Mandar Tahmankar and Amole M Thoke. Both relatively new to the scene of Chess in Ulster - Mandar has been winning all our competions and is one of our top players. He assisted me while Amole who plays for Civil Service Chess Club assisted Geoff.

Round 1 and the results reflected the ratings I had given players. Round 1 is usually the toughest for the weaker players and as the rounds go on players tend to get matched against those of comparable strengths.

Round 2

Results

No Name                 Feder Total  Result   Name              Feder Total

 1 Matthew Loughrey     P3    [1]      0:1    Calum Glendinning L6    [1]  
 2 Ashwanth Subramanian U6    [1]     .5:.5   James Huang       F3    [1]  
 3 Cillian Mccann       F4    [1]      0:1    Ethan Cole        P5    [1]  
 4 Aaditya Singh        F1    [1]      1:0    Harry Stewart     F1    [1]  
 5 Michael Higgins      F2    [1]     .5:.5   Dev Chaudhry.     P6    [1]  
 6 Lorcan Rippon        P5    [.5]     1:0    Peter Riddell     P5    [1]  
 7 Owen Chan            P5    [.5]     0:1    Saoirse Rippon    F1    [.5] 
 8 Myles Hove           F1    [.5]     0:1    Evan Butterwick   P7    [.5] 
 9 Dan McGeough         F2    [0]      1:0    Michael Wright    F1    [0]  
10 Jack O'Neill         F2    [0]      1:0    Isaac Ryan        P3    [0]  
11 Henry Riddell        F1    [0]      0:1    Joseph Quinn      P6    [0]  
12 Aadhi Sooraj         P5    [0]      1:0    Advait Tahmankar  P4    [0]  
13 Shlok Thoke          P5    [0]     .5:.5   Ezekiel Gavaghan  P5    [0]  
14 Aidan Butterwick     P5    [0]      1:0    BYE     

Round 2 and the challenge for us organisers is to get players into the correct room for play as we are split across the two rooms. Once done the round starts and a hushed moment of concentration ensures. Witth the 3 players arriving we had  full complement of players. The player with the bye was offered a friendly game with one of the volunteers. During the round players reported their results and played friendly games or worked on the puzzles.

Round 3

Results

No Name              Feder Total  Result   Name                 Feder Total

 1 Calum Glendinning L6    [2]      1:0    Aaditya Singh        F1    [2]  
 2 Ethan Cole        P5    [2]      0:1    Ashwanth Subramanian U6    [1.5]
 3 Saoirse Rippon    F1    [1.5]    0:1    Dev Chaudhry.        P6    [1.5]
 4 Evan Butterwick   P7    [1.5]    0:1    Lorcan Rippon        P5    [1.5]
 5 James Huang       F3    [1.5]    1:0    Michael Higgins      F2    [1.5]
 6 Jack O'Neill      F2    [1]      0:1    Matthew Loughrey     P3    [1]  
 7 Peter Riddell     P5    [1]      0:1    Cillian Mccann       F4    [1]  
 8 Harry Stewart     F1    [1]      1:0    Aidan Butterwick     P5    [1]  
 9 Joseph Quinn      P6    [1]      1:0    Dan McGeough         F2    [1]  
10 Aadhi Sooraj      P5    [1]      1:0    Myles Hove           F1    [.5] 
11 Ezekiel Gavaghan  P5    [.5]     1:0    Owen Chan            P5    [.5] 
12 Michael Wright    F1    [0]      1:0    Shlok Thoke          P5    [.5] 
13 Isaac Ryan        P3    [0]     .5:.5   Henry Riddell        F1    [0]  
14 Advait Tahmankar  P4    [0]      1:0    BYE   

Ashwanth Subramanian takes a point off Ethan Cole. Calum Glendinning goes into the sole lead with 3 full points. Chased by a group on 2. 1/2 points including Ashwanth, Dev, Lorcan and James. Whilst the two youngest players get points. A full point for Matthew Loughrey and 1//2 point for Isaac Ryan. Its brilliant to see such young players. All credit goes to those players who dont always win but keep playing and improving.

Round 4

Results

No Name                 Feder Total  Result   Name              Feder Total

 1 Dev Chaudhry.        P6    [2.5]    0:1    Calum Glendinning L6    [3]  
 2 Lorcan Rippon        P5    [2.5]    1:0    James Huang       F3    [2.5]
 3 Ashwanth Subramanian U6    [2.5]    1:0    Harry Stewart     F1    [2]  
 4 Matthew Loughrey     P3    [2]      0:1    Ethan Cole        P5    [2]  
 5 Aaditya Singh        F1    [2]      1:0    Joseph Quinn      P6    [2]  
 6 Cillian Mccann       F4    [2]      0:1    Aadhi Sooraj      P5    [2]  
 7 Saoirse Rippon       F1    [1.5]    1:0    Evan Butterwick   P7    [1.5]
 8 Michael Higgins      F2    [1.5]    1:0    Ezekiel Gavaghan  P5    [1.5]
 9 Dan McGeough         F2    [1]      0:1    Advait Tahmankar  P4    [1]  
10 Aidan Butterwick     P5    [1]      0:1    Jack O'Neill      F2    [1]  
11 Michael Wright       F1    [1]      1:0    Peter Riddell     P5    [1]  
12 Henry Riddell        F1    [.5]     1:0    Myles Hove        F1    [.5] 
13 Shlok Thoke          P5    [.5]     1:0    Isaac Ryan        P3    [.5] 
14 Owen Chan            P5    [.5]     1:0    BYE        

Lorcan gets a win against James. Whilst Calum continues to play with full points. The chasing group gets smaller with only Lorcan and Ashwanth on 3.5. We collected the puzzle sheets for marking.

Round 5

Results

No Name              Feder Total  Result   Name                 Feder Total

 1 Calum Glendinning L6    [4]      1:0    Ashwanth Subramanian U6    [3.5]
 2 Ethan Cole        P5    [3]      1:0    Lorcan Rippon        P5    [3.5]
 3 Aadhi Sooraj      P5    [3]      0:1    Aaditya Singh        F1    [3]  
 4 James Huang       F3    [2.5]    1:0    Dev Chaudhry.        P6    [2.5]
 5 Michael Higgins   F2    [2.5]    0:1    Saoirse Rippon       F1    [2.5]
 6 Advait Tahmankar  P4    [2]      1:0    Matthew Loughrey     P3    [2]  
 7 Jack O'Neill      F2    [2]      0:1    Cillian Mccann       F4    [2]  
 8 Harry Stewart     F1    [2]      1:0    Michael Wright       F1    [2]  
 9 Joseph Quinn      P6    [2]      1:0    Evan Butterwick      P7    [1.5]
10 Ezekiel Gavaghan  P5    [1.5]    0:1    Henry Riddell        F1    [1.5]
11 Owen Chan         P5    [1.5]    0:1    Shlok Thoke          P5    [1.5]
12 Peter Riddell     P5    [1]      1:0    Aidan Butterwick     P5    [1]  
13 Myles Hove        F1    [.5]     0:1    Dan McGeough         F2    [1]  
14 Isaac Ryan        P3    [.5]     1:0    BYE     

Marking the puzzles meant no photos for the last two rounds. Calum continues to win. Ethan takes a pont of Lorcan and now chases Calum in second place with Aaditya who wins against Aadhi.

Round 6

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name                 Feder Total

 1 Ethan Cole       P5    [4]      0:1    Calum Glendinning    L6    [5]  
 2 Aaditya Singh    F1    [4]      0:1    Ashwanth Subramanian U6    [3.5]
 3 Saoirse Rippon   F1    [3.5]    0:1    James Huang          F3    [3.5]
 4 Lorcan Rippon    P5    [3.5]    0:1    Aadhi Sooraj         P5    [3]  
 5 Cillian Mccann   F4    [3]      1:0    Joseph Quinn         P6    [3]  
 6 Advait Tahmankar P4    [3]     .5:.5   Harry Stewart        F1    [3]  
 7 Dev Chaudhry.    P6    [2.5]    1:0    Henry Riddell        F1    [2.5]
 8 Shlok Thoke      P5    [2.5]   .5:.5   Michael Higgins      F2    [2.5]
 9 Matthew Loughrey P3    [2]      1:0    Peter Riddell        P5    [2]  
10 Dan McGeough     F2    [2]      0:1    Jack O'Neill         F2    [2]  
11 Michael Wright   F1    [2]      1:0    Owen Chan            P5    [1.5]
12 Evan Butterwick  P7    [1.5]    0:1    Isaac Ryan           P3    [1.5]
13 Aidan Butterwick P5    [1]      1:0    Myles Hove           F1    [.5] 
14 Ezekiel Gavaghan P5    [1.5]    1:0    BYE       

The final round would Calum win? He beats Ethan - the last game to finish and surrounded by players keen to watch. Ashwanth wins against Aaditya whilst James wins against Saoirse. Its good to see so many primary pupils on the top boards.

Standings

Place Name                 Feder Score

  1   Calum Glendinning    L6    6    
 2-3  Ashwanth Subramanian U6    4.5  
      James Huang          F3    4.5  
 4-7  Ethan Cole           P5    4    
      Aaditya Singh        F1    4    
      Aadhi Sooraj         P5    4    
      Cillian Mccann       F4    4    
8-12  Dev Chaudhry.        P6    3.5  
      Advait Tahmankar     P4    3.5  
      Lorcan Rippon        P5    3.5  
      Harry Stewart        F1    3.5  
      Saoirse Rippon       F1    3.5  
13-18 Joseph Quinn         P6    3    
      Matthew Loughrey     P3    3    
      Michael Higgins      F2    3    
      Jack O'Neill         F2    3    
      Michael Wright       F1    3    
      Shlok Thoke          P5    3    
19-21 Ezekiel Gavaghan     P5    2.5  
      Isaac Ryan           P3    2.5  
      Henry Riddell        F1    2.5  
22-24 Peter Riddell        P5    2    
      Aidan Butterwick     P5    2    
      Dan McGeough         F2    2    
25-26 Owen Chan            P5    1.5  
      Evan Butterwick      P7    1.5  
 27   Myles Hove           F1    0.5  

Calum Glendinning wins outright with 6 out of 6 followed by Ashwanth Subramanian and James Huang. Then 4 players on 4 points, Ethan Cole (P5), Aaditya Singh (F1), Aadhi Sooraj, Cillian Mccann (F3).

Form 4 and above

Champion:  Calum Glendinning

Second: Ashwanth Subramanian

Third: Cillian Mccann

Form 3

Champion: James Huang

Form 2

Champion: Michael Higgins, Jack O'Neill

Second: Dan McGeough

Form 1

Champion: Aaditya SIngh

Second: Saoirse Rippon, Harry Stewart

Third: Micheal Wright

P7

Champion: Evan Butterwick

P6

Champion: Dev Chaudhry

Second: Joseph Quinn

P5

Champion: Ethan Cole, Aadhi Sooraj

Second: Lorcan Rippon

Third: Shlok Thoke

P4 and below

Champion: Advait Tahmankar

Second: Matthew Loughrey

Third: Isaac Ryan

Thanks to all the chess players for a brilliant afternoon of chess. Thanks to the volunteers and to the Parents.

Thanks also to Methodist College.

Our next tournament is at Methodist College 12:30pm on 12th March.

Solutions to the puzzles.