A late report on the Ulster Masters Nov 2021

A new venue and face to face playing continues for Ulster Chess with the Ulster Masters 2021 held at Queens University Belfast on November 12th-14th. With players travelling from Dublin to play.

The venue provided by Queens University and organised by Paddy Magee of QUB chess club was the Elmwood Hall, Queen's University. A beautiful hall opposite Queens. I arrived early but Organisers Ross Harris and Alex Goss had already setup the sets and Adrian Dornford-Smith was setting up the UCU's excellent inteligent boards for showing games live online (these are available at http://www.ulsterchess.net/2021-11-14/ where you can play through them).

Its brilliant to enjoy a chess tournament without the pressure of being involved in setting it up!

The mix of new players and young players and players travelling up from Dublin added to the tournament richness. I bumped into fellow chess player Stephen Rush whos been away for a bit. It was good to see him and share a coffee and chat about our common love of the author Ursula le Guinn.

The top section contained a CM with Peter Carroll, two other players above 2000 and alot of very talented players. I am close to the bottom of the list. So no pressure on me! - just enjoy the games and survive as long as possible.....

An added pull on players was that this competition is FIDE rated - in the last couple of years we have seen more FIDE rated competitions thanks to Damien Cunningham (for organising FIDE Abiter training in Belfast), Ross Harris and Brendan Jamison and Richard Gould for then going ahead and getting Abiter norms to become National Arbiters. So now we have 5 National Arbiters in Ulster Chess. Also thanks to Brendan for running active tournaments registered with FIDE so alot of players now have FIDE ratings.

I will let the photos and results tell the story. After saying that Modestas was on form and had a briliant competition. The youngsters did very well with Adam Rushe winning the Intermediate section without dropping a game and James Wong coming second. Considering the strength of the section Ethan Cole (only 9) got the grading prize with an excellent 3 points. Whilst Lorcan Rippon didnt always score points but gave his opponents some challenging games.

Peter Carroll proved his skills and won without loosing a point finishing on 4 1/2. Followed by Ulsters new top player Mandar Tahmanker.

Senior Section round 1 (Friday, 12 November 2021)

Table	White	Fed.	Rating	Black	Fed.	Rating	Result
1	CM Carroll, Peter	IRL	2132	O'Neill, Sam	IRL	1890	1-0
2	Newman, Mark	IRL	1731	Tahmankar, Mandar	IND	2097	0-1
3	Esteve Sanchez, Sergio	ESP	2014	Hayden, Luke	IRL	1676	1-0
4	Razbadauskas, Modestas	IRL	1647 *	Peoples, Jonathon	IRL	1953	0-1
5	Rush, Stephen	IRL	1949	Murray, Sam	IRL	1634	1-0

Generated by Swiss Master for Windows on 14-11-2021 at 20:01

Intermediate Section round 1 (Friday, 12 November 2021)

Table	White	Fed.	Rating	Black	Fed.	Rating	Result
6	Rushe, Adam	IRL	1583 *	Fitzpatrick, Daniel	IRL	1096 *	1-0
7	Milligan, Kyle	IRL	1053 *	Armstrong, Chris	IRL	1507	1-0
8	Cole, Ethan	IRL	0	Todd, Andrew	SCO	1459	0-1
10	Dougherty, Matthew	IRL	1379 *	McEvoy, James	IRL	0	1-0
11	McIlwaine, Gary	IRL	0	Wong, James	IRL	1379 *	0-1
12	McKillen, Pat	IRL	1323 *	Pham, Toan	IRL	0	1-0
13	Rippon, Lorcan	IRL	0	Magee, Paddy	IRL	1262 *	0-1
14	Boyle, Conal	IRL	1261 *	Rishi, Rahul	IRL	0	½-½
15	Sandrey, Jade	IRL	0	Dornford-Smith, Adrian	IRL	1257 *	0-1

Draw by default	Khanzharov, Edward; Herrera-Topchevod, Nicolas

Senior Section round 2 (Saturday, 13 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
1	Peoples, Jonathon	1.0	IRL	1953	CM Carroll, Peter	1.0	IRL	2132	½-½
2	Tahmankar, Mandar	1.0	IND	2097	Esteve Sanchez, Sergio	1.0	ESP	2014	1-0
3	O'Neill, Sam	0.0	IRL	1890	Rush, Stephen	1.0	IRL	1949	½-½
4	Murray, Sam	0.0	IRL	1634	Newman, Mark	0.0	IRL	1731	0-1
5	Hayden, Luke	0.0	IRL	1676	Razbadauskas, Modestas	0.0	IRL	1647 *	0-1

Intermediate Section: round 2 (Saturday, 13 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
6	Wong, James	1.0	IRL	1379 *	Milligan, Kyle	1.0	IRL	1053 *	1-0
7	Magee, Paddy	1.0	IRL	1262 *	Rushe, Adam	1.0	IRL	1583 *	0-1
8	Todd, Andrew	1.0	SCO	1459	McKillen, Pat	1.0	IRL	1323 *	1-0
9	Dornford-Smith, Adrian	1.0	IRL	1257 *	Dougherty, Matthew	1.0	IRL	1379 *	0-1
10	Herrera-Topchevod, Nicolas	0.5	IRL	0	Khanzharov, Edward	0.5	IRL	1504 *	0-1
11	Rishi, Rahul	0.5	IRL	0	Cole, Ethan	0.0	IRL	0	0-1
12	Armstrong, Chris	0.0	IRL	1507	Boyle, Conal	0.5	IRL	1261 *	1-0
13	Fitzpatrick, Daniel	0.0	IRL	1096 *	Rippon, Lorcan	0.0	IRL	0	1-0
14	McEvoy, James	0.0	IRL	0	Sandrey, Jade	0.0	IRL	0	1-0
15	Pham, Toan	0.0	IRL	0	McIlwaine, Gary	0.0	IRL	0	1-0

Senior Section: round 3 (Saturday, 13 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
1	CM Carroll, Peter	1.5	IRL	2132	Tahmankar, Mandar	2.0	IND	2097	1-0
2	Esteve Sanchez, Sergio	1.0	ESP	2014	Peoples, Jonathon	1.5	IRL	1953	1-0
3	Newman, Mark	1.0	IRL	1731	Razbadauskas, Modestas	1.0	IRL	1647 *	0-1
4	Hayden, Luke	0.0	IRL	1676	O'Neill, Sam	0.5	IRL	1890	0-1

Draw by default	Rush, Stephen
Bye	Murray, Sam

Intermediate Section: Pairings round 3 (Saturday, 13 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
6	Dougherty, Matthew	2.0	IRL	1379 *	Todd, Andrew	2.0	SCO	1459	½-½
7	Rushe, Adam	2.0	IRL	1583 *	Wong, James	2.0	IRL	1379 *	1-0
8	Khanzharov, Edward	1.5	IRL	1504 *	Magee, Paddy	1.0	IRL	1262 *	1-0
9	Milligan, Kyle	1.0	IRL	1053 *	Dornford-Smith, Adrian	1.0	IRL	1257 *	1-0
10	McKillen, Pat	1.0	IRL	1323 *	McEvoy, James	1.0	IRL	0	1-0
11	Cole, Ethan	1.0	IRL	0	Armstrong, Chris	1.0	IRL	1507	0-1
12	Pham, Toan	1.0	IRL	0	Fitzpatrick, Daniel	1.0	IRL	1096 *	1-0
13	Boyle, Conal	0.5	IRL	1261 *	Herrera-Topchevod, Nicolas	0.5	IRL	0	½-½
14	McIlwaine, Gary	0.0	IRL	0	Rishi, Rahul	0.5	IRL	0	1-0
15	Rippon, Lorcan	0.0	IRL	0	Sandrey, Jade	0.0	IRL	0	0-1

Senior Section: round 4 (Sunday, 14 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
1	Rush, Stephen	2.0	IRL	1949	CM Carroll, Peter	2.5	IRL	2132	0-1
2	Razbadauskas, Modestas	2.0	IRL	1647 *	Esteve Sanchez, Sergio	2.0	ESP	2014	1-0
3	Tahmankar, Mandar	2.0	IND	2097	Peoples, Jonathon	1.5	IRL	1953	½-½
4	O'Neill, Sam	1.5	IRL	1890	Murray, Sam	1.0	IRL	1634	1-0
5	Newman, Mark	1.0	IRL	1731	Hayden, Luke	0.0	IRL	1676	½-½

Intermediate Section: round 4 (Sunday, 14 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
6	Todd, Andrew	2.5	SCO	1459	Rushe, Adam	3.0	IRL	1583 *	0-1
7	Khanzharov, Edward	2.5	IRL	1504 *	Dougherty, Matthew	2.5	IRL	1379 *	0-1
8	Wong, James	2.0	IRL	1379 *	Pham, Toan	2.0	IRL	0	1-0
9	Armstrong, Chris	2.0	IRL	1507	McKillen, Pat	2.0	IRL	1323 *	0-1
10	Fitzpatrick, Daniel	1.0	IRL	1096 *	Milligan, Kyle	2.0	IRL	1053 *	0-1
11	Magee, Paddy	1.0	IRL	1262 *	Herrera-Topchevod, Nicolas	1.0	IRL	0	1-0
12	Dornford-Smith, Adrian	1.0	IRL	1257 *	McIlwaine, Gary	1.0	IRL	0	1-0
13	McEvoy, James	1.0	IRL	0	Boyle, Conal	1.0	IRL	1261 *	0-1
14	Sandrey, Jade	1.0	IRL	0	Cole, Ethan	1.0	IRL	0	0-1

Bye	Rippon, Lorcan
Absent	Rishi, Rahul

Senior Section: round 5 (Sunday, 14 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
1	CM Carroll, Peter	3.5	IRL	2132	Razbadauskas, Modestas	3.0	IRL	1647 *	1-0
2	O'Neill, Sam	2.5	IRL	1890	Tahmankar, Mandar	2.5	IND	2097	0-1
3	Peoples, Jonathon	2.0	IRL	1953	Rush, Stephen	2.0	IRL	1949	½-½
4	Murray, Sam	1.0	IRL	1634	Hayden, Luke	0.5	IRL	1676	½-½

Bye	Newman, Mark
Absent	Esteve Sanchez, Sergio

Intermediate Section: round 5 (Sunday, 14 November 2021)

Table	White	Score	Fed.	Rating	Black	Score	Fed.	Rating	Result
6	Rushe, Adam	4.0	IRL	1583 *	Dougherty, Matthew	3.5	IRL	1379 *	1-0
7	McKillen, Pat	3.0	IRL	1323 *	Wong, James	3.0	IRL	1379 *	0-1
8	Milligan, Kyle	3.0	IRL	1053 *	Khanzharov, Edward	2.5	IRL	1504 *	0-1
9	Boyle, Conal	2.0	IRL	1261 *	Todd, Andrew	2.5	SCO	1459	0-1
10	Pham, Toan	2.0	IRL	0	Armstrong, Chris	2.0	IRL	1507	0-1
11	Cole, Ethan	2.0	IRL	0	Magee, Paddy	2.0	IRL	1262 *	1-0
12	Herrera-Topchevod, Nicolas	1.0	IRL	0	Dornford-Smith, Adrian	2.0	IRL	1257 *	0-1
13	McEvoy, James	1.0	IRL	0	Rippon, Lorcan	1.0	IRL	0	0-1
14	McIlwaine, Gary	1.0	IRL	0	Sandrey, Jade	1.0	IRL	0	1-0

Absent	Fitzpatrick, Daniel; Rishi, Rahul

Senior Section: Final Rankings

Rank	Name	Score	Fed.	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	BH-HiLo	BH	PS	TPR Mixed	1	2	3	4	5
1	CM Carroll, Peter	4.5	IRL	M	2132	2308	+0.68	8.0	14.0	13.0	2273	1	½	1	1	1
2	Tahmankar, Mandar	3.5	IND	M	2097	2093	+0.08	7.5	14.0	11.0	2093	1	1	0	½	1
3	Razbadauskas, Modestas	3.0	IRL	M	1647 *	1973	+0.50	7.0	12.5	9.0	1973	0	1	1	1	0
4	Peoples, Jonathon	2.5	IRL	M	1953	1961	-0.01	9.0	16.0	8.5	1968	1	½	0	½	½
5	Rush, Stephen	2.5	IRL	M	1949	1902	-0.19	7.5	13.5	9.0	1902	1	½	=	0	½
6	O'Neill, Sam	2.5	IRL	M	1890	1898	+0.07	7.0	12.5	7.0	1898	0	½	1	1	0
7	Newman, Mark	2.5	IRL	M	1731	1802	+0.19	6.0	10.0	6.0	1677	0	1	0	½	+
8	Esteve Sanchez, Sergio	2.0	ESP	M	2014	2034	+0.15	8.0	13.0	8.0	1843	1	0	1	0	-
9	Murray, Sam	1.5	IRL	M	1634	1490	-0.64	5.5	9.0	3.5	1490	0	0	+	0	½
10	Hayden, Luke	1.0	IRL	M	1676	1624	-0.33	7.0	11.0	1.5	1543	0	0	0	½	½

Intermediate Section: Final Standings

Rank	Name	Score	Fed.	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	BH-HiLo	BH	PS	TPR Mixed	1	2	3	4	5
1	Rushe, Adam	5.0	IRL	M	1583 *	2259	0	9.0	14.5	15.0	2115	1	1	1	1	1
2	Wong, James	4.0	IRL	M	1379 *	0	0	8.0	15.0	12.0	1445	1	1	0	1	1
3	Dougherty, Matthew	3.5	IRL	M	1379 *	1459	0	10.0	16.0	12.5	1546	1	1	½	1	0
4	Todd, Andrew	3.5	SCO	M	1459	0	+0.00	9.5	16.5	11.5	1482	1	1	½	0	1
5	Khanzharov, Edward	3.5	IRL	M	1504 *	0	0	8.5	12.0	10.5	1356	=	1	1	0	1
6	Milligan, Kyle	3.0	IRL	M	1053 *	2307	0	9.5	15.0	10.0	1421	1	0	1	1	0
7	McKillen, Pat	3.0	IRL	M	1323 *	1483	0	8.5	13.5	10.0	1323	1	0	1	1	0
8	Armstrong, Chris	3.0	IRL	M	1507	0	+0.00	8.0	13.0	8.0	1087	0	1	1	0	1
9	Cole, Ethan	3.0	IRL	M	0	683	0	6.5	11.0	7.0	1284	0	1	0	1	1
10	Dornford-Smith, Adrian	3.0	IRL	M	1257 *	0	0	6.0	10.5	8.0	416	1	0	0	1	1
11	Magee, Paddy	2.0	IRL	M	1262 *	0	0	8.0	14.0	7.0	744	1	0	0	1	0
12	Pham, Toan	2.0	IRL	M	0	707	0	8.0	13.5	7.0	1133	0	1	1	0	0
13	McIlwaine, Gary	2.0	IRL	M	0	0	0	6.5	11.5	4.0	518	0	0	1	0	1
14	Boyle, Conal	2.0	IRL	M	1261 *	683	0	5.5	10.0	6.0	683	½	0	½	1	0
15	Rippon, Lorcan	2.0	IRL	M	0	0	0	4.0	6.0	3.0	379	0	0	0	+	1
16	Herrera-Topchevod, Nicolas	1.0	IRL	M	0	0	0	7.0	13.0	4.0	999	=	0	½	0	0
17	Fitzpatrick, Daniel	1.0	IRL	M	1096 *	0	0	6.5	13.5	4.0	518	0	1	0	0	-
18	McEvoy, James	1.0	IRL	M	0	0	0	6.5	11.0	4.0	521	0	1	0	0	0
19	Sandrey, Jade	1.0	IRL	F	0	0	0	6.5	10.5	3.0	457	0	0	1	0	0
20	Rishi, Rahul	0.5	IRL	M	0	0	0	5.5	10.5	2.5	1261	½	0	0	-	-

Ulster Masters 2021

Senior Champion: Peter Carroll (CM)

Second: Mandar Tahmankar

Third: Modestas Razbadauskas

Grading Prize: Mark Newman

Intermediate Champion: Adam Rushe

Second: James Wong

Grading Prize: Kyle Milligan, Ethan Cole