The first Ulster Fischer Random Championship took place on Sunday 26th March 2023
Below the starting position for each round is displayed before the results. I had a demo board setup in the middle of the room and set this up after each round with the position of the next round and then did a quick tour of the room to confirm players were happy with the position.
The time control was 20mins + 5sec Increment - allowing the possibility of a reason endgame to be played - rather than a blitz finish with all peices flying.

Pairings round 1 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikolaj Liszewski | 0.0 | 1281 * | Mandar Tahmankar | 0.0 | 1877 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 2 | Louison Fuchs | 0.0 | 1123 * | Mark Newman | 0.0 | 1600 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 3 | Daniel Cochrane | 0.0 | 1272 * | Richard Morrow | 0.0 | 1676 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 4 | Gatis Barbals | 0.0 | 1620 * | Peter Campbell | 0.0 | 1180 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 6 | Adam Rushe | 0.0 | 1499 * | Lorcan Rippon | 0.0 | 1121 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 7 | Leah Worby | 0.0 | 1116 * | Amol Thoke | 0.0 | 1447 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 8 | Dean Gorman | 0.0 | 1438 * | Ross Smith | 0.0 | 1100 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 9 | Cian Suitor | 0.0 | 1041 * | Andrew Campbell | 0.0 | 1405 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 10 | Pat McKillen | 0.0 | 1395 * | Rithvik Deekonda | 0.0 | 1000 * | 1-0 |
Using rapidplay ratings for the draws. Leah gets a good win against Amole. While the rest of the games go to rating. As there was an odd number I was lucky to get a game. In playing I realised how difficult it is to be playing from a different starting position. Your perspective of the strategy is thrown and no opennings to fall back on. A brilliant game of rethinking your chess.

Pairings round 2 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mandar Tahmankar | 1.0 | 1877 * | Pat McKillen | 1.0 | 1395 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 2 | Richard Morrow | 1.0 | 1676 * | Leah Worby | 1.0 | 1116 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 3 | Andrew Campbell | 1.0 | 1405 * | Gatis Barbals | 1.0 | 1620 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 4 | Lorcan Rippon | 1.0 | 1121 * | Dean Gorman | 1.0 | 1438 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 5 | Mark Newman | 1.0 | 1600 * | Adam Rushe | 0.0 | 1499 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 6 | Amol Thoke | 0.0 | 1447 * | Louison Fuchs | 0.0 | 1123 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 7 | Ross Smith | 0.0 | 1100 * | Mikolaj Liszewski | 0.0 | 1281 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 8 | Rithvik Deekonda | 0.0 | 1000 * | Daniel Cochrane | 0.0 | 1272 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 9 | Peter Campbell | 0.0 | 1180 * | Cian Suitor | 0.0 | 1041 * | 1-0 |
Andew Campbell wins against Gatis Barbals. Louison Fuchs wins against Amol Thoke. and Rathivk wins against Daniel Cochrane.


Pairings round 3 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dean Gorman | 2.0 | 1438 * | Mandar Tahmankar | 2.0 | 1877 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 2 | Mark Newman | 2.0 | 1600 * | Richard Morrow | 2.0 | 1676 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 3 | Pat McKillen | 1.0 | 1395 * | Andrew Campbell | 2.0 | 1405 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 4 | Gatis Barbals | 1.0 | 1620 * | Lorcan Rippon | 1.0 | 1121 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 5 | Mikolaj Liszewski | 1.0 | 1281 * | Rithvik Deekonda | 1.0 | 1000 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 6 | Louison Fuchs | 1.0 | 1123 * | Peter Campbell | 1.0 | 1180 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 7 | Leah Worby | 1.0 | 1116 * | Daniel Cochrane | 0.0 | 1272 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 8 | Adam Rushe | 0.0 | 1499 * | Ross Smith | 0.0 | 1100 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 9 | Cian Suitor | 0.0 | 1041 * | Amol Thoke | 0.0 | 1447 * | 0-1 |
Mandar continues his wins gaining 3 out of 3. Followed closely by Richard Morrow also with 3.

Pairings round 4 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mandar Tahmankar | 3.0 | 1877 * | Richard Morrow | 3.0 | 1676 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 2 | Pat McKillen | 2.0 | 1395 * | Gatis Barbals | 2.0 | 1620 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 3 | Peter Campbell | 2.0 | 1180 * | Dean Gorman | 2.0 | 1438 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 4 | Andrew Campbell | 2.0 | 1405 * | Mikolaj Liszewski | 2.0 | 1281 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 5 | Amol Thoke | 1.0 | 1447 * | Adam Rushe | 1.0 | 1499 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 6 | Daniel Cochrane | 1.0 | 1272 * | Louison Fuchs | 1.0 | 1123 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 7 | Lorcan Rippon | 1.0 | 1121 * | Leah Worby | 1.0 | 1116 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 8 | Rithvik Deekonda | 1.0 | 1000 * | Malachy Yao | 0.5 | 800 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 9 | Ross Smith | 0.0 | 1100 * | Cian Suitor | 0.0 | 1041 * | 1-0 |
Mandar goes into the lead beating Richard. Followed by a group on 3 points. With the joining of a late competitior Malachy Yao I was given a rest from playing.
![]() | ![]() |
|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |

Pairings round 5 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gatis Barbals | 3.0 | 1620 * | Mandar Tahmankar | 4.0 | 1877 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 2 | Richard Morrow | 3.0 | 1676 * | Andrew Campbell | 3.0 | 1405 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 3 | Dean Gorman | 3.0 | 1438 * | Rithvik Deekonda | 2.0 | 1000 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 4 | Adam Rushe | 2.0 | 1499 * | Daniel Cochrane | 2.0 | 1272 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 5 | Leah Worby | 2.0 | 1116 * | Pat McKillen | 2.0 | 1395 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 6 | Mikolaj Liszewski | 2.0 | 1281 * | Peter Campbell | 2.0 | 1180 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 7 | Lorcan Rippon | 1.0 | 1121 * | Amol Thoke | 1.0 | 1447 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 8 | Louison Fuchs | 1.0 | 1123 * | Ross Smith | 1.0 | 1100 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 9 | Malachy Yao | 0.5 | 800 * | Cian Suitor | 0.0 | 1041 * | 0-1 |
![]() | ![]() |
|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |

Pairings round 6 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mandar Tahmankar | 5.0 | 1877 * | Adam Rushe | 3.0 | 1499 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 2 | Richard Morrow | 4.0 | 1676 * | Dean Gorman | 4.0 | 1438 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 3 | Mikolaj Liszewski | 3.0 | 1281 * | Gatis Barbals | 3.0 | 1620 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 4 | Andrew Campbell | 3.0 | 1405 * | Leah Worby | 3.0 | 1116 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 5 | Daniel Cochrane | 2.0 | 1272 * | Amol Thoke | 2.0 | 1447 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 6 | Peter Campbell | 2.0 | 1180 * | Pat McKillen | 2.0 | 1395 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 7 | Rithvik Deekonda | 2.0 | 1000 * | Louison Fuchs | 2.0 | 1123 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 8 | Cian Suitor | 1.0 | 1041 * | Lorcan Rippon | 1.0 | 1121 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 9 | Ross Smith | 1.0 | 1100 * | Malachy Yao | 0.5 | 800 * | 1-0 |
Its good to see Mikolaj and Leah on the top half of the boards.. Mikolaj looses to Gatis whilst Leah loosed to Andrew. Mandar continues to win.
![]() | ![]() |
|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |

Pairings round 7 (Sunday, 26 March 2023)
| Table | White | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Black | Flags | Score | Fed. | Rating | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Campbell | 4.0 | 1405 * | Mandar Tahmankar | 6.0 | 1877 * | ½-½ | ||||
| 2 | Gatis Barbals | 4.0 | 1620 * | Richard Morrow | 5.0 | 1676 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 3 | Dean Gorman | 4.0 | 1438 * | Mikolaj Liszewski | 3.0 | 1281 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 4 | Adam Rushe | 3.0 | 1499 * | Rithvik Deekonda | 3.0 | 1000 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 5 | Pat McKillen | 3.0 | 1395 * | Daniel Cochrane | 3.0 | 1272 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 6 | Leah Worby | 3.0 | 1116 * | Peter Campbell | 2.0 | 1180 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 7 | Amol Thoke | 2.0 | 1447 * | Ross Smith | 2.0 | 1100 * | 0-1 | ||||
| 8 | Louison Fuchs | 2.0 | 1123 * | Cian Suitor | 1.0 | 1041 * | 1-0 | ||||
| 9 | Malachy Yao | 0.5 | 800 * | Lorcan Rippon | 2.0 | 1121 * | 0-1 |
Andrew gets a good draw off Mandar, who with the draw takes the championship. Daniel Cochrane gets a good win off Pat McKillen whilst Ross Smith wins against Amol.
![]() | ![]() |
|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Final
| Rank | Name | Flags | Score | Fed. | M/F | Rating | TPR | W-We | BH | PS | TPR Mixed | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mandar Tahmankar | 6.5 | M | 1877 * | 0 | 0 | 29.5 | 27.5 | 1895 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ||
| 2 | Richard Morrow | 6.0 | M | 1676 * | 0 | 0 | 32.0 | 24.0 | 1784 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 3 | Dean Gorman | 5.0 | M | 1438 * | 0 | 0 | 26.5 | 21.0 | 1477 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 4 | Andrew Campbell | 4.5 | M | 1405 * | 0 | 0 | 27.5 | 19.5 | 1531 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ||
| 5 | Gatis Barbals | 4.0 | M | 1620 * | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 18.0 | 1469 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 6 | Adam Rushe | 4.0 | M | 1499 * | 0 | 0 | 25.5 | 13.0 | 1395 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 7 | Daniel Cochrane | 4.0 | M | 1272 * | 0 | 0 | 25.0 | 12.0 | 1372 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 8 | Leah Worby | 4.0 | M | 1116 * | 0 | 0 | 24.5 | 15.0 | 1407 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 9 | Mikolaj Liszewski | 3.0 | M | 1281 * | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 14.0 | 1324 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 10 | Pat McKillen | 3.0 | M | 1395 * | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 14.0 | 1303 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 11 | Rithvik Deekonda | 3.0 | M | 1000 * | 0 | 0 | 23.5 | 12.0 | 1208 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 12 | Lorcan Rippon | 3.0 | M | 1121 * | 0 | 0 | 21.5 | 10.0 | 1230 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 13 | Ross Smith | 3.0 | M | 1100 * | 0 | 0 | 19.5 | 7.0 | 1183 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 14 | Louison Fuchs | 3.0 | M | 1123 * | 0 | 0 | 19.0 | 10.0 | 1184 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 15 | Mark Newman | 2.0 | M | 1600 * | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 13.0 | 1558 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | ||
| 16 | Peter Campbell | 2.0 | M | 1180 * | 0 | 0 | 23.0 | 11.0 | 1130 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 17 | Amol Thoke | 2.0 | M | 1447 * | 0 | 0 | 22.0 | 8.0 | 1024 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 18 | Cian Suitor | 1.0 | M | 1041 * | 0 | 0 | 19.0 | 3.0 | 859 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 19 | Malachy Yao | 0.5 | M | 800 * | 0 | 0 | 21.0 | 3.5 | 266 | = | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chatting to the players and the format was enjoyed and hoped to be repeated. Some players thought a slower 2 day weekender would be a good idea.
The chess positions and thinking were different with the differing starting positions - an excellent days chess.
Ulster Champion : Mandar Tahmankar
Second : Richard Morrow
Third : Dean Gorman
Intermediate Champion (under 1350) : Daniel Cochrane
Intermedaite 2nd : Leah Worby
Intermediate 3rd : Mikolaj Liszewski
Grading Prize Under 1200: Rithvik Deekonda
















