The league is coming to a finish. The Summer Tournament will begin in May.

Easter is here and the chess continues. With FIDE rated tournaments organised by Brendan Jamison. The League is coming to an end. Soon we will have our annual AGM and an opportunity to celebrate the years chess. What a brilliant year.

With the ending of the League and the Summer recess for some clubs. The Summer Tournament at the Civil Service Pavilion provides an opportunity to play rated chess from the beginning of May to the end of September. Details are :

The UCU Summer Tournament is open to all chess players and provides regular competitive chess during the summer months when many chess clubs are closed.

Venue Civil Service Social Club , Maynard Sinclair Pavilion

Starting Wednesday 1st May 2024 and every Wednesday.

Ending Wednesday 25th September 2024. Prize Giving and mini tournament.

Start Time for each round 7:45pm.

Format The tournament is flexible – players play whichever nights suit them with pairings being made on the evening. Players are usually paired with opponents within their own grading band but late comers may get a difficult draw – so please be prompt.

Time limit Each player gets 1 hour 30 minutes for the complete game.

Please email me by 3:00pm on the evening of the tournament. to let the controller know to be included in the draw: mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com

Time limit Each player gets 1 hour 30 minutes for the complete game. (unless we need to vacate the room early).

Prizes will depend on number of entrants.There will be grading bands, again depending on entrants.

Entry Fee £20.

Controller: Mark Newman Telephone 07872544868. email: mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com

Rules
1. Players must complete 10 games to be considered for prizes.
2. If a player does not play in two of the last three rounds they will be assumed to have played and lost 2 games. If they play only one then they will forfeit one game.
3. However if a player has played 14 or more games then they are exempt from rule 2.
4. Scores will be calculated on a percentage basis.

Controller Mark Newman

With a brief respite over Easter the League has only 3 matches per team left. How are the standings.....

https://www.ulsterchess.org/competitions/competitions/comp-3025/cvt_event/standings/812#tabhead

Division 1 Standings

	Team	Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Penalties	Points	%
1	Strand Frist Team (Strand)	13	11	0	2		64.5	71
2	Fruithill Ravens (Fruithill)	12	8	0	4	2	49.5	61
3	Kellys Heroes (Belfast South)	11	6	1	4	1	41	55
4	Lisburn (Lisburn)	12	5	0	7	1	40.5	49
5	NICS Stormont (NICS)	12	2	1	9		27	32
6	QUB 1 (QUB)	12	3	0	9		25.5	30

The Strand is ahead. Not sure if they can be caught. Unfortunately a couple of matches were decided as defaults due to a mix-up of dates. Best for leagues to be won over the board. NICS (Civil Service 1) and QUB 1 are fighting to be saved from the relegation spot.

https://www.ulsterchess.org/competitions/competitions/comp-3026/cvt_event/standings/814#tabhead

Division 2 Standings

	Team	Played	Won	Draws	Losses	Penalties	Points	%
1	Lisburn 2 (Lisburn)	15	10	4	1	1.5	73	71
2	QUB 2 (QUB)	14	8	3	3		66.5	68
3	The A team (Belfast South)	14	9	1	4	1.5	65.5	65
4	Bangor (Bangor)	14	8	2	4		58	59
5	Citi Knights (Citi)	14	4	4	6		49.5	51
6	Falcons (Fruithill)	14	5	3	6		48	49
7	NICS 2 Pavilion (NICS)	14	5	4	5	1	45	47
8	Greenisland (Greenisland)	14	3	1	10	1	29.5	29
9	Lisburn 3 (Lisburn)	15	1	0	14		13	12

Lisburn 2 is a match ahead and leading by 6.5 points. Belfast South A team and QUB 2 are with in 1 point of each other.

Tournaments on the timetable : Please confirm details on the events pages.

FIDE rated Ulster Rapidplay 2024 : Full details : https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu02505/2023-2024-season/events/fide-rated-ulster-rapidplay-2024

The popular competition returns again during Easter 2024 and will be played at Bangor Chess Club (Groomsport Parish Hall) with a time control of 25+0 over 6 rounds.

It will operate as one open section with the middle seeded players eligible to win the Intermediate trophies, the lowest rated players will be eligible for the Junior shields.

Apr 06, 2024 from 09:30 AM to 04:30 PM

FIDE 100th Anniversary Groomsport Classic 2024 (Round 1) : Full details : https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu02505/2023-2024-season/events/fide-100th-anniversary-groomsport-classic-2024-round-1

Venue - Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, BT19 6JR, Northern Ireland

Timetable:

Round 1 at 7:30pm to 10:30pm on Thursday 11th April 2024

Round 2 at 7:30pm to 10:30pm on Thursday 18th April 2024

Round 3 at 10am to 1pm on Saturday 20th April 2024

Round 4 at 1:45pm to 4:45pm on Saturday 20th April 2024

Entry fee: £15

Newman Hindley Series : Childrens Chess : Full details : https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu02505/2023-2024-season/events/childrens-chess/calendar-events/newman-hindley-series-childrens-chess-4

13th April 12:30pm - 5:00pm Methodist College

FIDE RATED Downpatrick April Rapid 2024 : Full details : https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu02505/2023-2024-season/events/fide-rated-downpatrick-april-rapid-2024