New and familiar faces. Its absolutely brilliant we have top players like Alwin Micheal and Ethan Cole playing in the tournament. Ethan and Micheal have titles from open competitions and both have been in the first division winning team - Strand A. The regular players include the young up and coming players Alex McKeown, Darragh Marsh, Kia Jahandizi, Daniel Simpson. Of course all the players are brilliant. I have included all the game results below and photos of hopefully all the players.

We give out puzzle sheets with 22 problems - mates in 2, 3 and best moves (always slightly harder) - these puzzles are challenging, good for your chess and sometimes elegent, works of art. I give the back of the sheet below and the solutions at the bottom of this article.

Primary Puzzle Champion : Kia Jahandizi

Secondary Puzzle Champion: Ethan Cole

The positions - have a go.

All the childrens chess tournaments. Of which we run 5. contribute to the Grandprix. The sections are Form 4 and above, Form 1 to Form 3, Primary. There are also puzzle Grandprix for the sections Secondary and Primary. The points are calculated:

Grandprix: points – Players positions in their section are taken. Their best 3 grand-prix scores over the 5 tournaments are added together.

Grand Prix Style Tournament

1. place gets 10 points
2. place gets 8 points
3. place gets 6 points
4. place gets 5 points
5. place gets 4 points
6. place gets 3 points
7. place gets 2 points
8. place gets 1 points

The top 4 players for Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary and Puzzle solving will be invited to Stormont (to be confirmed) for an Award Ceremony on Friday June TBC  10:00 to 13:00.

I will place an article with the current standings and points in the Grandprix in an article - please watch out for it.

With everyone registered and those players arriving without being registered being added to the computer. We did the draw and displayed it on the large screen. Boards 1 - 8 being in one room looked after by me and those on boards 9 to 18 in the second room looked after by our brilliant volunteers: Amol Thoke, Geoff Hindley and Ashish Shambharkar. The rooms fell into silent concentration.

Round 1

Results

No Name              Feder Total  Result   Name                        Feder Total

 1 Ethan Cole        F2    [0]      1:0    Charlie Murphy              F2    [0]  
 2 Jackson Coakley   F1    [0]      0:1    Alwin Micheal               F2    [0]  
 3 Peter Murphy      F5    [0]      1:0    Ryan Hall                   F1    [0]  
 4 George McClelland F3    [0]      0:1    Nathan Murray               F4    [0]  
 5 Kyan Muradali     F3    [0]      1:0    Soundharya Premkumar        P6    [0]  
 6 Daniel Simpson    P4    [0]      1:0    Shreyas Chandra Marrivada   P6    [0]  
 7 Alex McKeown      P6    [0]      1:0    Szymon Slebioda             F3    [0]  
 8 Aarin Micheal     P4    [0]      0:1    Darragh Marsh               P7    [0]  
 9 Shlok Thoke       F2    [0]      1:0    Parker Robinson             F2    [0]  
10 Alexander Davis   P5    [0]      0:1    Jatin Jakati                P6    [0]  
11 BYE                              0:1    Tanish Thoke                P5    [0]  
12 Ayush Shambharkar F2    [0]     .5:.5   Jason Hunt                  F2    [0]  
13 Kia Jahandizi     P7    [0]      1:0    Sanvi Shambharkar           P4    [0]  
14 Anay Bhide        P5    [0]      0:1    Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam F5    [0]  
15 Shubham Saha      F2    [0]      1:0    Corey Castillo              P4    [0]  
16 Calum Daly        P6    [0]      0:1    Advait Tahmankar            F1    [0]  
17 Conal Caughey     P7    [0]      1:0    Madi Nurbol                 P2    [0]  
18 Aimina Nurbol     P5    [0]      0:1    Oliver McConkey             P7    [0]  

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

The first round and with the allocation of approx ratings we have strongest players on 1 white / 2 black / 3 white / 4 black ..... so if results go to grade we should have see results like 1-0 / 0-1 / 1-0 / 0-1 ...... So its quite easy to see upsets. Of course unless I have wrongly estimated a rating - easily done for new players.  Daniel Simpson wins against Shreyas Chandra Marrivada  and Jason Hunt gets a draw against Ayush Shambharker. Its brilliant to watch the games. Endings, stuggles, blunders all the challenging and excitement that makes chess such a brilliant game.

Round 2

Results

No Name                        Feder Total  Result   Name              Feder Total

 1 Jatin Jakati                P6    [1]      0:1    Ethan Cole        F2    [1]  
 2 Alwin Micheal               F2    [1]      1:0    Kia Jahandizi     P7    [1]  
 3 Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam F5    [1]      1:0    Peter Murphy      F5    [1]  
 4 Nathan Murray               F4    [1]     .5:.5   Shubham Saha      F2    [1]  
 5 Advait Tahmankar            F1    [1]      0:1    Kyan Muradali     F3    [1]  
 6 Oliver McConkey             P7    [1]      0:1    Alex McKeown      P6    [1]  
 7 Darragh Marsh               P7    [1]      1:0    Conal Caughey     P7    [1]  
 8 Tanish Thoke                P5    [1]      0:1    Shlok Thoke       F2    [1]  
 9 Jason Hunt                  F2    [.5]     1:0    Daniel Simpson    P4    [1]  
10 Shreyas Chandra Marrivada   P6    [0]      1:0    Ayush Shambharkar F2    [.5] 
11 Charlie Murphy              F2    [0]      1:0    Parker Robinson   F2    [0]  
12 Sanvi Shambharkar           P4    [0]      0:1    Jackson Coakley   F1    [0]  
13 Ryan Hall                   F1    [0]      0:1    Alexander Davis   P5    [0]  
14 Corey Castillo              P4    [0]      0:1    George McClelland F3    [0]  
15 Soundharya Premkumar        P6    [0]      1:0    Anay Bhide        P5    [0]  
16 Szymon Slebioda             F3    [0]      1:0    Calum Daly        P6    [0]  
17 Madi Nurbol                 P2    [0]      0:1    Aarin Micheal     P4    [0]  
18 Aimina Nurbol               P5    [0]      1:0    BYE         

After round 1 you have roughly 1/2 on 1 and 0 points. and these players play each other, leading eventually to players of similar strengths playing each other. Special mention of Madi Nurbol who is a new face and only P2, its brilliant to see such a young player enjoying chess. Key to improvement is accepting that loosing isnt bad but a good way to learn and to keep playing and get better by learning from how your opponents win! A lesson many adults could do with...

Round 3

Results

No Name              Feder Total  Result   Name                        Feder Total

 1 Ethan Cole        F2    [2]      1:0    Darragh Marsh               P7    [2]  
 2 Alex McKeown      P6    [2]      0:1    Alwin Micheal               F2    [2]  
 3 Kyan Muradali     F3    [2]      0:1    Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam F5    [2]  
 4 Shlok Thoke       F2    [2]     .5:.5   Nathan Murray               F4    [1.5]
 5 Shubham Saha      F2    [1.5]    1:0    Jason Hunt                  F2    [1.5]
 6 Peter Murphy      F5    [1]      1:0    Soundharya Premkumar        P6    [1]  
 7 Jackson Coakley   F1    [1]      0:1    Shreyas Chandra Marrivada   P6    [1]  
 8 George McClelland F3    [1]      1:0    Jatin Jakati                P6    [1]  
 9 Kia Jahandizi     P7    [1]      1:0    Tanish Thoke                P5    [1]  
10 Daniel Simpson    P4    [1]      0:1    Advait Tahmankar            F1    [1]  
11 Conal Caughey     P7    [1]      1:0    Aimina Nurbol               P5    [1]  
12 Aarin Micheal     P4    [1]     .5:.5   Oliver McConkey             P7    [1]  
13 Alexander Davis   P5    [1]      0:1    Charlie Murphy              F2    [1]  
14 Ayush Shambharkar F2    [.5]     0:1    Szymon Slebioda             F3    [1]  
15 Calum Daly        P6    [0]     .5:.5   Ryan Hall                   F1    [0]  
16 Parker Robinson   F2    [0]      1:0    Corey Castillo              P4    [0]  
17 Jacques Jeschke   P6    [0]      0:1    Sanvi Shambharkar           P4    [0]  
18 Anay Bhide        P5    [0]      1:0    Madi Nurbol                 P2    [0]  

Our top cedes Ethan Cole and Alwin Micheal continue to win.

Round 4

Results

No Name                        Feder Total  Result   Name              Feder Total

 1 Alwin Micheal               F2    [3]      1:0    Ethan Cole        F2    [3]  
 2 Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam F5    [3]      1:0    Shlok Thoke       F2    [2.5]
 3 Darragh Marsh               P7    [2]      1:0    Shubham Saha      F2    [2.5]
 4 Advait Tahmankar            F1    [2]      0:1    Peter Murphy      F5    [2]  
 5 Nathan Murray               F4    [2]      1:0    Kia Jahandizi     P7    [2]  
 6 Szymon Slebioda             F3    [2]      0:1    Kyan Muradali     F3    [2]  
 7 Shreyas Chandra Marrivada   P6    [2]      1:0    Conal Caughey     P7    [2]  
 8 Charlie Murphy              F2    [2]      0:1    Alex McKeown      P6    [2]  
 9 Oliver McConkey             P7    [1.5]    0:1    George McClelland F3    [2]  
10 Jason Hunt                  F2    [1.5]    1:0    Aarin Micheal     P4    [1.5]
11 Jatin Jakati                P6    [1]      1:0    Tanish Thoke      P5    [1]  
12 Aimina Nurbol               P5    [1]      0:1    Jackson Coakley   F1    [1]  
13 Soundharya Premkumar        P6    [1]      0:1    Alexander Davis   P5    [1]  
14 Sanvi Shambharkar           P4    [1]      0:1    Daniel Simpson    P4    [1]  
15 Parker Robinson             F2    [1]      1:0    Anay Bhide        P5    [1]  
16 Ryan Hall                   F1    [.5]     0:1    Ayush Shambharkar F2    [.5] 
17 Corey Castillo              P4    [0]      1:0    Calum Daly        P6    [.5] 
18 Madi Nurbol                 P2    [0]      0:1    Jacques Jeschke   P6    [0]  

The battle of the giants. Alwin plays Ethan possibly deciding the winner of the tournament. Alwin wins. A tough game - although I missed the end. Alwin and Karthikeya go into the led with 4 out of 4.

Round 5

Results

No Name                        Feder Total  Result   Name                      Feder Total

 1 Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam F5    [4]      0:1    Alwin Micheal             F2    [4]  
 2 Ethan Cole                  F2    [3]      1:0    Shreyas Chandra Marrivada P6    [3]  
 3 Peter Murphy                F5    [3]      0:1    Darragh Marsh             P7    [3]  
 4 Alex McKeown                P6    [3]      1:0    Nathan Murray             F4    [3]  
 5 Kyan Muradali               F3    [3]      1:0    George McClelland         F3    [3]  
 6 Shlok Thoke                 F2    [2.5]    1:0    Jason Hunt                F2    [2.5]
 7 Shubham Saha                F2    [2.5]    1:0    Jatin Jakati              P6    [2]  
 8 Kia Jahandizi               P7    [2]      1:0    Szymon Slebioda           F3    [2]  
 9 Jackson Coakley             F1    [2]      0:1    Advait Tahmankar          F1    [2]  
10 Conal Caughey               P7    [2]      0:1    Parker Robinson           F2    [2]  
11 Daniel Simpson              P4    [2]      1:0    Charlie Murphy            F2    [2]  
12 Alexander Davis             P5    [2]      0:1    Aarin Micheal             P4    [1.5]
13 Ayush Shambharkar           F2    [1.5]    1:0    Oliver McConkey           P7    [1.5]
14 Jacques Jeschke             P6    [1]      0:1    Soundharya Premkumar      P6    [1]  
15 Tanish Thoke                P5    [1]      0:1    Corey Castillo            P4    [1]  
16 Anay Bhide                  P5    [1]      0:1    Ryan Hall                 F1    [.5] 
17 Calum Daly                  P6    [.5]     0:1    Sanvi Shambharkar         P4    [1]  

Round 5 and Alwin takes the overall lead by beating Karthikeya. We have two P6's on the top 4 boards. Shreyas on board 2 looses to Ethan.and Alex on board 4 wins against Nathan Murray. Its brilliant to see the younger players on the top tables.

There are no photos as we collect the puzzle sheets at the start of round 5 giving us time to mark them.. Amol Thoke fellow volunteer who helped Geoff Hindley out running the second room marked the primary puzzles, I did the secondary. Everyone who hands in a puzzle sheet gets it returned with a certificate.

Round 6

Results

No Name                      Feder Total  Result   Name                        Feder Total

 1 Alwin Micheal             F2    [5]      1:0    Kyan Muradali               F3    [4]  
 2 Ethan Cole                F2    [4]      1:0    Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam F5    [4]  
 3 Darragh Marsh             P7    [4]      0:1    Alex McKeown                P6    [4]  
 4 Shubham Saha              F2    [3.5]    1:0    Shlok Thoke                 F2    [3.5]
 5 George McClelland         F3    [3]      0:1    Peter Murphy                F5    [3]  
 6 Nathan Murray             F4    [3]      1:0    Daniel Simpson              P4    [3]  
 7 Shreyas Chandra Marrivada P6    [3]      0:1    Advait Tahmankar            F1    [3]  
 8 Parker Robinson           F2    [3]     .5:.5   Kia Jahandizi               P7    [3]  
 9 Aarin Micheal             P4    [2.5]    0:1    Ayush Shambharkar           F2    [2.5]
10 Jason Hunt                F2    [2.5]   .5:.5   Conal Caughey               P7    [2]  
11 Jatin Jakati              P6    [2]      1:0    Soundharya Premkumar        P6    [2]  
12 Charlie Murphy            F2    [2]      1:0    Sanvi Shambharkar           P4    [2]  
13 Corey Castillo            P4    [2]      0:1    Jackson Coakley             F1    [2]  
14 Szymon Slebioda           F3    [2]      1:0    Alexander Davis             P5    [2]  
15 Oliver McConkey           P7    [1.5]    1:0    Ryan Hall                   F1    [1.5]
16 Tanish Thoke              P5    [1]      1:0    Anay Bhide                  P5    [1]  
17 Calum Daly                P6    [.5]     1:0    Jacques Jeschke             P6    [1]  

The final round. Two primary youngsters on board 3. Alex McKeown wins and is placed 3rd overalL with 5 points. Alwin Michael is first on 6 out of 6 and Ethan Cole Second on 5 points. The places and final positions are shown below.

Primary 5 and below:

1st : Daniel Simpson P4 (Champion trophy)

2nd : Aarin Michael P4 ( 2nd medal)

3rd : Tanish Thoke P5

3rd : Corey Castillo P4

3rd : Alexander Davis P5

3rd : Sanvi Shambharker P4

Primary 6:

1st : Alex McKeown (Champion trophy)

2nd : Shreyas Chandra Marrivada ( 2nd medal)

2nd : Jatin Jakati

3rd : Soundharya Premkumar

Primary 7:

1st : Darragh Marsh ( Champion trophy )

2nd : Kia Jahandizi ( 2nd medal )

3rd : Conal Caughey

3rd : Oliver McConkey

Form 1:

1st : Advait Tahmankar ( Champion trophy )

2nd : Jackson Coakley ( 2nd medal )

3rd : Ryan Hall

Form 2:

1st : Alwin Micheal (Champion  trophy )

2nd : Ethan Cole ( 2nd medal )

3rd : Shubham Saha

Form 3:

1st : Kyan Muraldi ( Champion trophy )

2nd : George McClelland  ( 2nd medal )

2nd : Syzmon Slebioda

Form 4 and above:

1st : Karthikeya Karpagavinayagam ( Champion trophy )

1st : Nathan Murray ( 2nd medal )

1st : Peter Murphy

The solutions to the second side of the problem sheet. These are from the excellent books :

1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations – Fred Reinfeld

1000 Checkmate Combinations – Victor Henkin