Arkell Put to the Test in Carrickfergus

On Saturday 23rd May, the Ulster Chess Union welcomed renowned English Grandmaster Keith Arkell for its annual simultaneous exhibition - and what unfolded in Carrickfergus proved to be one of the toughest simuls the veteran GM can remember.

Held this year at the newly established Carrickfergus Community Chess Club, the event brought together 22 players from across the local chess scene, all of whom had earned their tickets throughout the season via performances in major UCU events including the Ulster Championships, Ulster Masters, Blitz, Rapidplay, and Summer Tournament.

Arkell arrived in Northern Ireland for the first time to glorious sunshine, with UCU organiser Karina Campbell collecting the GM from Belfast International Airport before the pair headed to Dobbins Inn in Carrickfergus to settle in ahead of the evening’s play. Rumour has it that Karina may even have persuaded Keith to enjoy a “cheeky Guinness or two” before battle commenced.

By the time the players arrived, much of the hard work had already been completed thanks to the efforts of Mark Newman, Eddie Khanzharov, and members of the Carrickfergus Community Chess Club, who had every board, clock, scoresheet and seating arrangement perfectly prepared for the Grandmaster’s arrival.

Unlike previous editions of the simul, Arkell offered players the choice of colour. Fourteen participants opted to play White, while Mandar Tahmankar boldly chose Black on board one - a decision that would ultimately pay off in spectacular fashion.

From the outset, Arkell maintained a relentless pace, moving briskly between boards and rarely lingering long at any position. Yet despite his trademark efficiency and immense experience, the Ulster contingent proved exceptionally resilient. After just over four hours of play, Arkell finished with a still-impressive score of 19/22, though the final tally only told part of the story.

Victories for Mandar Tahmankar and Edward Khanzharov, alongside hard-earned draws for Gerard McIlroy and Amol Thoke, ensured the local players could celebrate a memorable evening against one of Britain’s most respected chess figures.

The Grandmaster himself was full of praise afterwards:

“I don’t recall a more difficult simul strength-wise.”

Arkell’s résumé speaks for itself. The 2008 English Champion is also a European Senior Champion, tied for first in the 2014 World Senior Championship, British Online Champion in 2021, and has won the British Senior Championship for each of the last three years. Known internationally as a formidable endgame specialist, Arkell even has an opening variation named after him: the Arkell-Khenkin Variation.

Speaking after the event, Arkell praised both the organisation and the quality of opposition:

“Back from an extremely tough simul in Carrickfergus, wonderfully organised by Karina Campbell, who does so much for the Ulster Chess Union in Northern Ireland.

“The simul, in which I applied my trademarks of offering my opponents choice of colour, two passes each, and a finale of playing out the last four games on the clock with a 10:10 time limit, took me a full four hours - much longer than I normally take - which reflects just how strong and dogged my opponents were.”

The evening was not without its lighter moments. Early in the simul, Arkell accidentally helped himself to a player’s water bottle while his own sat nearby on the table. The Grandmaster was reportedly highly amused when Karina informed him of the mix-up later in the evening - hopefully the unfortunate player wasn’t too attached to the bottle.

Among the many competitive encounters, Arkell singled out Robert Lavery’s game as a particular standout, noting afterwards that Lavery “made him work for it.”

Following the final handshakes, players and organisers returned to Dobbins Inn for a relaxed post-mortem over a few quiet pints, joined by Chris Armstrong and Dominic Gallagher as stories from the evening quickly began to circulate.

Reflecting on the occasion afterwards, representatives from the Carrickfergus Community Chess Club described the event as a landmark moment for the newly formed club:

“Hosting the UCU Grandmaster Simul was a massive milestone for the Carrickfergus Community Chess Club. Welcoming GM Keith Arkell was an absolute privilege, and pushing him to two draws and two losses showed the fantastic calibre of the local players — including our own Aaron and Liam, who did us proud.

“This night truly highlighted the incredible spirit, talent, and community solidarity here in Carrickfergus. Huge thanks to the UCU for the opportunity!”

Karina Campbell extended thanks to everyone who attended and assisted with the event, noting that the evening had been a tremendous success for both the UCU and the newly formed Carrickfergus Community Chess Club. The feeling was clearly mutual, with Arkell stating he would be delighted to return in the future.

Thanks to Mandar Tahmankar and Eddie Khanzharov for sharing their games from the evening, which are included below.

K Arkell v M Tahmankar

E Khanzharov v K Arkell

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. c3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 e6 8. Be3 Nge7 9. Bb5 Ng6 10. Bd4 Qc7 11. Qg3 Be7 12. O-O O-O 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14. b4 b6 15. cxb6 axb6 16. f4 Nh4 17. Qf2 Rfb8 18. g4 h5 19. f5 hxg4 20. f6 Nf3+ 21. Kh1 Bf8 22. fxg7 Bxg7 23. Nd2 Nxd2 24. Qxd2 Kf8 25. Qf4 Rb7 26. Qxg4 Bh6 27. Qh5 Bg7 28. Rg1 Qc4 29. Qh7 Ke7 30. Qxg7 Rf8 31. Qf6+ Kd7 32. Qf1 Kc6 33. Qxc4+ dxc4 34. a4 Ra8 35. a5 bxa5 36. Rxa5 Rh8 37. Rga1 Rh4 38. Ra6+ Kd5 39. Re1 Rd7 40. b5 Rd8 41. b6 Kc6 42. Rb1 Rdh8 43. b7+ Kc7 44. Rb2 Rb8 45. Bc5 Rxb7 *

Full Simul Results

Upcoming UCU Events

-       Fischer Random

Saturday 13^th June at Loanends Presbyterian Church

-       Annual General Meeting

Monday 15^th June at Fruithill Chess Club

-       Ulster Championships

Saturday 29^th August – Monday 31^st August at Blackmountain Shared Space

-       UK Open Blitz (Belfast Qualifier)

Saturday 12^th September at Loanends Presbyterian Church