No easy wins

There are no easy wins in the local chess leagues plus forthcoming tournaments and the weekly game.

The 3 Belfast and District Leagues are now well underway, but already the pre-season favourites are not having things all their own way. For example, the B Division with only five teams due to play each other four times, was thought by most pundits to lie between CIYMS and Fisherwick, Belfast's two largest clubs. However, CIYMS lost 4-2 at home to Bangor, while Fisherwick lost their first two home games: 1½-4½ to Shorts and 2½-3½ to CIYMS. Future developments in the ever-shifting scene of league chess will be reported in this column. Meanwhile, in today's game, Montgomery may not have won a war but he certainly outflanked and out-manoeuvred his opponent.

On Friday 25th November to Sunday 27th November, Queen's University Students' Union hosts the Ulster Intermediate and Junior Championships.

  • The Intermediate is for those graded 1800 and under (fee £6)
  • While the Junior is for 1450 and under (fee £5)

If you are under 16 or over 65 years old, the entry fee for either tournament is only £3. So any budding Ulster champion should send entry and fee to David Houston, 53 Osborne Gardens, Belfast BT9 6LF (Tele, 660620).

Media

News
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Upcoming Events
FIDE rated Ulster Rapidplay Championship 2026 Feb 28, 2026 09:30 AM - 04:30 PM — Fruithill Chess Club, Falls Bowling Club, 63 Andersonstown Rd, Belfast, BT11 9AH
Women's Chess Day with special guest - WGM Trisha Kanyamarala Mar 08, 2026 12:00 PM - 04:00 PM — Lisburn Chess Club, 60-62 Longstone Street
FIDE RATED Coalisland Blitz Championship 2026 Tuesday 10 March 2026. Check-in at 19:50 The 10 rounds will be played back-to-back from 20:00 to 22:30 Time-control 3-... Mar 10, 2026 07:50 PM - 10:30 PM — Washingbay Centre, 92 Ballybeg Road, Aughamullan, Coalisland, County Tyrone, BT71 5DX
Third Executive Board Meeting Agenda TBC Mar 10, 2026 08:00 PM - 09:30 PM — Lisburn Chess Club
March 14th 2026 Childrens Chess 12:30 – 5:00 UCU Monthly Schools Chess Tournaments Continues at Methodist College. Mar 14, 2026 12:30 PM - 05:00 PM — Methodist College,1 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6BY
Upcoming events…