You are here: Home Archives Ulster Chronicles 1998-1999 Season UCU Yearbook Articles North Belfast at the 1998 European Club Championships

North Belfast at the 1998 European Club Championships

The North Belfast Chess Team competed at the European Club Championships in Lubniewice, Poland 11th-13th September 1998. This report appeared originally in the 1997-1998 UCU Yearbook.
North Belfast at the 1998 European Club Championships

North Belfast v Gorzow 'B'

The North Belfast Chess Club by winning the All-Ireland Club Championships qualified to represent Ireland in the European Club. As luck would have it we were drawn to play in Poland, with very strong opposition from Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belgium.

Our hosts kindly arranged to collect us at the Polish-German Border, and drive sixty Kilometres to the venue in the quiet town of Lubniewice. The venue turned out to be a "workers camp" of the company of the main tournament sponsors Stilon. Which made for pleasant lakeside walks or strolls through the wooded countryside.


The town of Lubniewice was a short walk away, and it's many bars were to provide the night-time entertainment, and a slice of life in Poland.


In the first round we were paired against the host club, a daunting task as they out-rated all our boards by 600 points. Despite the lopsided result we played very well.

Round 1
Stilon Gorzow, Poland          North Belfast
GM Michal Krasenkow      1:0   Tom Clarke
GM Sergei Shipov         1:0   David Houston
GM Rustem Dautov         1:0   Stephen Scannell
GM Igor Khenkin          1:0   Adrian Skelton
IM Pawel Jaracz          1:0   David Blair
IM Aleksander Czerwonski 1:0   Nicholas Pilkiewicz

The second round result was a disappointment, this was the team we felt we could beat before we came to the tournament, during the match the result was always in doubt but the Belgians greater experience told.

Round 2
Leuven, Belgium             North Belfast
IM Pieter Claesen     1:0   Tom Clarke
FM Jereon Claesen     1:0   David Houston
Chris van Hul         1:0   Stephen Scannell
Koen Bossuyt          1:0   Adrian Skelton
Eddy van Espen        1:0   David Blair
Freddy de Guchtenaere 1/2   Nicholas Pilkiewicz

Due to the non appearance of the Swedish and Croatian teams this left a bye for the last round, and our hosts Gorzow Chess Club arranged for us to play their B side, headed by two IMs, still a formidable side which we managed after a long struggle to beat.

Round 3
Stilon Gorzow B, Poland        North Belfast
IM Jan Przewoznik        1:0   Tom Clarke
IM Aleksander Czerwonski 1/2   David Houston
Olaf Michalski           0:1   Stephen Scannell
Jerzy Brok               1:0   Adrian Skelton
Joanna Wilminska         0:1   David Blair
Matueusz Bronowicki      0:1   Nicholas Pilkiewicz

The tournament was eventually won by the host club "Stilon Gorzow", who after a narrow 3.5:2.5 win in the semi-final against the all GM team from the Ukraine, went on to beat the Estonian team Parnu by a similar score after a titanic struggle.

Ruslan Ponomariov
The members of the team would like to thank all the members of the Chess Club, the Ulster Chess Union, St Malachy's Old Boys Association and especially Jack Kennedy, Elizabeth Blair and Helen Scannell without whose invaluable assistance this trip would not be possible.

News
Join the FIDE Social Chess Storytelling Challenge 2025 – Every Move Counts! A message from The FIDE Social Commission Team:- FIDE has made 2025 the Year of Social Chess and invites you to particip... Apr 28, 2025
Final Standings for the 2025 Childrens Chess Grandprix With the April Childrens Chess completed we have the final standings for the 2025 Grandprix. The top four of each sectio... Apr 26, 2025
UCU League 2024/25 final tables and board prizes Report on the UCU Belfast & District League 2024/25 Apr 20, 2025
City Of Bangor Chess Club hosted the Ulster Team Rapidplay Championship 2024/25 The Ulster Chess Team Rapidplay Championships are run every two years. Top players and team travelled to the fantastic B... Apr 16, 2025
Aprils Monthly Childrens Chess Tournament at Methodist College On April 12th 2025 Children from all over Ulster meet at Methodist College to play brilliant chess at the Ulster Chess U... Apr 16, 2025
More news…
« May 2025 »
May
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Upcoming Events
Delancey Schools UK Chess Challenge Belfast Megafinal May 10th Our Monthly Children's Chess Tournaments continues with the UK Chess Challenge Belfast Megafinal Sat 10th May - an oppor... May 10, 2025 09:45 AM - 05:00 PM — Methodist College,1 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6BY
GM Simul with Alex Baburin May 23, 2025 06:30 PM - 11:00 PM — Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Belfast
FIDE RATED City of Belfast Classic Championship 2025 Sat 24th May, Sun 25th May, Mon 26th May Venue: Castleview Suite, Maynard Sinclair Sports Pavilion, Upper Newtownards R... May 24, 2025 - May 26, 2025 — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
FIDE RATED Belfast Blitz Championship 2025 May 24, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — Castleview Suite, Maynard Sinclair Sports Pavilion, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ulster Fischer Random Rapidplay Championship 2025 7 rounds of Fischer Random Chess, Sunday 8th June at the Civil Service Pavilion. Jun 08, 2025 10:30 AM - 06:00 PM — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
Upcoming events…