Another successful Summer School
Youngsters enjoying chess
The Ulster Chess Unions Summer Chess School 2012 was run over the three days Weds 8th, Thurs 9th, Fri 10th August.
We had 17 Students. Playing several tournaments, solving puzzles, doing worksheets, having lectures, doing workshops, coaching each other.
Below MIchael Waters taking a workshop on Friday afternoon.
Two of the best players in Ulster took the expert section for workshops. Steve Scannell (5 times Ulster Champion) and Michael Waters (Current Ulster Champion).
The tournaments included a 5 round swiss for all players:
| Place | Name | Score |
| 1 | Thomas Donaldson | 5 |
| 2-3 | Ashley McWhinney | 4 |
| Matthew Chapman | 4 | |
| 4 | Lucia Corrigan | 3.5 |
| 5-8 | Tom Kane | 3 |
| Mond Parrissis | 3 | |
| Joshua Enginco | 3 | |
| Patrick McGurnaghan | 3 | |
| 9-10 | Feargal Cosgrove | 2.5 |
| Honor Parrisiss | 2.5 | |
| 11-13 | Vincent Enginco | 2 |
| Ellen Eachus, | 2 | |
| Rachel Eachus | 2 | |
| 14-16 | Steffanie Eachus, | 1.5 |
| Matthew McCann | 1.5 | |
| Emorej Enginco | 1.5 | |
| 17 | Aditya Manivannan | 1 |
and a 4 round coaching tournament where the younger players were paired with the more experienced players who discussed the moves and coached their partners:
| Place | Name | Score |
| 1-2 | Ashley McWhinney: Honor Parrissis, | 3.5 |
| Thomas Donaldson: Rachel Eachus | 3.5 | |
| 3-4 | Geoff Hindley: Matthew McCann, | 2.5 |
| Matthew Chapman: Emorej Enginco | 2.5 | |
| 5-7 | Tom Kane: Vincent Enginco | 2 |
| Patrick McGurnaghan: Lucia Corrigan | 2 | |
| Mond Parrissis: Steffanie, | 2 | |
| 8-9 | Feargal Cosgrove: Aditya Manivannan | 1 |
| Joshua Enginco: Ellen Eachus | 1 |
The students also played battleships (on a chessboard) to help memorise/visualise the board. Battle chess - a brilliant endgame mini-game of chess and took part in a team puzzle solving competition.
It was good to see several families represented. Below is a photo of the Eachus chess playing family.
The love of games was extended to lunchtime when some of the youngsters enjoyed playing other board games: Mastermind, Othello, Mancala, The Royal Game of UR.
The 7 year old Aditya enjoyed these and mentioned that his mother had taught him Mancala.
Geoff playing Aditya:
Thanks go to our hosts the Ballynafiegh Community Center, to Damien Cunningham who organised the venue, to Geoff Hindley, Graham Murphy, Steve Scannell and Michael Waters without whom the event woudnt have happened - many thanks.
