Oh dear, oh dear

NICS entertained Muldoons on Thursday night. NICS, a new generation of Civil Servants versus Muldoons, a revamped Mallusk squad with ambitions. Could the new boys challenge the travellers ambitions? Would the visitors be able to deliver on their bold talk? A testing match-up for both teams perhaps.
Oh dear, oh dear

NICS vs Muldoons

Sometimes its difficult to refer to a club as the "new boys" when most of their players fondly reminisce about L.S.D. rattling in their pockets and there was still change from a £1 note after a skin-full & a chip on the way home. Its just as difficult to credit the wandering Muldoons - fives home venues in the past four years and nearly as many name changes - as a settled, established squad. But Ulster Chess is full of such mysteries.

Board 5: Adrian Donford Smith bs Rodney OrrFirst board to fall was Drew Ferguson on 3 taking a dreadful hammering from Nick Pilkiewicz as white. Black got himself boxed in, lurching from one mating threat to another until the inevitable coup de gras. Geoff Hindley on board 4 survived a little longer against Richard Gould.

Adrian Donford-Smith played black on board 5 against new player Rodney Orr; allegedly this was Rodney's first real OTB game with a clock - his usual forte being online blitz competition. Adrian came under severe pressure with a pair of rooks and their Queen drilling a pawn up the c-file. Rodney probably missed several earlier opportunities but eventually found the mate. The surprise of the game was that Rodney was still within his first 15 minutes when the game ended.Board 1: Mark Newman vs Gareth Annesley

On board 1, Mark Newman, spying a mating opportunity on  Gareth Annesley's first rank, attempted to gain advantage by sacrificing a piece for a brace of pawns; the tactic didn't work out. With boths kings castled queenside and an almost open centre Mark appeared to be in a good position pushing an unchallenged d-pawn. Both players took their time trying to shift the balance of play. But as the pawns started to fall and the material balance was firmly with white, Gareth gradually asserted control eventually forcing the black King into a 10-move mate.

So it was down to Alan Burns to try and retrieve some honour for the NICS team. And it looked as if he might well do just that.

Board 2: Alan Burns vs Danny Mallaghan Danny Malaghan as black was under pressure facing a strong attack down the king-side while his own queen-side attack had stalled with the white king well protected - for the moment. Alan's h-pawn had reached h6 supported by a pair of rooks on the g & h files while black's king was more or less trapped on h8. Danny spent a long-time considering his position - with over 30 minutes time difference and his own clock into the final quarter. The break through came when Alan got caught with a check exposing one of his rooks. Now on active attack and with a good material advantage Danny was able to force the mate.

A dismal day for NICS experiencing their first white-wash of the season. And a good result for Muldoons - although not entirely unchallenged. As ever its strength in depth that has the greatest impact in local matches.

NICS 0 - 5 Muldoons

Current League standings

Navigation
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…