Two days of great chess at the Ulster Masters
The air was expectant with young students hoping to get a few scalps and regular players excited about playing new comers. 37 players sat ready to press the clocks and start play.
Prior to the start we held a few moments quiet reflection to remember the wonderful Alan Burns who sadly passed away.
The top section had last years winner and the person to beat Gabor Harvoth (Lindores Club). Also ready for a fight Brendon Jamison and Calum Leich. With the top players of Gareth Annesley and Nicholas Pilkiewicz a strong section. Robert Lavery kindly agreed to play up. A total of 12 good players a tough section.
The intermediate section included last years winner the King of the Pun, who with a few words can bring down the house, Martin Kelly. New players to watch are Andrew Todd, Chris Cao, Edward Hanzharov (this youngsters first tournament), James Baker, Garhy Aboelsoud, Joshua Geary, Liam Ferris, Suraj Tirupati - its always refreshing to have new players and here was a shower of them.
Its always nice to win but perhaps the best thing is to come away with 6 scores of enjoyable games with challenging positions and brilliant calculations of moves never played but almost planned.....and of conversations and friendly banter...of laughter and humour...frustration and sucess... the whole set of emotions and all over a game..a beautiful logical game of decisions and combinations. What a brilliant 2 days.
What follows is my weak attempt to cover those days- I prefer pictures to words.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate - Round 1
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 7 Geoff Hindley 1039 [0] 0:1 Peter McGuckin 1530 [0] 8 John McKenna 1498 [0] .5:.5 Andrew Todd 1015 [0] 9 Norman Rainey 760 [0] 0:1 Stewart McConaghy 1407 [0] 10 Matthew Chapman 1402 [0] 1:0 Paul Anderson 731 [0] 11 Martin Kelly 1288 [0] .5:.5 James Baker [0] 12 Paul Charles [0] 0:1 Pat McKillen 1257 [0] 13 Roy Stafford 1206 [0] 0:1 Garhy Aboelsoud [0] 14 Chris Cao 1058 [0] 1:0 Liam Ferris [0] 15 David Seaby 1140 [0] 0:1 Joshua Geary [0] 16 Edward Hanzharov [0] 0:1 Paddy Magee 1110 [0] 17 Suraj Tirupati [0] 0:1 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 [0] 18 William Storey 1323 [.5] .5:.5 BYE 19 Cathal Murphy 1278 [0] 0:0 BYE 20 Stephen Scarborough 1218 [.5] .5:.5 BYE
by Swiss Perfect (TM) www.swissperfect.com
Round 1 pits the weakest against the strongest. Heres where David beats Goliath. Andrew Todd didnt disappoint drawing against John McKenna (coming from a recent League match having beaten Mark Newman). James Baker and Martin Kelly played a marathon of a game lasting until gone 2:00pm with Queen and King against Rook, the end position was so elegent I just have to show it (right). Well done to both players proving how artistic and exciting an endgame can be....
Ulster Masters - Senior - Round 1
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 1 Brendan Jamison 1724 [0] .5:.5 Gabor Horvath 2104 [0] 2 Gareth Annesley 1956 [0] 1:0 Ross Harris 1715 [0] 3 Stephen Rush 1647 [0] .5:.5 Soren Jensen 1886 [0] 4 Calum Leitch 1877 [0] 1:0 Thomas Donaldson 1621 [0] 5 Niall Troughton 1602 [0] .5:.5 Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 [0] 6 Mark Newman 1750 [0] 1:0 Robert Lavery 1499 [0]
The Seniors had upsets on half the boards that meant the field was more open for an unexpected result. Brendan drew against Gabor. Niall drew against Nicholas and Stephen drew against Soren. And Robert was the exchange up against Mark who played a poor opening loosing the exchange by move 10 for no real advantage, but was lucky to get some play with the extra minor piece before the Rooks came into play.
With the increment time of 70mins + 30 secs a few players got very short lunch breaks but it did mean games were rarely lost on time. Also Martin and James were still playing at 2:00pm when round 2 was to start. They were allowed a rest of 25mins whilst the rest of the games started,slightly late.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate - Round 2
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 7 Peter McGuckin 1530 [1] 1:0 Chris Cao 1058 [1] 8 Stewart McConaghy 1407 [1] 1:0 Garhy Aboelsoud [1] 9 Paddy Magee 1110 [1] 0:1 Matthew Chapman 1402 [1] 10 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 [1] 0:1 Pat McKillen 1257 [1] 11 Joshua Geary [1] .5:.5 John McKenna 1498 [.5] 12 Andrew Todd 1015 [.5] 1:0 Martin Kelly 1288 [.5] 13 James Baker [.5] .5:.5 Roy Stafford 1206 [0] 14 William Storey 1323 [.5] 1:0 Paul Charles [0] 15 Stephen Scarborough 1218 [.5] 1:0 Suraj Tirupati [0] 16 Paul Anderson 731 [0] 0:1 David Seaby 1140 [0] 17 Liam Ferris [0] 1:0 Geoff Hindley 1039 [0] 18 Edward Hanzharov [0] 1:0 Norman Rainey 760 [0] 19 Cathal Murphy 1278 [0] .5:.5 BYE
Andrew Todd continued his battle to the top beating Martin Kelly. Other results breaking the mould included Joshua Geary drawing with John McKenna and James Baker drawing against Roy Stafford.
Ulster Masters - Senior - Round 2
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 1 Calum Leitch 1877 [1] 0:1 Gareth Annesley 1956 [1] 2 Gabor Horvath 2104 [.5] 1:0 Mark Newman 1750 [1] 3 Soren Jensen 1886 [.5] .5:.5 Brendan Jamison 1724 [.5] 4 Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 [.5] .5:.5 Stephen Rush 1647 [.5] 5 Ross Harris 1715 [0] 0:1 Niall Troughton 1602 [.5] 6 Thomas Donaldson 1621 [0] 1:0 Robert Lavery 1499 [0]
Round 2 of the Seniors continued with upsets. Brendan Jamison drawing against Soren Jensen and Stephen Rush drawing against Nicholas Pilkiewicz. Niall Troughton beating Ross Harris.Gareth continued unbeaten to lead the standings followed closely by Gabor and Niall.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate - Round 3
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 7 Stewart McConaghy 1407 [2] .5:.5 Matthew Chapman 1402 [2] 8 Pat McKillen 1257 [2] 0:1 William Storey 1323 [1.5] 9 Andrew Todd 1015 [1.5] .5:.5 Stephen Scarborough 1218 [1.5] 10 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 [1] 0:1 Joshua Geary [1.5] 11 James Baker [1] 0:1 John McKenna 1498 [1] 12 Paddy Magee 1110 [1] 1:0 Chris Cao 1058 [1] 13 Garhy Aboelsoud [1] 1:0 Edward Hanzharov [1] 14 Martin Kelly 1288 [.5] 1:0 Liam Ferris [1] 15 Roy Stafford 1206 [.5] 1:0 Geoff Hindley 1039 [0] 16 Paul Charles [0] 0:1 Norman Rainey 760 [0] 17 Paul Anderson 731 [0] 0:1 Suraj Tirupati [0] 18 Peter McGuckin 1530 [2] .5:.5 BYE 19 Cathal Murphy 1278 [.5] .5:.5 BYE 20 David Seaby 1140 [1] .5:.5 BYE
Results went to plan apart from Andrew Todd and Joshua Geary. With a day over and 3 rounds played no players on 3 points. 4 players on 2 and 4 on 1.5 so the tournament still wide open...and a night to rest and regroup.
Ulster Masters - Senior - Round 3
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 1 Gareth Annesley 1956 [2] .5:.5 Gabor Horvath 2104 [1.5] 2 Niall Troughton 1602 [1.5] 0:1 Soren Jensen 1886 [1] 3 Stephen Rush 1647 [1] 0:1 Calum Leitch 1877 [1] 4 Brendan Jamison 1724 [1] 1:0 Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 [1] 5 Mark Newman 1750 [1] 1:0 Thomas Donaldson 1621 [1] 6 Robert Lavery 1499 [0] .5:.5 Ross Harris 1715 [0]
Brendon continued his line of good results with a win over Nicholas Pilkiewicz and Robert Lavery showed his skill in gaining 1/2 point over Ross Harris with a tough endgame. Played under tough time pressure.At the end of the day Gareth Annesley still in the lead with 2.5 followed by 5 players on 2 points. Someone needed to score a point against Gareth. What would happen in the morning.
The opening of the Edward Whiteside Chess Library took place at the tournament with some 40 books and 20 DVDs. Several members joined and borrowed books and DVDs.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate - Round 4
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 7 Peter McGuckin 1530 [2.5] 1:0 Joshua Geary [2.5] 8 William Storey 1323 [2.5] 0:1 Paddy Magee 1110 [2] 9 John McKenna 1498 [2] 1:0 Garhy Aboelsoud [2] 10 Stephen Scarborough 1218 [2] 0:1 Pat McKillen 1257 [2] 11 David Seaby 1140 [1.5] 0:1 Andrew Todd 1015 [2] 12 BYE 0:1 Martin Kelly 1288 [1.5] 13 Cathal Murphy 1278 [1] 1:0 James Baker [1] 14 Norman Rainey 760 [1] 0:1 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 [1] 15 Edward Hanzharov [1] 1:0 Paul Anderson 731 [0] 16 Geoff Hindley 1039 [0] 1:0 Paul Charles [0] 17 Stewart McConaghy 1407 [2.5] .5:.5 BYE 18 Matthew Chapman 1402 [2.5] .5:.5 BYE 19 Chris Cao 1058 [1] .5:.5 BYE 20 Liam Ferris [1] .5:.5 BYE 21 Suraj Tirupati [1] .5:.5 BYE 22 BYE .5:.5 Roy Stafford 1206 [1.5]
Going into Round 4 we have 5 players leading on 2.5 including unrated player Joshua Geary. Followed closely by 6 players on 2 including Garhy Aboelsoud and Andrew Todd. The top 3 boards had 2 new unrated players. Andrew Todd continued to gain points so far not having lost a game. Alot of players took traveling Byes, not unusual for a Sunday morning. The organisers were flexible with traveling Byes taking the view that the main aim was to encourage people to play chess.
Ulster Masters - Senior - Round 4
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 1 Brendan Jamison 1724 [2] .5:.5 Gareth Annesley 1956 [2.5] 2 Gabor Horvath 2104 [2] 0:1 Calum Leitch 1877 [2] 3 Soren Jensen 1886 [2] 1:0 Mark Newman 1750 [2] 4 Thomas Donaldson 1621 [1] 0:1 Stephen Rush 1647 [1] 5 Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 [1] 0:1 Ross Harris 1715 [.5] 6 Robert Lavery 1499 [.5] 1:0 BYE 7 Niall Troughton 1602 [1.5] .5:.5 BYE
The upsets continued in the Seniors. Brendan having an excellent tournament. Calum gaining the joint lead with Gareth and Soren. With Brendan on 2 1/2 and 4 players on 2.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate - Round 5
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 7 Matthew Chapman 1402 [3] 1:0 Peter McGuckin 1530 [3.5] 8 Pat McKillen 1257 [3] 1:0 John McKenna 1498 [3] 9 Andrew Todd 1015 [3] 1:0 Stewart McConaghy 1407 [3] 10 Paddy Magee 1110 [3] 0:1 Martin Kelly 1288 [2.5] 11 Joshua Geary [2.5] 0:1 William Storey 1323 [2.5] 12 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 [2] 0:1 Cathal Murphy 1278 [2] 13 Roy Stafford 1206 [2] 1:0 Edward Hanzharov [2] 14 Liam Ferris [1.5] 1:0 Stephen Scarborough 1218 [2] 15 Suraj Tirupati [1.5] 1:0 David Seaby 1140 [1.5] 16 Norman Rainey 760 [1] 0:1 Geoff Hindley 1039 [1] 17 Paul Anderson 731 [0] 1:0 Paul Charles [0] 18 Chris Cao 1058 [1.5] .5:.5 BYE
Round 5 and Peter McGuckin leads by 1/2 point followed by a pack of 6 players on 3 points all to play for. and another exciting endgame with a flutter of mistakes Andrew had what looked like a lost game (a Bishop and pawns v Rook and pawns) when Stewart made the mistake of allowing a pawn reach the 7th Rank and put his Rook on the wrong row allowing the pawn to Queen.
Ulster Masters - Senior - Round 5
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 1 Gareth Annesley 1956 [3] 1:0 Soren Jensen 1886 [3] 2 Calum Leitch 1877 [3] 1:0 Brendan Jamison 1724 [2.5] 3 Stephen Rush 1647 [2] 0:1 Gabor Horvath 2104 [2] 4 Mark Newman 1750 [2] 1:0 Niall Troughton 1602 [2] 5 Robert Lavery 1499 [1.5] 0:1 Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 [1] 6 Ross Harris 1715 [1.5] 0:1 Thomas Donaldson 1621 [1]
Games went to plan except on board 6 where Thomas played well to beat Ross. Sharing the lead on 4 points Calum and Gareth.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate - Round 6
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 7 Pat McKillen 1257 [4] 1:0 Matthew Chapman 1402 [4] 8 Peter McGuckin 1530 [3.5] 1:0 Andrew Todd 1015 [4] 9 Martin Kelly 1288 [3.5] 1:0 William Storey 1323 [3.5] 10 John McKenna 1498 [3] 1:0 Roy Stafford 1206 [3] 11 Stewart McConaghy 1407 [3] 1:0 Paddy Magee 1110 [3] 12 Cathal Murphy 1278 [3] 0:1 Joshua Geary [2.5] 13 Liam Ferris [2.5] .5:.5 Suraj Tirupati [2.5] 14 Stephen Scarborough 1218 [2] 1:0 Edward Hanzharov [2] 15 Chris Cao 1058 [2] 0:1 Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 [2] 16 Geoff Hindley 1039 [2] 1:0 David Seaby 1140 [1.5] 17 Paul Anderson 731 [1] 1:0 Norman Rainey 760 [1] 18 Paul Charles [0] 1:0 BYE
Going into the final round three players were fighting for the lead, Matthew Chapman, Pat McKillen, Peter McGuckin and Andrew Todd. Would there be an upset?
The final round decided by Pat McKillen beating Matthew Chapman and Peter McGuckin beating Andrew Todd. But what exciting finish.
Ulster Masters - Senior - Round 6
Results
No Name Loc Total Result Name Loc Total 1 Mark Newman 1750 [3] 1:0 Gareth Annesley 1956 [4] 2 Soren Jensen 1886 [3] .5:.5 Calum Leitch 1877 [4] 3 Gabor Horvath 2104 [3] 1:0 Robert Lavery 1499 [1.5] 4 Niall Troughton 1602 [2] .5:.5 Brendan Jamison 1724 [2.5] 5 Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 [2] 1:0 Thomas Donaldson 1621 [2] 6 Ross Harris 1715 [1.5] .5:.5 Stephen Rush 1647 [2]
Going into round 6 Calum said to Mark you have to win or draw and Mark never having had a good result against Gareth was seriously sceptical.
Ulster Masters - Intermediate
Standings
Place Name Feder Rtg Loc Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.
1 Pat McKillen 1257 5 15.5 20.0 17.0
2-3 Peter McGuckin 1530 4.5 17.0 23.0 17.0
Martin Kelly 1288 4.5 16.0 22.0 13.0
4-7 Andrew Todd 1015 4 19.0 25.0 15.0
John McKenna 1498 4 17.5 24.5 13.5
Matthew Chapman 1402 4 17.0 24.0 16.5
Stewart McConaghy 1407 4 14.5 19.5 15.5
8-9 Joshua Geary 3.5 17.5 23.5 13.5
William Storey 1323 3.5 17.5 23.0 14.5
10-17 Stephen Scarborough 1218 3 17.0 24.0 11.5
Paddy Magee 1110 3 17.0 23.0 13.0
Cathal Murphy 1278 3 17.0 22.5 9.5
Adrian Dornford-Smith 1043 3 15.5 21.5 10.0
Liam Ferris 3 14.5 20.0 9.0
Suraj Tirupati 3 14.0 19.0 8.0
Roy Stafford 1206 3 13.5 18.0 10.0
Geoff Hindley 1039 3 13.0 18.0 6.0
18-21 Chris Cao 1058 2 16.0 22.5 8.5
Edward Hanzharov 2 13.0 17.0 8.0
Paul Anderson 731 2 11.5 16.0 3.0
Garhy Aboelsoud 2 11.0 17.0 6.0
22 David Seaby 1140 1.5 16.0 22.0 7.0
23-25 Paul Charles 1 15.0 21.0 1.0
Norman Rainey 760 1 14.0 18.5 4.0
James Baker 1 12.0 20.0 3.5
UCU President awarding prizes for the Intermediate competition 1st prize to Pat McKillan and right 2nd place to Peter McGuckin. Also winning grading prizes Andrew Todd (who ended up joint 4th) and Joshua Geary on 3.5 points. Very well deserved and two young players who are worth watching in the future. If you are at school and keen to play chess, the UCU runs a monthly series of tournaments for students see our events on this website for more details.
The first prize is The Des Forson Trophy - a wood carved chess position - one which was played by Des and was his favourite with a complicated win.
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Ulster Masters - Senior
Standings
Place Name Feder Rtg Loc Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.
1 Calum Leitch 1877 4.5 13.0 19.0 15.5
2-4 Gareth Annesley 1956 4 14.5 21.0 16.5
Gabor Horvath 2104 4 13.5 19.0 13.0
Mark Newman 1750 4 12.0 17.0 13.0
5 Soren Jensen 1886 3.5 13.5 20.5 13.0
6-7 Brendan Jamison 1724 3 14.5 21.5 11.5
Nicholas Pilkiewicz 1831 3 9.0 13.0 8.5
8-9 Stephen Rush 1647 2.5 12.5 19.0 9.0
Niall Troughton 1602 2.5 12.5 18.5 10.0
10-11 Thomas Donaldson 1621 2 11.5 17.0 7.0
Ross Harris 1715 2 10.0 15.0 5.5
12 Robert Lavery 1499 1.5 12.0 18.0 5.0
The Winners of the Seniors. Calum Leitch 1st and Gareth Annesley 2nd place with Stephen Rush receiving the grading prize.
Calum gave thanks to the controllers and volunteers who made this possible. To the tournament director Ross Harris. and to Mark Newman for beating Gareth.
Gareth in good humour also thanked Mark for his 2nd place!
The tournament was a wonderful celebration of the game of chess.... see you at our next tournament.
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