This years Childrens Chess Grandprix kicks off in November
This is the first year of the tournament when we have a Primary School player entering the secondary School Section. Calvin Patterson who has won the Primary Shield a couple of times and is only P5 is considered to be a rising star with chess skills that will challenge the older Secondary School players. Still the Secondary section has some tough talent. There's Pete Todd who last year was close to winning the Ulster Schools Championship only to be pipped to the post by his older brother. Also Jake Patterson and Eoin McCorkingdate among a strong field.
The day started with a hush as the first round began and youngsters focused on their games with concentration on their faces. As games completed the atmosphere became chatty with friendly games being played and the chess puzzles being discussed and hopefully solved.
A new youngster who has only just learnt the game stayed for an hour and got some coaching from Geoff Hindley and Damien Cunningham
A few new faces including a young Katie Scannell , daughter of 8 times Ulster Champion Steven Scannell and Alanna Breen daughter of Damien the Ulster Chess Chairman.
Puzzles are a great way of improving your chess - they represent patterns of likely positions with themes that can be repeated in actual games. Also some of these problems show the true beauty of the game.
This competition we were pleasantly suprised by the number of puzzles handed in by the Secondary section.
The results are below. Calvin Patterson won the Primary section and Eoin McCorkindale got a brilliant result of 19 the clear winner of the secondary School section.
Primary Puzzle solving results:
| Cert. | Score | Name | Year |
| Gold | 8 | Cavlin Patterson | P5 |
| Silver | 6 | Farida Haridy | P3 |
| Silver | 5 | Alanna Breen | P5 |
| Silver | 5 | Adam Fitzsimmons | P4 |
| Silver | 5 | Avrora Zelenchuk | P4 |
| Bronze | 4 | Jasper Grady | P6 |
| Bronze | 4 | Dexter Harris | P4 |
| Bronze | 4 | Katy Thornton | P7 |
| Bronze | 3 | Ahmed Haridy | P5 |
Secondary Puzzle solving results
| Cert | Score | Name | Year |
| Gold | 19 | Eoin McCorkindale | U6 |
| Silver | 13 | Pete Todd | F3 |
| Silver | 12 | Daniil Zelenchuk | F2 |
| Silver | 11 | Matthew Gray | U6 |
| Silver | 11 | Scott Murray | U6 |
| Silver | 11 | Jake Patterson | U6 |
| Bronze | 9 | Sam Todd | F5 |
| Bronze | 8 | Ciaran Rowan | F4 |
| Bronze | 8 | Adam Rushe | F4 |
| Bronze | 7 | Calum Glendinning | F1 |
Some puzzles from the competition. Answers given at the bottom of this page. These problems are from the book : and have the theme of double attack.
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Primary - Round 1
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Alanna Breen P5 [0] .5:.5 Dexter Harris P4 [0] 2 Katie Scannell P3 [0] 0:1 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [0] 3 Jasper Grady P6 [0] 0:1 Katy Thornton P7 [0] 4 Birney Wang P6 [0] 1:0 Ahmed Haridy P5 [0] 5 Farida Haridy P3 [0] 0:1 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [0]
by Swiss Perfect (TM) www.swissperfect.com
Alanna Breen has a close battle with Dexter Harris, Alanna being ahead was offered and took a draw offered by Dexter.
Primary - Round 2
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [1] 0:1 Birney Wang P6 [1] 2 Katy Thornton P7 [1] 0:1 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [1] 3 Jasper Grady P6 [0] 0:1 Alanna Breen P5 [.5] 4 Dexter Harris P4 [.5] 1:0 Farida Haridy P3 [0] 5 Ahmed Haridy P5 [0] .5:.5 Katie Scannell P3 [0]
Alanna and Dexter continue and win their games. Birney and Avrora have won both their games and go into round 3 on full points.
Primary - Round 3
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [2] .5:.5 Birney Wang P6 [2] 2 Alanna Breen P5 [1.5] 0:1 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [1] 3 Katy Thornton P7 [1] .5:.5 Dexter Harris P4 [1.5] 4 Katie Scannell P3 [.5] 0:1 Jasper Grady P6 [0] 5 Farida Haridy P3 [0] 0:1 Ahmed Haridy P5 [.5]
Avrora and Birney draw and share first place on 2.5. Adam beats Alanna and Katie gets a draw against Dexter.
Primary - Round 4
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [2] .5:.5 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [2.5] 2 Birney Wang P6 [2.5] 0:1 Dexter Harris P4 [2] 3 Ahmed Haridy P5 [1.5] 0:1 Alanna Breen P5 [1.5] 4 Katie Scannell P3 [.5] 0:1 Katy Thornton P7 [1.5] 5 Jasper Grady P6 [1] 1:0 Farida Haridy P3 [0]
The top table seems to be getting draws. Avrora draws against Adam whilest Dexter beats Birney and both go into the lead on 3 points.
Primary - Round 5
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [3] 0:1 Alanna Breen P5 [2.5] 2 Dexter Harris P4 [3] .5:.5 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [2.5] 3 Katy Thornton P7 [2.5] 1:0 Birney Wang P6 [2.5] 4 Ahmed Haridy P5 [1.5] 0:1 Jasper Grady P6 [2] 5 Farida Haridy P3 [0] 1:0 Katie Scannell P3 [.5]
Alanna, Dexter and Katy all take the lead on 3.5 the battle for the lead continues.
Primary - Round 6
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Alanna Breen P5 [3.5] 1:0 Katy Thornton P7 [3.5] 2 Dexter Harris P4 [3.5] 1:0 Ahmed Haridy P5 [1.5] 3 Birney Wang P6 [2.5] .5:.5 Jasper Grady P6 [3] 4 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [3] 1:0 Farida Haridy P3 [1] 5 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [3] 1:0 Katie Scannell P3 [.5]
Alanna beating Katy and Dexter beating Ahmed both take the lead on 4.5. Closely followed by Adam and Avrora on 4 points.
Primary - Round 7
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Jasper Grady P6 [3.5] 0:1 Dexter Harris P4 [4.5] 2 Farida Haridy P3 [1] .5:.5 Alanna Breen P5 [4.5] 3 Ahmed Haridy P5 [1.5] 0:1 Avrora Zelenchuk P4 [4] 4 Katy Thornton P7 [3.5] 0:1 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 [4] 5 Katie Scannell P3 [.5] 0:1 Birney Wang P6 [3]
The final round. Dexter breaks ahead of Alanna who gets a draw against Farida ans wins the tournament with 5.5 points. Followed very closely by Adam, Alanna and Avrora all on 5 points. A close end reflecting a hard battle.
Primary - Standings
Place Name Feder Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.
1 Dexter Harris P4 5.5 17.5 24.0 20.5
2-4 Adam Fitzsimmons P4 5 19.0 25.0 18.5
Alanna Breen P5 5 18.5 25.5 19.0
Avrora Zelenchuk P4 5 15.5 21.0 20.5
5 Birney Wang P6 4 18.5 24.5 17.5
6-7 Katy Thornton P7 3.5 22.5 28.5 16.5
Jasper Grady P6 3.5 15.5 21.5 13.0
8-9 Farida Haridy P3 1.5 20.0 26.0 3.5
Ahmed Haridy P5 1.5 19.0 25.0 8.0
10 Katie Scannell P3 0.5 17.5 24.0 3.0
Secondary - Round 1
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Calum Glendinning F1 [0] 0:1 Jake Patterson U6 [0] 2 Calvin Patterson P5 [0] 0:1 Matthew Gray U6 [0] 3 Louie McConakie F2 [0] 0:1 Ciaran Rowan F4 [0] 4 Adam Rushe F4 [0] 0:1 Eoin McCorkindale U6 [0] 5 Scott Murray U6 [0] .5:.5 Sam Todd F5 [0] 6 Pete Todd F3 [0] 1:0 Pheobe Patterson F1 [0] 7 Hannah Patterson F5 [0] 0:1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 [0]
For the first time in this series of tournaments we have a primary aged pupil (P5) Calvin Patterson playing in the Secondary section. This section has some tough players who have played in this group for several years.
Secondary - Round 2
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Matthew Gray U6 [1] 0:1 Ciaran Rowan F4 [1] 2 Eoin McCorkindale U6 [1] .5:.5 Pete Todd F3 [1] 3 Jake Patterson U6 [1] .5:.5 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 [1] 4 Calum Glendinning F1 [0] 0:1 Scott Murray U6 [.5] 5 Sam Todd F5 [.5] 1:0 Louie McConakie F2 [0] 6 Pheobe Patterson F1 [0] 0:1 Calvin Patterson P5 [0] 7 Adam Rushe F4 [0] 0:1 Hannah Patterson F5 [0]
Calvin gets his first point from sister Phoebe. Ciaran Rowan leads with 2 out of 2. Theres a close grouping following on 1.5 due to two draws,
Secondary - Round 3
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Ciaran Rowan F4 [2] 0:1 Eoin McCorkindale U6 [1.5] 2 Scott Murray U6 [1.5] 0:1 Jake Patterson U6 [1.5] 3 Pete Todd F3 [1.5] 1:0 Sam Todd F5 [1.5] 4 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 [1.5] 1:0 Matthew Gray U6 [1] 5 Hannah Patterson F5 [1] 1:0 Calvin Patterson P5 [1] 6 Pheobe Patterson F1 [0] .5:.5 Calum Glendinning F1 [0] 7 Louie McConakie F2 [0] 0:1 Adam Rushe F4 [0]
Eoin, Jake,Daniil and Pete take the lead with 2.5 points.
Secondary - Round 4
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Eoin McCorkindale U6 [2.5] 0:1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 [2.5] 2 Jake Patterson U6 [2.5] 1:0 Pete Todd F3 [2.5] 3 Ciaran Rowan F4 [2] 0:1 Hannah Patterson F5 [2] 4 Calvin Patterson P5 [1] 0:1 Scott Murray U6 [1.5] 5 Sam Todd F5 [1.5] .5:.5 Adam Rushe F4 [1] 6 Matthew Gray U6 [1] 1:0 Pheobe Patterson F1 [.5] 7 Calum Glendinning F1 [.5] 0:1 Louie McConakie F2 [0]
The top players play off - with Daniil beating Eoin and Jake beating Pete.
Secondary - Round 5
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Hannah Patterson F5 [3] 1:0 Jake Patterson U6 [3.5] 2 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 [3.5] 1:0 Pete Todd F3 [2.5] 3 Scott Murray U6 [2.5] 0:1 Eoin McCorkindale U6 [2.5] 4 Sam Todd F5 [2] .5:.5 Matthew Gray U6 [2] 5 Pheobe Patterson F1 [.5] .5:.5 Ciaran Rowan F4 [2] 6 Adam Rushe F4 [1.5] 0:1 Calum Glendinning F1 [.5] 7 Louie McConakie F2 [1] 0:1 Calvin Patterson P5 [1]
Daniil takes the lead on 4.5 points Followed by Hannah on 4 points. Whilst Calvin scores his second point.
Secondary - Round 6
Results
No Name Feder Total Result Name Feder Total 1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 [4.5] 1:0 Scott Murray U6 [2.5] 2 Eoin McCorkindale U6 [3.5] 1:0 Hannah Patterson F5 [4] 3 Jake Patterson U6 [3.5] 1:0 Matthew Gray U6 [2.5] 4 Ciaran Rowan F4 [2.5] 1:0 Sam Todd F5 [2.5] 5 Pete Todd F3 [2.5] 1:0 Adam Rushe F4 [1.5] 6 Calvin Patterson P5 [2] 0:1 Calum Glendinning F1 [1.5] 7 Louie McConakie F2 [1] .5:.5 Pheobe Patterson F1 [1]
Daniil re-asserts his lead with another win and ends on 5.5 out of six - undefeated. Whilst Eoin gains a point againts Hannah and takes second place with 4.5. Jake also gets second place with 4.5 points.
Secondary - Standings
Place Name Feder Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.
1 Daniil Zelenchuk F2 5.5 14.5 21.5 18.5
2-3 Eoin McCorkindale U6 4.5 13.5 20.5 15.5
Jake Patterson U6 4.5 12.5 20.5 16.5
4 Hannah Patterson F5 4 14.5 21.5 14.0
5-6 Pete Todd F3 3.5 13.0 20.0 13.5
Ciaran Rowan F4 3.5 10.5 16.5 13.0
7-10 Scott Murray U6 2.5 14.0 21.5 11.0
Matthew Gray U6 2.5 12.5 19.5 10.0
Sam Todd F5 2.5 10.0 15.0 10.5
Calum Glendinning F1 2.5 7.5 13.5 5.0
11 Calvin Patterson P5 2 9.0 14.5 7.0
12-14 Adam Rushe F4 1.5 12.5 18.5 5.5
Pheobe Patterson F1 1.5 10.5 15.5 3.5
Louie McConakie F2 1.5 8.5 13.5 3.5
Daniil wins. Pete does well with 3.5 and Calvin has faired well with 2 points in 11th place.
The end of another great day of chess. Trophies and certificates were handed out by 8 times Ulster Champion Steve Scannell.
Many thanks to all the Youngsters, the Parents and the volunteers for such a great day. The winners...
The next tournament is the Ulster Championships - an all day tournament on December 10th registration at 10:00 - full details Click here
The problem solutions.
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13. 1. ... c5
2. N moves c4 forking Knight and Queen
Winning a piece
1. ... c52. N moves c4 forking Knight and QueenWinning a piece
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14. 1. ... Qe7 Threatening Mate and the Rook 2. h4 Qe1+ 3. Kh2 Qxh4+ 4. Kg1 Qxg5 |
15. 1. ... hxg3 if White moves 2. Rd2 gxh2+ and King has to take the Pawn 3. Kxh2 Bc7 4. Bxb3 Bxf4+ Forking the King and Rook on d2 |
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16. 1. ... Rd3 Threatening the Bishop and Mate with Rh3# |
17. 1. ... Qh3 threatening the Bishop and 2. ... Ng3+ and 3. ... Qxg2# if 2. gxh3 3. Nf2+ Kg1 4. Nh3 # |
18. 1. ... Rxf3 2. Rxf3 Rxh3+ 3. gxh3 Bxf3+ 4. Qxf3 Qxf3+ 5. K moves Qxd1 |
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19. 1. ... Nxe2+ 2. Qxe2 Qd4+ 3. winning the undefended Knight |
20. 1. ... Qb6 2. BxQ Ne2# |
21. 1. ... Qc4 threatening the Rook and Knight
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