The New Year and our first Childrens Chess of the year. We choose a time in the afternoon to try to avoid clashes with early morning sports. and we run from 12:30 to 5:00pm with as many rounds played as possible. The games can last a total of 30 minutes with each player having 15 mins on their clocks. Before play starts we usually encourage the younger players not to play too fast as this tends to cause mistakes. All young players are welcome. The next date is February 10th.

We decided to combine the Secondary and Primary pupils into one section as we had 15 players. The number was a little disappointing. But the afternoon turned into a fantastic tournament of attack, counter attack, sharp combinations and complicated endgames. The talent for chess was clear to see. All the volunteers and observers enjoyed a spectacle of chess.  There were players bunched up at the top and almost anyone could win! The afternoon buzzed with anticipation.

As usual we had a good set of chess puzzles. Always a good way to have fun and improve your chess.

Calum Glendinning won the Secondary Schools Puzzle competition.

Anjali Singh has become a regular winner of the puzzle competition and again this month set the standard and won the Primary School Puzzle competition and trophy.

A selection of the puzzles - selecting those that arent simple checkmates.

Round 1

Results

No Name             Feder Loc  Total  Result   Name              Feder Loc Total

 1 Adam Rushe       F5    1071 [0]      1:0    Aaditya Singh     P4    675 [0]  
 2 Anjali Singh     P6    669  [0]      0:1    Dexter Harris     P5    945 [0]  
 3 Adam Fitzsimons  P5    922  [0]      1:0    Jasper Grady      P7    539 [0]  
 4 Katy Thornton    F1    454  [0]      0:1    Calum Glendinning F2    878 [0]  
 5 Katy Gough       F1    800  [0]      1:0    TJ MacCartney     P7    400 [0]  
 6 James Wong       F5    800  [0]      0:1    Olgierd Myszor    L6    800 [0]  
 7 Minaahil Shahzad F3    800  [0]      1:0    Ali Shahzad       P6    370 [0]  
 8 Blake Harris     P3    350  [0]      1:0    BYE                              

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

With a Swiss drawing system the hardest game for the lower rating players is the first round. and this first round went to rating. The top rated person Adam Rushe would be the favourite followed Dexter Harris and Adam Fitzsimons with unknowns of Olgierd Myszor, James Wong and Minaahil Shahzad all with estimated grades of 800. Thanks go to Ross Harris for providing the ratings on the excellent website : http://childrenschessni.blogspot.co.uk/p/ratings-list.html Ross also runs the Strandtown Chess club which meets regularly on Sundays - more details at  https://www.strandartscentre.com/movies/strand-chess-club/ - this is a great place for youngsters to learn and improve their chess. With an odd no of players every round meant a player got a bye and no opponent, luckily we had on had Geoff Hindley who gave the player a game and some informal coaching - many thanks Geoff - he commented that the games he got we challenging with many of the youngsters beating him!

Round 2

Results

No Name              Feder Loc Total  Result   Name             Feder Loc  Total

 1 Olgierd Myszor    L6    800 [1]     .5:.5   Adam Rushe       F5    1071 [1]  
 2 Dexter Harris     P5    945 [1]      1:0    Katy Gough       F1    800  [1]  
 3 Blake Harris      P3    350 [1]      0:1    Adam Fitzsimons  P5    922  [1]  
 4 Calum Glendinning F2    878 [1]      1:0    Minaahil Shahzad F3    800  [1]  
 5 Aaditya Singh     P4    675 [0]      1:0    Katy Thornton    F1    454  [0]  
 6 TJ MacCartney     P7    400 [0]      0:1    Anjali Singh     P6    669  [0]  
 7 Jasper Grady      P7    539 [0]      0:1    James Wong       F5    800  [0]  
 8 Ali Shahzad       P6    370 [0]      1:0    BYE 

With round 2 players on the same points play each other, but in such a way that the top rated players don't meet. Adam and Olgierd draw which opens up the lead. Adam, Dexter and Calum continue their wins with 2 out of 2.

Round 3

Results

No Name             Feder Loc  Total  Result   Name              Feder Loc Total

 1 Adam Fitzsimons  P5    922  [2]      1:0    Dexter Harris     P5    945 [2]  
 2 Adam Rushe       F5    1071 [1.5]    1:0    Calum Glendinning F2    878 [2]  
 3 Katy Gough       F1    800  [1]      0:1    Olgierd Myszor    L6    800 [1.5]
 4 Minaahil Shahzad F3    800  [1]      1:0    James Wong        F5    800 [1]  
 5 Ali Shahzad      P6    370  [1]      0:1    Aaditya Singh     P4    675 [1]  
 6 Anjali Singh     P6    669  [1]      1:0    Blake Harris      P3    350 [1]  
 7 Katy Thornton    F1    454  [0]      0:1    Jasper Grady      P7    539 [0]  
 8 TJ MacCartney    P7    400  [0]      1:0    BYE       

Rivals Adam and Dexter play. Adam wins. Adam Rushe continues to win, whilst Olgierd also wins.

Round 4

Results

No Name              Feder Loc Total  Result   Name             Feder Loc  Total

 1 Olgierd Myszor    L6    800 [2.5]    1:0    Adam Fitzsimons  P5    922  [3]  
 2 Dexter Harris     P5    945 [2]      1:0    Adam Rushe       F5    1071 [2.5]
 3 Calum Glendinning F2    878 [2]      0:1    Anjali Singh     P6    669  [2]  
 4 Aaditya Singh     P4    675 [2]      0:1    Minaahil Shahzad F3    800  [2]  
 5 James Wong        F5    800 [1]      1:0    Katy Gough       F1    800  [1]  
 6 Jasper Grady      P7    539 [1]      0:1    Ali Shahzad      P6    370  [1]  
 7 Blake Harris      P3    350 [1]      0:1    TJ MacCartney    P7    400  [1]  
 8 Katy Thornton     F1    454 [0]      1:0    BYE        

Lots of players on 2 points - and only three above2 points. Some upsets on this round Dexter gets a good win against Adam Rushe. Olgierd continues to challenge the lead and beats Adam Fitzsimons.

Round 5

Results

No Name             Feder Loc Total  Result   Name              Feder Loc  Total

 1 Anjali Singh     P6    669 [3]      1:0    Olgierd Myszor    L6    800  [3.5]
 2 Minaahil Shahzad F3    800 [3]      0:1    Dexter Harris     P5    945  [3]  
 3 Adam Fitzsimons  P5    922 [3]      1:0    Adam Rushe        F5    1071 [2.5]
 4 Ali Shahzad      P6    370 [2]      0:1    Calum Glendinning F2    878  [2]  
 5 TJ MacCartney    P7    400 [2]      0:1    Aaditya Singh     P4    675  [2]  
 6 James Wong       F5    800 [2]      1:0    Katy Thornton     F1    454  [1]  
 7 Katy Gough       F1    800 [1]      1:0    Blake Harris      P3    350  [1]  
 8 Jasper Grady     P7    539 [1]      1:0    BYE  

Anjali wins against the leader Olgierd. Dexter and Adam both win tough games. The lead is open.

Round 6

Results

No Name              Feder Loc  Total  Result   Name             Feder Loc Total

 1 Anjali Singh      P6    669  [4]      0:1    Adam Fitzsimons  P5    922 [4]  
 2 Dexter Harris     P5    945  [4]      0:1    Olgierd Myszor   L6    800 [3.5]
 3 Calum Glendinning F2    878  [3]      0:1    James Wong       F5    800 [3]  
 4 Adam Rushe        F5    1071 [2.5]    1:0    Minaahil Shahzad F3    800 [3]  
 5 Aaditya Singh     P4    675  [3]      1:0    Jasper Grady     P7    539 [2]  
 6 Ali Shahzad       P6    370  [2]      1:0    TJ MacCartney    P7    400 [2]  
 7 Katy Thornton     F1    454  [1]      1:0    Blake Harris     P3    350 [1]  
 8 Katy Gough        F1    800  [2]      1:0    BYE            

Adam Fitzsimons goes into the lead. As Olgierd beats Dexter in a closely fought battle. Aaditya closes the gap with another win. Anjali continues to challenge playing on the top board.

Round 7

Results

No Name              Feder Loc  Total  Result   Name          Feder Loc Total

 1 Adam Fitzsimons   P5    922  [5]      1:0    James Wong    F5    800 [4]  
 2 Olgierd Myszor    L6    800  [4.5]    0:1    Aaditya Singh P4    675 [4]  
 3 Adam Rushe        F5    1071 [3.5]   .5:.5   Anjali Singh  P6    669 [4]  
 4 Calum Glendinning F2    878  [3]      1:0    Dexter Harris P5    945 [4]  
 5 Katy Gough        F1    800  [3]     .5:.5   Ali Shahzad   P6    370 [3]  
 6 TJ MacCartney     P7    400  [2]      1:0    Katy Thornton F1    454 [2]  
 7 Blake Harris      P3    350  [1]      1:0    Jasper Grady  P7    539 [2]  
 8 Minaahil Shahzad  F3    800  [3]      1:0    BYE      

The final round and Adam Fitzsimons can still be caught and possible beaten if he looses and Olgierd wins. But Adam wins and claims the tournament. Aaditya has worked his way up to the leaders and beats Olgierd. Calum gets a good win against Dexter. Anjali draws against Adam. Results that show how close these players are and what an excellent competition.

Standings

Place Name              Feder Loc  Score

  1   Adam Fitzsimons   P5    922  6    
  2   Aaditya Singh     P4    675  5    
 3-4  Olgierd Myszor    L6    800  4.5  
      Anjali Singh      P6    669  4.5  
 5-9  Adam Rushe        F5    1071 4    
      Dexter Harris     P5    945  4    
      Minaahil Shahzad  F3    800  4    
      Calum Glendinning F2    878  4    
      James Wong        F5    800  4    
10-11 Katy Gough        F1    800  3.5  
      Ali Shahzad       P6    370  3.5  
 12   TJ MacCartney     P7    400  3    
13-15 Jasper Grady      P7    539  2    
      Katy Thornton     F1    454  2    
      Blake Harris      P3    350  2  

Final result Adam Fitzsimons only P5 wins the tournament outright - a brilliant result. Followed by the even younger player Aaditya Singh and Olgierd Myszor and Anjali Singh shared third place.

An afternoon of brilliant chess - photos of prize giving below. If you can play chess you are welcome to attend the next tournament on February 10th.

Part of the prize-giving included two certificates 'Ulster Chess Union Playing Away Award' were given to players Aaditya Singh and Anjali Singh for their results at the London Junior Chess Championships.

Thanks to the volunteers, the parents, Methodist College and the brilliant players.

Puzzle Solutions: