The third Scholastic Chess tournament with a brilliant influx of Methodist Students we had 26 entrants. It was good to see new faces - the more players the greater the challenges and more fun the competition. The atmosphere was friendly and everyone focused on the chess.

As usual the players had the opportunity to solve challenging puzzles between rounds. A good way to improve your chess and to discuss chess. The puzzles were collected at about 3:00pm and marked and handed back with certificates for all the participants - Gold, Silver. Bronze and trophies for the top Secondary and Primary Puzzle solvers. There is a Grandprix Puzzle solving system that leads to invites for the top 4 Secondary and Primary Students and their Parents and School Principals to the End of Year Award Ceremony usually held at Stormont.

The winner of the secondary puzzle solving competition : Conor MacRandal,

The winner of the primary puzzle solving competition : Dexter Harris

Some of the puzzles for you to solve - solutions at the bottom of this page.

Photos and results of the competition. One thing i noticed was that the games were exciting. I watched several per round and there were plenty of complicated positions and clever moves. Also one measure of the quality of the chess is the end games - there were plenty of these with subtle winning moves.

I hope we get more schools like Methodist College informing their Parents and Students about our competitions. I think their are alot of pupils out their who would enjoy the chess if they knew about this opportunity to play a game they love. The atmosphere is friendly and the chess is fun.

Round 1

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Aayush Bhari    F3    [0]      0:1    Louie McConkey   F4    [0]  
 2 Skyla McConkey  P4    [0]      0:1    Lucy Bueckert    P7    [0]  
 3 Diana Bueckert  P7    [0]      0:1    Calvin Patterson P7    [0]  
 4 Mohammed Rakeeb F2    [0]      0:1    Helen Bueckert   P3    [0]  
 5 Adam Fitzsimons P6    [0]      1:0    Adam Ryciak      F2    [0]  
 6 Aaditya Singh   P5    [0]      0:1    Dexter Harris    P6    [0]  
 7 Blake Harris    P4    [0]      0:1    Cian Suitor      P5    [0]  
 8 Filip Szwerluga F1    [0]      1:0    Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [0]  
 9 Taufik Kamal    P7    [0]      1:0    Rishon Thomas    F3    [0]  
10 Harry Torney    F1    [0]      0:1    Conor MacRandal  L6    [0]  
11 James MacRandal F4    [0]      0:1    James Wong       L6    [0]  
12 Peter Wong      P2    [0]      0:1    Reuben Magill    P7    [0]  
13 Jack Maxwell    F1    [0]      0:1    William Zhany    F3    [0]  

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

Round 2

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Lucy Bueckert    P7    [1]     .5:.5   Reuben Magill   P7    [1]  
 2 Helen Bueckert   P3    [1]      0:1    Louie McConkey  F4    [1]  
 3 Calvin Patterson P7    [1]      0:1    Adam Fitzsimons P6    [1]  
 4 Dexter Harris    P6    [1]      1:0    Cian Suitor     P5    [1]  
 5 James Wong       L6    [1]      1:0    Taufik Kamal    P7    [1]  
 6 Conor MacRandal  L6    [1]      0:1    Filip Szwerluga F1    [1]  
 7 William Zhany    F3    [1]      1:0    Aayush Bhari    F3    [0]  
 8 Mohammed Rakeeb  F2    [0]      0:1    Diana Bueckert  P7    [0]  
 9 Adam Ryciak      F2    [0]      0:1    Blake Harris    P4    [0]  
10 Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [0]      0:1    Aaditya Singh   P5    [0]  
11 Rishon Thomas    F3    [0]      0:1    James MacRandal F4    [0]  
12 Harry Torney     F1    [0]      0:1    Jack Maxwell    F1    [0]  
13 Peter Wong       P2    [0]      1:0    Skyla McConkey  P4    [0]  

Round 3

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Adam Fitzsimons P6    [2]      0:1    James Wong       L6    [2]  
 2 Filip Szwerluga F1    [2]      0:1    Dexter Harris    P6    [2]  
 3 Louie McConkey  F4    [2]      1:0    William Zhany    F3    [2]  
 4 Diana Bueckert  P7    [1]      0:1    Lucy Bueckert    P7    [1.5]
 5 Reuben Magill   P7    [1.5]    1:0    Helen Bueckert   P3    [1]  
 6 Blake Harris    P4    [1]      1:0    Jack Maxwell     F1    [1]  
 7 Taufik Kamal    P7    [1]      1:0    Calvin Patterson P7    [1]  
 8 Aaditya Singh   P5    [1]      1:0    Conor MacRandal  L6    [1]  
 9 James MacRandal F4    [1]      1:0    Peter Wong       P2    [1]  
10 Cian Suitor     P5    [1]      1:0    Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [0]  
11 Aayush Bhari    F3    [0]      1:0    Adam Ryciak      F2    [0]  
12 Skyla McConkey  P4    [0]      1:0    Harry Torney     F1    [0]  
13 Rishon Thomas   F3    [0]      1:0    Mohammed Rakeeb  F2    [0]  

Round 4

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Dexter Harris    P6    [3]     .5:.5   Louie McConkey  F4    [3]  
 2 James Wong       L6    [3]      1:0    Lucy Bueckert   P7    [2.5]
 3 Reuben Magill    P7    [2.5]    1:0    Adam Fitzsimons P6    [2]  
 4 Aaditya Singh    P5    [2]      1:0    Blake Harris    P4    [2]  
 5 Cian Suitor      P5    [2]      0:1    Taufik Kamal    P7    [2]  
 6 William Zhany    F3    [2]      0:1    James MacRandal F4    [2]  
 7 Jack Maxwell     F1    [1]      0:1    Filip Szwerluga F1    [2]  
 8 Calvin Patterson P7    [1]      1:0    Aayush Bhari    F3    [1]  
 9 Skyla McConkey   P4    [1]      0:1    Diana Bueckert  P7    [1]  
10 Helen Bueckert   P3    [1]      0:1    Rishon Thomas   F3    [1]  
11 Conor MacRandal  L6    [1]      1:0    Peter Wong      P2    [1]  
12 Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [0]      1:0    Harry Torney    F1    [0]  
13 Adam Ryciak      F2    [0]      0:1    Mohammed Rakeeb F2    [0]  

Round 5

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Dexter Harris   P6    [3.5]    1:0    James Wong       L6    [4]  
 2 Louie McConkey  F4    [3.5]    1:0    Reuben Magill    P7    [3.5]
 3 Taufik Kamal    P7    [3]      1:0    Aaditya Singh    P5    [3]  
 4 James MacRandal F4    [3]      1:0    Filip Szwerluga  F1    [3]  
 5 Lucy Bueckert   P7    [2.5]    1:0    Conor MacRandal  L6    [2]  
 6 Diana Bueckert  P7    [2]      1:0    Cian Suitor      P5    [2]  
 7 Adam Fitzsimons P6    [2]      1:0    William Zhany    F3    [2]  
 8 Blake Harris    P4    [2]      0:1    Calvin Patterson P7    [2]  
 9 Rishon Thomas   F3    [2]     .5:.5   Skyla McConkey   P4    [1]  
10 Aayush Bhari    F3    [1]      1:0    Jack Maxwell     F1    [1]  
11 Peter Wong      P2    [1]      1:0    Helen Bueckert   P3    [1]  
12 Mohammed Rakeeb F2    [1]      1:0    Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [1]  
13 Harry Torney    F1    [0]      0:1    Adam Ryciak      F2    [0]  

Round 6

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Taufik Kamal     P7    [4]      1:0    Dexter Harris   P6    [4.5]
 2 Louie McConkey   F4    [4.5]    1:0    James MacRandal F4    [4]  
 3 James Wong       L6    [4]      1:0    Reuben Magill   P7    [3.5]
 4 Lucy Bueckert    P7    [3.5]    1:0    Adam Fitzsimons P6    [3]  
 5 Filip Szwerluga  F1    [3]      1:0    Diana Bueckert  P7    [3]  
 6 Calvin Patterson P7    [3]      1:0    Aaditya Singh   P5    [3]  
 7 Aayush Bhari     F3    [2]      1:0    Rishon Thomas   F3    [2.5]
 8 William Zhany    F3    [2]      0:1    Blake Harris    P4    [2]  
 9 Conor MacRandal  L6    [2]      0:1    Mohammed Rakeeb F2    [2]  
10 Cian Suitor      P5    [2]      1:0    Peter Wong      P2    [2]  
11 Jack Maxwell     F1    [1]      0:1    Skyla McConkey  P4    [1.5]
12 Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [1]      0:1    Adam Ryciak     F2    [1]  
13 Helen Bueckert   P3    [1]      1:0    Harry Torney    F1    [0]  

Round 7

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 James Wong      L6    [5]      1:0    Louie McConkey   F4    [5.5]
 2 Filip Szwerluga F1    [4]      0:1    Taufik Kamal     P7    [5]  
 3 Dexter Harris   P6    [4.5]    1:0    Lucy Bueckert    P7    [4.5]
 4 James MacRandal F4    [4]      0:1    Calvin Patterson P7    [4]  
 5 Reuben Magill   P7    [3.5]    0:1    Diana Bueckert   P7    [3]  
 6 Aaditya Singh   P5    [3]      1:0    Aayush Bhari     F3    [3]  
 7 Adam Fitzsimons P6    [3]      1:0    Cian Suitor      P5    [3]  
 8 Mohammed Rakeeb F2    [3]      1:0    Blake Harris     P4    [3]  
 9 Skyla McConkey  P4    [2.5]    0:1    William Zhany    F3    [2]  
10 Harry Torney    F1    [0]      0:1    Rishon Thomas    F3    [2.5]
11 Conor MacRandal L6    [2]     .5:.5   Helen Bueckert   P3    [2]  
12 Peter Wong      P2    [2]      0:1    Shuaib Jeetun    F2    [1]  
13 Adam Ryciak     F2    [2]      1:0    Jack Maxwell     F1    [1]  

Standings

Place Name             Feder Score M-Buch. Buch. Progr.

 1-2  James Wong       L6    6        23.5  33.0   25.0
      Taufik Kamal     P7    6        22.0  31.0   22.0
 3-4  Dexter Harris    P6    5.5      24.0  33.0   24.0
      Louie McConkey   F4    5.5      19.0  27.5   25.0
  5   Calvin Patterson P7    5        19.0  28.0   17.0
  6   Lucy Bueckert    P7    4.5      19.5  28.0   20.0
7-12  James MacRandal  F4    4        21.0  29.0   18.0
      Adam Fitzsimons  P6    4        19.0  28.0   17.0
      Aaditya Singh    P5    4        19.0  27.0   16.0
      Diana Bueckert   P7    4        19.0  26.5   14.0
      Filip Szwerluga  F1    4        18.0  25.0   19.0
      Mohammed Rakeeb  F2    4        14.5  20.5   10.0
13-14 Reuben Magill    P7    3.5      20.5  28.5   19.0
      Rishon Thomas    F3    3.5      16.0  22.0   11.5
15-19 Cian Suitor      P5    3        18.5  26.5   14.0
      Aayush Bhari     F3    3        18.5  25.0   10.0
      Blake Harris     P4    3        17.0  23.0   13.0
      William Zhany    F3    3        16.5  23.0   14.0
      Adam Ryciak      F2    3        13.0  17.0    6.0
20-22 Conor MacRandal  L6    2.5      16.5  21.0   11.5
      Helen Bueckert   P3    2.5      15.5  21.0    9.5
      Skyla McConkey   P4    2.5      13.5  18.0    8.5
23-24 Shuaib Jeetun    F2    2        16.0  20.0    5.0
      Peter Wong       P2    2        14.0  20.0    9.0
 25   Jack Maxwell     F1    1        14.5  18.5    6.0
 26   Harry Torney     F1    0        12.5  17.0    0.0

Form 4 and above: Winner:  James Wong (L6)  Second: Louie McConkey (F4)

Form 3  Winner: Rishon Thomas  Second: Aayush Bhari

Form 2 Winner: Mohammed Rakeeb Second: Adam Ryciak

Form 1 Winner: Filip Szwerluga Second: Jack Maxwell

Primary 7 Winner: Tuafik Kamal  Second: Calvin Patterson

Primary 6 Winner  Dexter Harris Second: Adam Fitzsimons

Primary 5 and below Winner: Aaditya Singh (P5)  Second: Cian Suitor

Thanks to all the players for a great day. Also to the Volunteers and to Methodist College for the excellent room. See you next month on Saturday 9th March. 12:30 Methodist College. Watch out for standings in the Grand-Prix which will be published shortly.

Solutions to the problems