Our last open tournament for Childrens chess for the year happened at Methodist College on Saturday 11th May. The Megafinals - part of the largest childrens chess tournament in the World. Its a tiered competition with Schools running tournaments and the winners gaining entry into the regional Megafinals - the Northern Ireland qualifiers will then play in one of the 4 Gigafinals - The Northern Gigafinal, Southern Gigafinal, London Gigafinal and Midland Gigafinal - the winners of these qualifying for the single Terafinals in September. For full information see the Delancey Chess Challenge webpage

To qualify you need to either win your age group as Supremo for boy and Suprema for girls or gain 3.5 points or more.

Thanks to the organisers of the Delancey UK Chess Challenge - they provide Trophies, certificates and the structure for this fantastic tournament - if you play chess at school encourage your teachers to run a qualifying tournament next year for your school.

I always think one of the best part of these tournaments are the puzzles. As this was an all day event I tried to include some harder puzzles - to get those brain cells challenged. We also continued the fun idea of having a competition with a trophy for the parents - who are quite competitive....

The Primary puzzle scores: Kamal Taufik wins.

The Secondary puzzle scores: Ciaran Rowan wins.

The winner of the parents competition  - Luthei Abdurrahman

Here are some of the puzzles - solutions at the bottom of this page.

We try to create as many age group sections as we can. This year we had two sections under11 below and Under12 and above.

Under11 and below Section - Round 1

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Dexter Harris    U11   [0]      1:0    Adam Fitzsimons U10   [0]  
 2 Blake Harris     U08   [0]      0:1    Taufik Kamal    U11   [0]  
 3 Calvin Patterson U11   [0]      1:0    Cian Suitor     U09   [0]  
 4 Mate Kodascy     U11   [0]      0:1    Reuben Magill   U11   [0]  
 5 Daniel Toogood   U10   [0]      1:0    Ethan Cole      U07   [0]  
 6 Skyla McConkey   U09   [0]      1:0    BYE                        

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

The first round went to rating.

Under12 and above - Round 1

Results

No Name                 Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Adam Rushe           U18   [0]     .5:.5   Maxim Dobrynin  U13   [0]  
 2 Joseph Donnelly      U12   [0]      0:1    Ben Toogood     U13   [0]  
 3 Ciaran Rowan         U18   [0]      1:0    Callum Magennis U14   [0]  
 4 Patrick Maguire      U12   [0]      1:0    Zach Williamson U13   [0]  
 5 Filip Szwerluga      U13   [0]      1:0    BYE                        

Maxim Dobrynin gets a draw against the favourite Adam Rushe. Patrick Maguire beats Zach Wiliamson.

Under11 and below Section - Round 2

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Reuben Magill   U11   [1]      0:1    Dexter Harris    U11   [1]  
 2 Taufik Kamal    U11   [1]      1:0    Daniel Toogood   U10   [1]  
 3 Skyla McConkey  U09   [1]      0:1    Calvin Patterson U11   [1]  
 4 Adam Fitzsimons U10   [0]      1:0    Mate Kodascy     U11   [0]  
 5 Cian Suitor     U09   [0]      1:0    Blake Harris     U08   [0]  
 6 Ethan Cole      U07   [0]      1:0    BYE    

After round 2 we have 3 leaders Dexter Harris, Taufik Kamal and Calvin Patterson. These are bound to meet in the next few rounds.

Under12 and above - Round 2

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Ben Toogood     U13   [1]      1:0    Patrick Maguire U12   [1]  
 2 Filip Szwerluga U13   [1]      0:1    Ciaran Rowan    U18   [1]  
 3 Zach Williamson U13   [0]      0:1    Adam Rushe      U18   [.5] 
 4 Maxim Dobrynin  U13   [.5]     1:0    Joseph Donnelly U12   [0]  
 5 Callum Magennis U14   [0]      1:0    BYE       

The round leaves the leaders on 2 points as Ben Toogood and Ciaran Rowan.

Under11 and below Section - Round 3

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Dexter Harris    U11   [2]      0:1    Taufik Kamal    U11   [2]  
 2 Calvin Patterson U11   [2]     .5:.5   Adam Fitzsimons U10   [1]  
 3 Ethan Cole       U07   [1]      0:1    Reuben Magill   U11   [1]  
 4 Daniel Toogood   U10   [1]      1:0    Cian Suitor     U09   [1]  
 5 Blake Harris     U08   [0]      1:0    Skyla McConkey  U09   [1]  
 6 Mate Kodascy     U11   [0]      1:0    BYE         

The leaders clash Taufik Kamal the current Ulster Champion beats Dexter Harris and becomes the leader outright. Calvin Patterson and Adam Fitzsimons draw.

Under12 and above - Round 3

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Ciaran Rowan    U18   [2]      1:0    Ben Toogood     U13   [2]  
 2 Adam Rushe      U18   [1.5]    1:0    Filip Szwerluga U13   [1]  
 3 Patrick Maguire U12   [1]      0:1    Maxim Dobrynin  U13   [1.5]
 4 Callum Magennis U14   [1]      1:0    Zach Williamson U13   [0]  
 5 Joseph Donnelly U12   [0]      1:0    BYE   

Ciaran Rowan continues to win and leads the tournament. Adam Rushe and Maxim Dobrynin chasing.

Under11 and below Section - Round 4

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

 1 Taufik Kamal    U11   [3]      0:1    Calvin Patterson U11   [2.5]
 2 Reuben Magill   U11   [2]      1:0    Daniel Toogood   U10   [2]  
 3 Skyla McConkey  U09   [1]      0:1    Dexter Harris    U11   [2]  
 4 Adam Fitzsimons U10   [1.5]    1:0    Ethan Cole       U07   [1]  
 5 Mate Kodascy    U11   [1]      1:0    Blake Harris     U08   [1]  
 6 Cian Suitor     U09   [1]      1:0    BYE 

More than 1/2 way and we have an upset with Calvin Patterson beating Taufik Kamal and taking over the lead. Calvin and Taufik qualify as does Reuben Magill and Dexter Harris.

Under12 and above - Round 4

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Maxim Dobrynin  U13   [2.5]    0:1    Ciaran Rowan    U18   [3]  
 2 Ben Toogood     U13   [2]      0:1    Adam Rushe      U18   [2.5]
 3 Joseph Donnelly U12   [1]      0:1    Callum Magennis U14   [2]  
 4 Filip Szwerluga U13   [1]      1:0    Patrick Maguire U12   [1]  
 5 Zach Williamson U13   [0]      1:0    BYE    

Ciaran Rowan continues unbeaten. Adam Rushe chasing having only lost 1/2 point.

Under11 and below Section - Round 5

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Calvin Patterson U11   [3.5]   .5:.5   Dexter Harris   U11   [3]  
 2 Reuben Magill    U11   [3]      0:1    Taufik Kamal    U11   [3]  
 3 Daniel Toogood   U10   [2]      0:1    Adam Fitzsimons U10   [2.5]
 4 Cian Suitor      U09   [2]      0:1    Mate Kodascy    U11   [2]  
 5 Ethan Cole       U07   [1]      0:1    Skyla McConkey  U09   [1]  
 6 Blake Harris     U08   [1]      1:0    BYE 

Calvin and Dexter draw. Taufik wins and shares the lead with Calvin both on 4. Being chased by Adam and Dexter on 3.5.

Under12 and above - Round 5

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Ciaran Rowan    U18   [4]      1:0    Adam Rushe      U18   [3.5]
 2 Callum Magennis U14   [3]      0:1    Maxim Dobrynin  U13   [2.5]
 3 Ben Toogood     U13   [2]     .5:.5   Filip Szwerluga U13   [2]  
 4 Zach Williamson U13   [1]      1:0    Joseph Donnelly U12   [1]  
 5 Patrick Maguire U12   [1]      1:0    BYE      

Can anyone stop Ciaran? He beats Adam Rushe securing his lead. It becomes a fight for second place.

During the tournament Ross Harris and Brendan Jamison provided coaching as part of the  UCU Women's Programme.

Under11 and below Section - Round 6

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Taufik Kamal     U11   [4]      1:0    Adam Fitzsimons U10   [3.5]
 2 Calvin Patterson U11   [4]      0:1    Reuben Magill   U11   [3]  
 3 Dexter Harris    U11   [3.5]    1:0    Mate Kodascy    U11   [3]  
 4 Skyla McConkey   U09   [2]      0:1    Cian Suitor     U09   [2]  
 5 Blake Harris     U08   [2]      1:0    Ethan Cole      U07   [1]  
 6 Daniel Toogood   U10   [2]      1:0    BYE          

The final round and Taufik wins against Adam and finishes top of the tournament. With a mix of age groups there are quite a few qualifiers. The quality of the chess was excellent.

Under12 and above - Round 6

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Patrick Maguire U12   [2]      0:1    Ciaran Rowan    U18   [5]  
 2 Adam Rushe      U18   [3.5]    1:0    Callum Magennis U14   [3]  
 3 Maxim Dobrynin  U13   [3.5]    1:0    Zach Williamson U13   [2]  
 4 Filip Szwerluga U13   [2.5]    1:0    Joseph Donnelly U12   [1]  
 5 Ben Toogood     U13   [2.5]    1:0    BYE    

Ciaran wins the tournament unbeaten and again we have a good number of qualifiers.

Under11 and below Section - Standings

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

  1   Taufik Kamal     U11   5        14.0  21.0   18.0
  2   Dexter Harris    U11   4.5      14.0  20.5   16.0
 3-4  Calvin Patterson U11   4        14.5  21.0   17.0
      Reuben Magill    U11   4        13.5  19.0   14.0
  5   Adam Fitzsimons  U10   3.5      13.5  19.0   12.0
 6-9  Mate Kodascy     U11   3        13.0  20.0    9.0
      Daniel Toogood   U10   3        13.0  18.5   11.0
      Cian Suitor      U09   3        10.5  16.0    9.0
      Blake Harris     U08   3         9.5  15.0    7.0
 10   Skyla McConkey   U09   2        12.0  17.0    8.0
 11   Ethan Cole       U07   1        11.5  17.0    5.0

Under12 and above - Round 6

Standings

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

  1   Ciaran Rowan         U18   6        13.0  19.0   21.0
 2-3  Adam Rushe           U18   4.5      13.0  20.5   16.0
      Maxim Dobrynin       U13   4.5      10.0  16.5   15.0
 4-5  Ben Toogood          U13   3.5      12.0  18.5   13.0
      Filip Szwerluga      U13   3.5      12.0  18.5   11.0
  6   Callum Magennis      U14   3        13.5  20.0   12.0
 7-8  Patrick Maguire      U12   2        13.5  21.0    8.0
      Zach Williamson      U13   2        11.5  16.5    5.0
  9   Joseph Donnelly      U12   1        11.5  17.5    4.0
 10   Marcus Kearns Madden U12   0         0.5   0.5    0.0

Puzzle Winners:

The tournament winners:

All of the above have qualified for the next stage - the Giga-Finals - to enter follow the link : https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/gigafinals-2019/

We wish all the players good luck in the next stage and we will endevour to  keep you up to date with their progress,

President of the UCU Ross Harris presenting the prizes for the day.

Puzzle solutions