You are here: Home Archives Ulster Chronicles 2019-2020 season UCU Web 2019 No shaking hands - feb2020 All UCU tournaments and chess talks during April/May/June are hereby cancelled.

All UCU tournaments and chess talks during April/May/June are hereby cancelled.

The below statement by the UCU Tournament Director has been approved by the UCU Executive Board CANCELLATION OF ALL REMAINING UCU EVENTS AND LEAGUES THIS SEASON Given the coronavirus peak is not set to hit the UK until the end of May or the month of June, I don’t feel comfortable that we continue to run events over the next 10 weeks. As UCU Tournament Director and League Controller, I believe it would be irresponsible for us to continue holding events whereby we could unwittingly transmit the virus to the most vulnerable in our families and our communities.

Event details

When

Jun 30, 2020
from 08:25 PM to 08:25 PM

Add event to calendar

The below statement by the UCU Tournament Director has been approved by the UCU Executive Board

CANCELLATION OF ALL REMAINING UCU EVENTS AND LEAGUES THIS SEASON

Given the coronavirus peak is not set to hit the UK until the end of May or the month of June, I don’t feel comfortable that we continue to run events over the next 10 weeks.

As UCU Tournament Director and League Controller, I believe it would be irresponsible for us to continue holding events whereby we could unwittingly transmit the virus to the most vulnerable in our families and our communities.

The following measures come into effect immediately:

1. All UCU tournaments and chess talks during April/May/June are hereby cancelled.

2. The City of Belfast Championships (due to take place at the end of May) will NOT be rescheduled to later in 2020. Next season’s calendar would become too congested with the City of Belfast Championships on top of 3 other full weekenders before Christmas - i.e. the Ulster Championships, the Irish Juniors and the Ulster Masters. On top of 4 one day Saturday events at MCB, the Bangor Congress and the Omagh Rapidplay (all before end of 2020)

3. The AGM will be rescheduled to later in the year, perhaps the end of August or early September, before the new season kicks off. UCU President Ross Harris and I will both stay on in our roles until then and we will remain organisers for the rescheduled Irish Junior Chess Championships (aiming for the weekend of Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2020).

4. The Annual Prize-Giving will not take place. In terms of classic league awards, I will distribute all 22 of the individual trophies and board prize trophies to each of the relevant players or their team captains. I will pass on the 22 rapidplay league trophies to Vice-League Controller Evan Elwood so he can distribute after the speed league finishes.

5. The rapid league will be suspended until the start of September when the 5 remaining weeks of fixtures will be played until mid-October. The team rapidplay event was held in 2016 and 2018 and then again in 2020 (in league format) so it is not a problem to have it run again after the Summer break and then normal classic league can run from November to April.

Stay safe everyone.

Best wishes,

Brendan Jamison
Ulster Chess Union Tournament Director & League Controller

Navigation
News
UCU Tournaments: A Critical Moment for Volunteer and Arbiter Support This report, prepared by Tournament Director Karina Campbell and presented to the Ulster Chess Union Executive Board, ou... Oct 26, 2025
Exciting changes to the Sligo event in 2026. Now a multi-tournament chess festival. Save the dates in your calender Jan 30th to Feb 8th. The Sligo event is undergoing a major transformation in 2026 from a weekender to a multi-tournament festival. The Sligo ... Oct 16, 2025
The Monthly Childrens Chess Kicks off Oct 25th at Methodist College ** New date ** The LJCC Belfast Qualifier a one day 6 round tournament starts our annual series of monthly tournaments a... Oct 09, 2025
The 2025 Summer tournament ends with a fun tournament and award ceremony Weds 24th September 2025 saw 24 players gather to celebrate the end of the UCU Summer Tournament. Who won? we have the f... Sep 27, 2025
Belfast Qualifier for the British Open Blitz 2025/26 Belfast runs one of 16 tournaments that allow players to qualify for the British Open Blitz tournament. The top player a... Sep 27, 2025
More news…
« October 2025 »
October
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031
Upcoming Events
FIDE RATED City of Bangor 10 Round Halloween Blitz at 3+2 Celebrate Halloween with 10 rounds of Chess Blitz at City of Bangor Chess Club. Thursday 30th October. Oct 30, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — City of Bangor Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street Groomsport
November 1st Childrens Chess 12:30 – 5:00 The monthly schools chess tournaments continues at Methodist College. Nov 01, 2025 12:30 PM - 05:00 PM — Methodist College,1 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6BY
FIDE RATED Bangor Club Masters Rapid 2025 [10 rounds of 25+0 over two days] Open to all players. One open section with Intermediate and Junior trophies awarded for highest placed finish by players... Nov 06, 2025 07:30 PM - 10:45 PM — City of Bangor International Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT19 6JR
FIDE RATED Bangor Club Masters Rapid 2025 [10 rounds of 25+0 over two days] Open to all players. One open section with Intermediate and Junior trophies awarded for highest placed finish by players... Nov 08, 2025 10:15 AM - 04:30 PM — City of Bangor International Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT19 6JR
FIDE rated Ulster Masters 2025 Please note due to venue capacity, entries will be capped at 44. Nov 14, 2025 - Nov 16, 2025 — Lisburn Chess Club
Upcoming events…