You are here: Home Archives Ulster Chronicles 2019-2020 season UCU Web 2019 No shaking hands - feb2020 CANCELLATION OF ALL REMAINING UCU EVENTS AND LEAGUES THIS SEASON

CANCELLATION OF ALL REMAINING UCU EVENTS AND LEAGUES THIS SEASON

The below statement by the UCU Tournament Director has been approved by the UCU Executive Board 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
Join the FIDE Social Chess Storytelling Challenge 2025 – Every Move Counts! A message from The FIDE Social Commission Team:- FIDE has made 2025 the Year of Social Chess and invites you to particip... Apr 28, 2025
Final Standings for the 2025 Childrens Chess Grandprix With the April Childrens Chess completed we have the final standings for the 2025 Grandprix. The top four of each sectio... Apr 26, 2025
UCU League 2024/25 final tables and board prizes Report on the UCU Belfast & District League 2024/25 Apr 20, 2025
City Of Bangor Chess Club hosted the Ulster Team Rapidplay Championship 2024/25 The Ulster Chess Team Rapidplay Championships are run every two years. Top players and team travelled to the fantastic B... Apr 16, 2025
Aprils Monthly Childrens Chess Tournament at Methodist College On April 12th 2025 Children from all over Ulster meet at Methodist College to play brilliant chess at the Ulster Chess U... Apr 16, 2025
More news…
« May 2025 »
May
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Upcoming Events
Delancey Schools UK Chess Challenge Belfast Megafinal May 10th Our Monthly Children's Chess Tournaments continues with the UK Chess Challenge Belfast Megafinal Sat 10th May - an oppor... May 10, 2025 09:45 AM - 05:00 PM — Methodist College,1 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6BY
GM Simul with Alex Baburin May 23, 2025 06:30 PM - 11:00 PM — Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Belfast
FIDE RATED City of Belfast Classic Championship 2025 Sat 24th May, Sun 25th May, Mon 26th May Venue: Castleview Suite, Maynard Sinclair Sports Pavilion, Upper Newtownards R... May 24, 2025 - May 26, 2025 — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
FIDE RATED Belfast Blitz Championship 2025 May 24, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — Castleview Suite, Maynard Sinclair Sports Pavilion, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ulster Fischer Random Rapidplay Championship 2025 7 rounds of Fischer Random Chess, Sunday 8th June at the Civil Service Pavilion. Jun 08, 2025 10:30 AM - 06:00 PM — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
Upcoming events…