2019-2020 season
Newry Rapidplay Report - February 2020
Ulster Rapidplay Chess Championships took place in Newry on February 1st 2020 kindly sponsored by Newry,Mourne and Down District Council.
Winter Tournament - Thompson and Ruben win best game prizes
As the post-Christmas portion of the Winter Tournament gets underway, two best game prizes for the pre-Christmas portion have been awarded.
BREAKING NEWS: Strand Chess Club wins Silver King league Champions 2020
The Strand Club wins the Silver King, the coveted Division 1 trophy awarded to Champions of the Belfast & District Chess League. It is the second year in a row that the mighty East Belfast team has dominated the local chess scene with it’s blend of youth development and top local chess champions.
Top Ulster Youngsters playing Chess at Methodist College
On Saturday 8th February 2020 a brilliant chess afternoon took place at Methodist College. Part of the Monthly series of Schools Chess tournaments run by the Ulster Chess Union.
Breaking news: Strand 2 win Division 2
Strand were chasing Belfast South in what looked like an impossible mission.... but....
Greenisland buzzes with speed chess extravaganza
Tournament report by Brendan Jamison, National Arbiter 33 players gathered at Greenisland Baptist Church on Saturday 22 February for 10 rounds of thrilling blitz chess. This is the first time the Ulster Chess Union has ever held an event in this area and it was a wonderful success.
UCU asks players to avoid hand shakes until end of season
Following advice from doctors, the Ulster Chess Union are asking all players at league matches and tournaments to avoid shaking hands before and after a game.
Matthew Turner GM plays Belfast at Simultaneous and wins
28 players with a variety of skills and a brilliant range of ages put their intelligence to the challenge of beating the Scottish Chess Champion Matthew Turner GrandMaster. On thursday evening 20th February at the excellent venue of the NICS Pavilion.Would they beat him!
Norman McFarland has passed away
It is with sadness that we have lost a keen chess player and friend. Norman McFarland has passed away.
UCU Battle Plan to keep our chess players as safe as possible
At the time of writing on Friday 13 March, of the 1.88 million people in Northern Ireland, 29 (as at 3:15pm 13/03/2020) have been confirmed with Covid-19. These guidelines are in place based on the facts we have at present. We will send an update if the situation worsens, at which point we may need to postpone chess events and leagues. In the meantime, we are taking these steps....
Lisburn Chess Club postpones meetings until further notice
CORONAVIRUS SAFETY UPDATE - Lisburn Chess Club postpones meetings until further notice
2020 Irish Junior Chess Championships Postponed
Dear chess players, chess parents and the wider chess community, I am very sorry we have had to postpone this year’s Irish Juniors. Please see today’s statement below from the Irish Chess Union. We promise to hold the event later in the year when it’s safe for all the players and their families. Best wishes, Brendan Jamison Ulster Chess Union Tournament Director & League Controller
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
Winter Flexible Tournament 2019-20
This Tournament ended on 16 March , earlier than planned due to the Corona virus. This tournament has been running annually since October 2012, organised and run by Belfast South Chess Club. Recently it was decided that this season will be the last one for the tournament. For the future Belfast South Chess Club is currently looking into providing an open chess forum one afternoon per week at the Quakers in Marlborough Park North.
Top chess played at Methodist College March 14th.
The monthly Chess tournaments held at Methodist College continued on March 14th. Numbers were low but some top players were playing.
SURGE OF LOCAL PLAYERS MAKE THEIR FIDE DEBUT IN APRIL 2020 RATING LIST
UCU Tournament Director Brendan Jamison publishes the lattest FIDE ratings for local players. The UCU having run this year a considerable number of FIDE rated tournaments the number of players with FIDE ratings is increasing.
Ulster Cyber Rapid Championship #001
Time control: 10+5 Sunday 5 April 2020 6pm to 9pm (UK/Ireland time)
69 Blitz it out in UCU’s first online event
On Wednesday 1 April, we had 69 locals battling it out in the Ulster Cyber Blitz Championship #001. Report by Brendan Jamison, Ulster Chess Union Tournament Director
Michael Waters wins the Ulster Open Bullet Championship 2020
The Ulster Open Bullet Championship was run online on Friday 3 April on LiChess.
