Please email me by 3:00pm on the afternoon of the tournament day. to let the controller know to be included in the draw: mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com

Ending Wednesday 30th September 2026. Prize Giving and mini tournament.

Please email me by 3:00pm on the afternoon of the tournament day. to let the controller know to be included in the draw: mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com

Ending Wednesday 30th September 2026. Prize Giving and mini tournament.

Unfortunately nos were low for todays tournament. We were forced to combine some age groups, ending with 2 sections. An under12 section with 8 players and an under18 with 6 players. With a need to play a full 6 rounds for the Under18 we played 5 rounds of all-play-all followed by a round 6 which was done manually.

As players arrived we registered them and they took a puzzle sheet and pencil - always a top part of the day is the puzzle solving. With trophies for the top solvers and a certificate for all players who hand in a sheet.

Under 12 Puzzle Champion : Kia Jahandizi

Under18 Chess Champion: Ethan Cole

Some of the brilliant puzzles that were considered and hopefully solved!

Have a go - the solutions are at the bottom of this page.

I have included some of the check-mate in 2's these are usually easier than the above puzzles. But when there isnt an obvious check to start the solution and there are less pieces on the board offering lots of choices for the moves these can be very difficult. Try these for fun - again solutions at bottom of the page.

The two sections played in different rooms. I looked after the Under12's and Geoff Hindley looked after the Under18's.

As parents registered their youngsters, I explained that for the Under 12's if a round completed early we would run the next round almost immediately and that this would mean the likelyhood of an early finish. If also lunch was going to just extend the finish time we might skip lunch. This was welcomed and infact we finished the Under 12 section at about 2:00pm much to the delight of both parents and players.

Below are the results of the rounds and photos - most of which are from my room (apologies to the Under18's - I didnt get much opportunity to get photos from their room).

We collected the puzzles at the beginning of Round 5. to give us time to mark them. So no photos for round 6.

Under12: Round 1

Results

No Name                      Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   [0]      1:0    Nathan Johnston U12   [0]  
 2 Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   [0]      0:1    Alex McKeown    U10   [0]  
 3 Jatin Jakati              U10   [0]      1:0    Rishi Sharma    U10   [0]  
 4 Rizwan Arshed             U8    [0]      0:1    Kia Jahandizi   U12   [0]  

by Swiss Perfect (TM)  www.swissperfect.com

Players were given approx ratings. The first round went to rating.

Under12: Round 2

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name                      Feder Total

 1 Kia Jahandizi   U12   [1]      1:0    Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   [1]  
 2 Alex McKeown    U10   [1]      0:1    Jatin Jakati              U10   [1]  
 3 Nathan Johnston U12   [0]      0:1    Rizwan Arshed             U8    [0]  
 4 Rishi Sharma    U10   [0]      1:0    Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   [0]  

Rizwan gets a good win against Nathan. Kia gets a good win from Shreyas.

Under12: Round 3

Results

No Name                      Feder Total  Result   Name            Feder Total

 1 Jatin Jakati              U10   [2]      1:0    Kia Jahandizi   U12   [2]  
 2 Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   [1]      1:0    Rishi Sharma    U10   [1]  
 3 Rizwan Arshed             U8    [1]      0:1    Alex McKeown    U10   [1]  
 4 Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   [0]      0:1    Nathan Johnston U12   [0]  

Jatin Jakati goes into the lead winning against Kia.

Under12: Round 4

Results

No Name            Feder Total  Result   Name                      Feder Total

 1 Nathan Johnston U12   [1]      0:1    Jatin Jakati              U10   [3]  
 2 Alex McKeown    U10   [2]      1:0    Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   [2]  
 3 Kia Jahandizi   U12   [2]      1:0    Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   [0]  
 4 Rishi Sharma    U10   [1]      0:1    Rizwan Arshed             U8    [1]  

Jatin continues to win and qualifies.with over the necessary 3 1/2 points. The Top 3 of each age group also qualify.

Under12: Round 5

Results

No Name          Feder Total  Result   Name                      Feder Total

 1 Jatin Jakati  U10   [4]      1:0    Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   [2]  
 2 Kia Jahandizi U12   [3]     .5:.5   Alex McKeown              U10   [3]  
 3 Rizwan Arshed U8    [2]      1:0    Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   [0]  
 4 Rishi Sharma  U10   [1]      1:0    Nathan Johnston           U12   [1]  

Alex McKeown and Kia qualify with 3 1/2 points. Jatin continues with another victory.

Under12: Round 6

Results

No Name                      Feder Total  Result   Name          Feder Total

 1 Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   [0]      0:1    Jatin Jakati  U10   [5]  
 2 Alex McKeown              U10   [3.5]    1:0    Rishi Sharma  U10   [2]  
 3 Nathan Johnston           U12   [1]     .5:.5   Kia Jahandizi U12   [3.5]
 4 Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   [2]      0:1    Rizwan Arshed U8    [3]  

Jatin wins on full points 6 out of 6. Also doing well with 4 out of 6 is the young Rizwan.

Under12 - Standings

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

  1   Jatin Jakati              U10   6         9.5  14.0   21.0
  2   Alex McKeown              U10   4.5      12.0  18.0   15.0
 3-4  Kia Jahandizi             U12   4        12.0  18.0   15.5
      Rizwan Arshed             U8    4         9.5  14.0   11.0
 5-6  Shreyas Chandra Marrivada U10   2        14.5  22.0   10.0
      Rishi Sharma              U10   2        12.0  18.0    7.0
  7   Nathan Johnston           U12   1.5      12.0  18.0    4.5
  8   Sohan Kesavarapu          U10   0        14.5  22.0    0.0

Qualifiers

We have 7 qualifiers - and are looking forward to seeing them play in the next round - the Gigafinals.

These take place on the dates below : for full details and entry goto the https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/

https://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/gigafinals-2026/

"Gigafinals

Once again we are hosting four Gigafinals; three in-person and one online. To compete in a Gigafinal a player must first qualify via a Megafinal. Players may play in as many Gigafinals as they like, regardless of whether they have already qualified for the next stages.

Scottish Gigafinal

One boy and one girl will qualify from each section.

Saturday 21st June – Scottish Gigafinal U8s and U10s (University of Stirling)
Sunday 22nd June – Scottish Gigafinal U12s, U14s and U18s (University of Stirling)

Northern Gigafinal

We are once again holding the Northern Gigafinal at one of favourite and most popular venues, Wright Robinson College in Manchester.

Two boys and one girl will qualify from each section.

Saturday 12th July – Northern Gigafinal U8s and U10s (Wright Robinson College, Manchester)
Sunday 13th July – Northern Gigafinal U12s, U14s and U18s (Wright Robinson College, Manchester)

Southern Gigafinal

Taking place at Sandown Racecourse in Esher.

Two boys and one girl will qualify from each section.

Saturday 19th July – Southern Gigafinal U8s and U10s (Sandown Racecourse, Esher)
Sunday 20th July – Southern Gigafinal U12s, U14s and U18s (Sandown Racecourse, Esher)

Online Gigafinal

One boy and one girl will qualify from each section.

The Online Gigafinal takes part in two stages: Stage 1 is Saturday 6th September at 10am with the top 12 players in each of the 5 age sections then qualifying for Stage 2 on Sunday 7th September."

We will report on players attending to let you know how they do.

Many thanks to volunteer Geoff Hindley for looking after the Under18 section.

Under18: Round 1

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name           Feder Total

11 Logan Moore      U14   [0]      1:0    Nathan Murray  U18   [0]  
12 Matthew McColgan U14   [0]      1:0    Andrew Riddell U14   [0]  
13 Ethan Cole       U14   [0]      1:0    Shubham Saha   U14   [0]  

Under18: Round 2

Results

No Name           Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

11 Nathan Murray  U18   [0]     .5:.5   Shubham Saha     U14   [0]  
12 Andrew Riddell U14   [0]      0:1    Ethan Cole       U14   [1]  
13 Logan Moore    U14   [1]      0:1    Matthew McColgan U14   [1]  

Its a fight to see who qualifies for the Under14s. Nathan Murrary will qualify as the top Under 18.

Under18: Round 3

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name           Feder Total

11 Matthew McColgan U14   [2]      0:1    Nathan Murray  U18   [.5] 
12 Ethan Cole       U14   [2]      1:0    Logan Moore    U14   [1]  
13 Shubham Saha     U14   [.5]     1:0    Andrew Riddell U14   [0]  

Under18: Round 4

Results

No Name             Feder Total  Result   Name           Feder Total

11 Nathan Murray    U18   [1.5]    1:0    Andrew Riddell U14   [0]  
12 Logan Moore      U14   [1]      0:1    Shubham Saha   U14   [1.5]
13 Matthew McColgan U14   [2]      0:1    Ethan Cole     U14   [3]  

Ethan Cole leads the tournament on 4 out of 4 and qualifies for the GigaFinals.

Under18: Round 5

Results

No Name           Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

11 Ethan Cole     U14   [4]      1:0    Nathan Murray    U18   [2.5]
12 Shubham Saha   U14   [2.5]    1:0    Matthew McColgan U14   [2]  
13 Andrew Riddell U14   [0]      0:1    Logan Moore      U14   [1]  

Shubham gains 3.5 points and also qualifies.

Under18: Round 6

Results

No Name           Feder Total  Result   Name             Feder Total

11 Matthew McColgan U14   [3]    1:0    Logan Moore      U14   [2] 
12 Shubham Saha   U14   [3.5]    0:1    Ethan Cole       U14   [5] 
13 Nathan Murray   U18  [2.5]    1:0    Andrew Riddell   U14   [0] 
     

Under18: Standings

Place Name             Feder Score

  1   Ethan Cole       U14   6    
  2   Shubham Saha     U14   3.5  
  3   Nathan Murray    U18   3.5  
 4-5  Logan Moore      U14   3    
      Matthew McColgan U14   2    
  6   Andrew Riddell   U14   0    

Qualifiers

End of a brilliant day. With lots of worthy qualifiers for the next round. The Gigafinals. We will track the players and let you know how they do.

The targeted dates for next years monthly tournaments are book them in your diaries - have a brilliant summer:

Chess Events 2026/2027

Puzzle Solutions

Challenging Mates in 2

3 day bank holiday weekend event

Saturday August 29

Sunday August 30

Monday August 31

Check-in / Entry fee payments:

9:15am to 9:45am

Round 1: 10am

Round 2:  3pm

Round 3: 10am

Round 4:  3pm

Round 5: 10am

Round 6:  3pm

Sections: subject to change and to be confirmed at the start of the tournament.

Senior (Over 1800)

Intermediate (1800>)

90 minutes + 30 second increment. Recording of moves is compulsory for entire duration of game.

Rules:

Mobile phones must be switched off and placed beside you on the table in the playing hall. If a phone makes a noise you will lose the game.

Default time for absent players is 30 minutes.  For each round, all players should be seated 5 minutes before start time to listen to announcements.

Tie Break order: Buchholz, Progressive, TPR Mixed.

To win a perpetual cup in any of the sections, the player must have lived in one of the 9 counties of Ulster for at least 12 months.

Entry Fees:

Late entry fee is £30 on the day + annual UCU fee for the 2026/2027 season

The combined entry fees for early entrants:

£55 for adults

(30 tournament fee + 25 UCU membership)

£45 for adults with ICU membership

(30 tournament fee + 15 UCU membership)

£40 for Under 18s

(30 tournament fee + 10 UCU membership)

The UCU fees that each player pays at check-in will cover players to 31 August 2027.

Please note all players living in Northern Ireland must pay their UCU fee on top of entry fee on the morning of the tournament. The option to defer UCU annual payment (to be collected by the local clubs later in the season) is no longer permissible.

Fees can be payable in advance or in cash on the day.

Organiser and Arbiter: Chris Dorrian

Registration deadline:

12 noon on Wednesday 26 August 2026

Held this year at the newly established Carrickfergus Community Chess Club, the event brought together 22 players from across the local chess scene, all of whom had earned their tickets throughout the season via performances in major UCU events including the Ulster Championships, Ulster Masters, Blitz, Rapidplay, and Summer Tournament.

Arkell arrived in Northern Ireland for the first time to glorious sunshine, with UCU organiser Karina Campbell collecting the GM from Belfast International Airport before the pair headed to Dobbins Inn in Carrickfergus to settle in ahead of the evening’s play. Rumour has it that Karina may even have persuaded Keith to enjoy a “cheeky Guinness or two” before battle commenced.

By the time the players arrived, much of the hard work had already been completed thanks to the efforts of Mark Newman, Eddie Khanzharov, and members of the Carrickfergus Community Chess Club, who had every board, clock, scoresheet and seating arrangement perfectly prepared for the Grandmaster’s arrival.

Unlike previous editions of the simul, Arkell offered players the choice of colour. Fourteen participants opted to play White, while Mandar Tahmankar boldly chose Black on board one - a decision that would ultimately pay off in spectacular fashion.

From the outset, Arkell maintained a relentless pace, moving briskly between boards and rarely lingering long at any position. Yet despite his trademark efficiency and immense experience, the Ulster contingent proved exceptionally resilient. After just over four hours of play, Arkell finished with a still-impressive score of 19/22, though the final tally only told part of the story.

Victories for Mandar Tahmankar and Edward Khanzharov, alongside hard-earned draws for Gerard McIlroy and Amol Thoke, ensured the local players could celebrate a memorable evening against one of Britain’s most respected chess figures.

The Grandmaster himself was full of praise afterwards:

“I don’t recall a more difficult simul strength-wise.”

Arkell’s résumé speaks for itself. The 2008 English Champion is also a European Senior Champion, tied for first in the 2014 World Senior Championship, British Online Champion in 2021, and has won the British Senior Championship for each of the last three years. Known internationally as a formidable endgame specialist, Arkell even has an opening variation named after him: the Arkell-Khenkin Variation.

Speaking after the event, Arkell praised both the organisation and the quality of opposition:

“Back from an extremely tough simul in Carrickfergus, wonderfully organised by Karina Campbell, who does so much for the Ulster Chess Union in Northern Ireland.

“The simul, in which I applied my trademarks of offering my opponents choice of colour, two passes each, and a finale of playing out the last four games on the clock with a 10:10 time limit, took me a full four hours - much longer than I normally take - which reflects just how strong and dogged my opponents were.”

The evening was not without its lighter moments. Early in the simul, Arkell accidentally helped himself to a player’s water bottle while his own sat nearby on the table. The Grandmaster was reportedly highly amused when Karina informed him of the mix-up later in the evening - hopefully the unfortunate player wasn’t too attached to the bottle.

Among the many competitive encounters, Arkell singled out Robert Lavery’s game as a particular standout, noting afterwards that Lavery “made him work for it.”

Following the final handshakes, players and organisers returned to Dobbins Inn for a relaxed post-mortem over a few quiet pints, joined by Chris Armstrong and Dominic Gallagher as stories from the evening quickly began to circulate.

Reflecting on the occasion afterwards, representatives from the Carrickfergus Community Chess Club described the event as a landmark moment for the newly formed club:

“Hosting the UCU Grandmaster Simul was a massive milestone for the Carrickfergus Community Chess Club. Welcoming GM Keith Arkell was an absolute privilege, and pushing him to two draws and two losses showed the fantastic calibre of the local players — including our own Aaron and Liam, who did us proud.

“This night truly highlighted the incredible spirit, talent, and community solidarity here in Carrickfergus. Huge thanks to the UCU for the opportunity!”

Karina Campbell extended thanks to everyone who attended and assisted with the event, noting that the evening had been a tremendous success for both the UCU and the newly formed Carrickfergus Community Chess Club. The feeling was clearly mutual, with Arkell stating he would be delighted to return in the future.

Thanks to Mandar Tahmankar and Eddie Khanzharov for sharing their games from the evening, which are included below.

K Arkell v M Tahmankar

E Khanzharov v K Arkell

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. c3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 e6 8. Be3 Nge7 9. Bb5 Ng6 10. Bd4 Qc7 11. Qg3 Be7 12. O-O O-O 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14. b4 b6 15. cxb6 axb6 16. f4 Nh4 17. Qf2 Rfb8 18. g4 h5 19. f5 hxg4 20. f6 Nf3+ 21. Kh1 Bf8 22. fxg7 Bxg7 23. Nd2 Nxd2 24. Qxd2 Kf8 25. Qf4 Rb7 26. Qxg4 Bh6 27. Qh5 Bg7 28. Rg1 Qc4 29. Qh7 Ke7 30. Qxg7 Rf8 31. Qf6+ Kd7 32. Qf1 Kc6 33. Qxc4+ dxc4 34. a4 Ra8 35. a5 bxa5 36. Rxa5 Rh8 37. Rga1 Rh4 38. Ra6+ Kd5 39. Re1 Rd7 40. b5 Rd8 41. b6 Kc6 42. Rb1 Rdh8 43. b7+ Kc7 44. Rb2 Rb8 45. Bc5 Rxb7 *

Full Simul Results

Upcoming UCU Events

-       Fischer Random

Saturday 13^th June at Loanends Presbyterian Church

-       Annual General Meeting

Monday 15^th June at Fruithill Chess Club

-       Ulster Championships

Saturday 29^th August – Monday 31^st August at Blackmountain Shared Space

-       UK Open Blitz (Belfast Qualifier)

Saturday 12^th September at Loanends Presbyterian Church

Venue: Loanends Presbyterian Church Hall, Loanends Rd, Loanends, Crumlin BT29 4YR

Please register in advance by emailing Mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com

We have limited seats.

FIDE rules apply

Format: Open Swiss

Tie-breaks will be determined by Swiss Master 5.7 Build 8 in the following order: Buchholz, Progressive Score, TPR Mixed.

Early Rounds: Favourites Hold Firm, First Shocks Appear

The tournament opened in classic Swiss style, with top seeds facing lower rated opponents. As expected, the favourites held their nerve and secured their points.

But Round 2 delivered the first twist: Ethan C, one of the three 2000+ rated players was held to a draw, marking the first surprise among the elite.

By Round 3, the story of the tournament was beginning to take shape. Steve S — described in the report as someone who has “seen it all, won it all, and done it with grace and style” — surged to 3/3, taking the early lead. Mandar drew, while Ethan C kept pace with a crucial win.

Round 4: The Tournament Turns

Round 4 lived up to its reputation as Ulster chess’s “moving round.”

Steve S ground out another tough win, stretching his lead to half a point over the relentless Ethan C heading into Round 5.

In the Henderson Cup section, Nicole W established a full point lead over Robert L and Des M, setting up a tense finish.

Round 5: Pressure Peaks

The top board clash between Steve S and Ethan C ended in a fighting draw — a testament to Ethan’s determination and, as the report puts it, “a will to win the size of Old Trafford.”

Elsewhere, George and Nicole W scored vital victories, tightening the standings heading into the final round.

After five rounds, the leaderboard was razorthin:

Steve S: 4.5

Ethan C, George, Nicole W: 4.0

Everything was still to play for.

Round 6: Final Round Fireworks

The final round delivered maximum drama.

Steve S and Nicole W both drew, while Ethan C secured a crucial win — pulling level with Steve S on 5 points. The Nemtzov Cup would be decided by tiebreaks.

Nicole W’s draw, meanwhile, clinched her the Henderson Cup title. With Conor S winning and Peter C drawing, the remaining podium places also came down to tiebreak calculations.

Final Standings

Nemtzov Cup

1st – Steve Scannell (5 pts)

2nd – Ethan Cole (5 pts) — edged out again on tiebreak

3rd – Andrew Campbell (4.5 pts) — a brilliant late surge onto the podium

Henderson Cup

1st – Nicole White (4.5 pts)

2nd – Conor Spackman (3.5 pts) — 2nd on tiebreak

3rd – Peter Campbell

A Tournament to Remember

The 2026 City of Belfast Tournament delivered everything chess fans could hope for: tension, surprises, heroic saves, and two champions crowned only after the finest of margins.

A huge thank you goes to all players for making the event smooth and enjoyable, and to Lisburn Chess Club for hosting another fantastic weekend of chess.

Report by Chris Dorrian

Venue: Falls Bowling Club, 63 Andersonstown Road Belfast. BT11 9AH

Any member wishing to put forward a motion or nominate a member for the Board, must do so before noon Monday 8^th June 2026.

Submitted motions must be proposed by one member and seconded by another.

Please submit nominations and proposals to Pat McKillen.

Positions on the UCU Executive Board:

Chair

Secretary

Treasurer

Tournament Director (& Vice Tournament Director)

League Controller

Ratings Officer

Youth Development Officer

Child Protection Officer

Women’s Development Officer

Funding Officer

Trophies Officer

Web Editor/Social Media Officer

UCU Historian

ICU Representative

Member without portfolio

Those wishing to stand for any of the above positions must be nominated and seconded by two other members.

The Tom Clarke Grand Prix and League prises will be presented at the AGM; full winner’s list below. We encourage all winners to collect their trophies in person.

TOM CLARKE GRAND PRIX WINNERS

Senior: TBC

Intermediate: TBC

DIVISION 1 WINNERS

The A Team

DIVISION 2 WINNERS

Downpatrick

DIVISION 1 BOARD PRIZES

Division 1 Board 1: Adam Collins

Division 1 Board 2: Robbie Wright

Division 1 Board 3: Ben McIlroy

Division 1 Board 4: Paul McNaughton

Division 1 Board 5: Chris Kelly

DIVISION 2 BOARD PRIZES

Division 2 Board 1: Andrew Todd

Division 2 Board 2: Jack Edens

Division 2 Board 3: Graeme McCormick

Division 2 Board 4: David McCracken

Division 2 Board 5: Gary Johnston

Previous year’s AGM minutes, nominations, and proposals will be published post receipt of any proposals and nominations Monday 8^th June.

For further details on any of the roles, please contact the UCU secretary.

Event Timings

5:30pm — Players seated at boards

5:45pm — Simultaneous display begins

Approximate finish time: 11:00pm

Playing Conditions

Players may choose whether to play with the white or black pieces.

Each player will be permitted two passes during the simul. When four games remain, clocks will be introduced with a time control of 10 minutes each remaining (10+0).

Confirmed Players

Important RSVP Notice

Simul ticket winners who have not yet responded with an RSVP should note that, if they arrive on the day without prior confirmation, their place may already have been reallocated and a game cannot be guaranteed.

We look forward to welcoming players for an enjoyable evening of chess with GM Keith Arkell.

Please email me by 3:00pm on the afternoon of the tournament day. to let the controller know to be included in the draw: mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com

Ending Wednesday 30th September 2026. Prize Giving and mini tournament.