Ulster player Cathal Murphy stumbled upon this super old photograph in the 1970s Armagh Memories Facebook page and sent it to me. It was dated November 1976 but was actually taken in February 1981 at the event I had previously written about in Korchnoi and the car.
I was previously unaware of the existence of the photo. It was therefore a real pleasure over 30 years after the event to see the great Korchnoi just about to make his first move against me in the simultaneous exhibition. The young lad two boards down from me is the future two-time Irish champion Niall Carton. Can anyone identify other people featured?
Hi Sean
I played on Board 3 and won. Like all chess players I remember the opening and the variation quite well. It was a Samisch Kings Indian with an early …. Nc6 (without …d6). Good fun! This was a big achievement, getting Korchnoi to visit Ireland. It would be lovely to have similar events for our new generation of juniors. Expensive to organise but certainly they leave lasting memories.
John Delaney
Blanchardstown
Hi John,
I think you played in the third simul, two days later, in O’Connell Street. I played and also won (French Advance, and Korchnoi blundered an exchange in the opening, via a … Bxh1, and he resigned quite quickly). The game itself is certainly long gone but there was a photograph that could still be around somewhere; not a great one, though, and certainly nowhere near as good as the one David posted above. It’s hard to take good pictures of chess events, since they’re indoors and often have poor lighting: this is an outstanding one.
Sean
I think that’s Graeme McCormick of Newtownards 3rd from left of the spectators
I agree that there is a resemblance to Graeme McCormick. However, I have known Graeme a long time and I don’t think it is him. Also, it’s unlikely Graeme (who doesn’t drive) would have travelled a reasonably long distance just to spectate, particularly when his own club, Newtownards, hosted one of the other Korchnoi simultaneous exhibitions during his visit.
Hi David and everyone else. I heard once that Tony Beckett also beat K. And that he was given a book prize or something. Perhaps not the events mentioned. Perhaps just a rumour
Or was it Spassky
Hi Bernard. Good to hear from you. In fact it was Nigel Short – see Tony’s reminiscences at https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu00450/2021-2022/tony-beckett-rip-tribute/tony-beckett-rip