This year’s Ulster championship, which ran from August 25-27 in Belfast, was a 6-round event with 12 players, and resulted in a clear-cut win for Thomas Donaldson, a full point clear of the field, for his first title.
The report on the Chess NI web site shows the new champion in action against the top seed, defending champion, and nine times former champion Stephen Scannell:
The photo captures a critical stage of the game, after Black’s 18th move:
Position after Black’s 18th
Play continued 19. Qh4 h6 20. b3? (20. g5! and White has a decisive attack) 20… Qc7!, and now it is too late for 21. g5? because 21… Qxe5 22. gxh6? Qa1+ 23. Kd2 Bc3+! 24. Nxc3 fxe3+ 25. Kxe3 Qxc3+ gives Black a winning attack. The position would still be about equal after 21. exf4, but instead after 21. Qh5? White’s position went quickly downhill.
[Click to reply the full game.]
In all 24 games from the main (‘Senior’) championship were broadcast, along with 6 each from the Intermediate and Junior. See this month’s archive.