Author Archives: David McAlister

From Irish champion to polar adventurer

Posted on October 29, 2015 by David McAlister

The format for the 1989 renewal of the Irish Championship provoked a bit of controversy at the time. The Irish Chess Union abandoned the usual formula of one-game a day over 9 rounds and compressed the Championship into 5 days. … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish champions | Leave a comment

Who did Dake play?

Posted on January 26, 2015 by David McAlister

In the comments to “The trials of Aibhistín de Búrca” Paul Brown raises the issue of which player played A. Dake at Warsaw (de Burca or Cranston). At IRLchess we have plumped for de Búrca. De Búrca, in his 1960 … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish champions, Players | 2 Comments

Dunsany Premier Tourney 1941

Posted on January 13, 2015 by David McAlister

The 1940 Irish Championship was affected by the late withdrawal of the two Ulster representatives, A.L.Davies and J.D. Peebles, because they were unable to travel to Dublin. As the Second World War continued into 1941, the Irish Chess Union Council decided, … Continue reading →

Posted in Tournaments | Leave a comment

The trials of Aibhistín de Búrca

Posted on December 28, 2014 by David McAlister

At the Annual General Meeting of the Irish Chess Union on the 13th March 1935 the feasibility of sending a team to the International Team Tournament to be held in Warsaw in the second half of August was discussed. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Players | 3 Comments

Karpov-Moles, Groningen 1967-8

Posted on October 29, 2014 by David McAlister

In the comments to Walsh-Botvinnik, Martin Crichton mentions a game between Kiernan (presumably Bernard Kernan) and Karpov, when the latter was World Champion. I’m sceptical that such a game exists (I couldn’t find it in any of the normal databases … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Celtic Triangular 1981-1984

Posted on June 6, 2014 by David McAlister

Olimpbase, the encyclopaedia of team chess, has recently added to its vast archives the Celtic Triangular tournaments of 1981-1982 and 1983-1984. In both series there were three rounds with Ireland, Scotland and Wales each taking it in turns to host … Continue reading →

Posted in Celtic Triangular, Tournaments | 2 Comments

Garry Kasparov in Dublin

Posted on April 2, 2014 by David McAlister

The 13th World Champion is currently on the campaign trail as he bids to unseat Kirsan Ilyumzhinov from the Presidency of FIDE. His principal purpose in coming to Dublin was to meet delegates from Ireland and neighbouring Federations who will … Continue reading →

Posted in News | 1 Comment

Korchnoi photograph

Posted on January 2, 2014 by David McAlister

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Photos, Simuls | 7 Comments

A MacGuffin, a play-off and a foreshadowing

Posted on December 10, 2013 by David McAlister

On the 28th November Edward Winter’s Chess Notes ran a story about a chessplayer called Aaron Sayers who had fallen on hard times and run into a bit of trouble with the law. Mr Winter quoted from the April 1928 edition … Continue reading →

Posted in Armstrong Cup | 1 Comment

The early days of ICU Ratings

Posted on June 16, 2013 by David McAlister

Edited 17 June 2013 If you are playing in a tournament and someone you’ve never come across before sits down at the board opposite you, there’s a fair chance he’ll ask what you rating is (unless you get that question … Continue reading →

Posted in Ratings | 1 Comment