Author Archives: David McAlister

Eugene O’Hare and Bobby Fischer

Posted on March 27, 2012 by David McAlister

Colin Fenton has brought to my attention this tribute to Eugene O’Hare from the Derry Journal. It referred to Eugene as “an internationally known chess player who once played against the late chess master, Bobby Fisher[sic].” There is no game … Continue reading →

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Korchnoi and the car

Posted on February 11, 2012 by David McAlister

On a cold dark early-February night in 1981 sometime around midnight I was leaving the Drumsill House Hotel in Armagh after playing a game of chess. As I was walking through the hotel car park I saw in the distance … Continue reading →

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O’Hanlon, Cox and the female impersonator

Posted on November 18, 2011 by David McAlister

John (“J.J.”) O’Hanlon won the Irish championship nine times between 1913 and 1940. His most significant international successes were at Broadstairs 1922 where he tied with the future World Champion Max Euwe (winning their individual encounter) and Hyѐres 1928 where he tied with … Continue reading →

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Lilienthal in Dublin

Posted on November 3, 2011 by David McAlister

Andor Lilienthal died last year at the age of 99. At the time Chessbase published this fine tribute to him. Featured in that article is Lilienthal’s famous queen sacrifice victory over Capablanca, played at Hastings on the 1st January 1935. Coincidentally earlier … Continue reading →

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Ulster Championship 2011

Posted on September 22, 2011 by David McAlister

The 2011 Ulster Championship featured two innovations. The event was FIDE-rated and time increments were used for the first time in any Ulster tournament. Tournament reports have been posted on the Championship itself (confined to players rated over 1700) won … Continue reading →

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Ulster Championship 2002

Posted on July 31, 2011 by David McAlister

The plan here at IRLchess is to present as much information as possible about as many Irish chess tournaments as possible (and a bit more besides). Sean suggested to me that the Ulster Championship played 27-30 December 2002 would be … Continue reading →

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T.G. Cranston: Correcting and improving the record

Posted on June 25, 2011 by David McAlister

The first port of call to seek out biographical details about any chess player is Jeremy Gaige’s Chess Personalia. The entry for T. G. Cranston is brief, telling us only that he was born in Dublin circa 1877 and was Irish champion … Continue reading →

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John Francis O’Donovan

Posted on June 23, 2011 by David McAlister

The 1939 International Team tournament (or Olympiad as it is now called) was played in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ireland was represented by John O’Hanlon, John O’Donovan, Gerard Kerlin, William Minnis and Warwick Nash. During the competition war broke out in … Continue reading →

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