Author Archives: Sean Coffey

Problems and studies: Robert Pye web site

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Sean Coffey

Robert Pye writes to say that there is a new web site, chessproblems.ie, dealing with his problems and studies, and also available to other chess problemists and study composers, born in the Republic of Ireland, who wish to make their … Continue reading →

Posted in Puzzles | Leave a comment

From the Galway Blitz 2023

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The (first?) Galway Blitz Championship, held last Saturday, attracted a field of 87 players, who contested 18 rounds. Tarun Kanyamarala finished first on 15½, ahead of Jacob Flynn on 15 and Oleg Gubanov on 14½. (See full results.) The top … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Puzzles | Leave a comment

Drogheda (Thomson Masters) 2023

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The Drogheda Congress was held over the June Bank Holiday weekend, comprising four sections with 131 players in all. Very admirably, essentially all games in all sections were broadcast. A full report on the Thomson Masters has been posted to … Continue reading →

Posted in Drogheda Congresses, Tournaments | Leave a comment

FIDE ratings

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The FIDE ratings page here, which shows the highest FIDE ratings achieved by Irish players, ranked in descending order, has been updated to account for the May and June 2023 lists. Conor Murphy moved from 2450 to 2454 in May … Continue reading →

Posted in Ratings | Leave a comment

Delaney – Ludgate, Irish Championship 1983

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The position in the puzzle set in the last post is from the last round game between John Delaney and Alan Ludgate in the Irish Championship 1983. It arose just after the time control, but as it was the last … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Puzzles | Leave a comment

1… Kc_, ?

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Sean Coffey

In the following position, it’s Black to play. How should he continue? To narrow it down, suppose that his next move is to play the king to the c-file. Where should it go, and why? 1… Kc_, ? The solution … Continue reading →

Posted in Puzzles | Leave a comment

Irish Championship 1983

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The Irish Championship in 1983 was held, for the first and so far only time ever, in Castlebar. With continued sponsorship from IBM, the event attracted a large field of 32, including almost all of the top players in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish championships, Tournaments | Leave a comment

Thomas Bewley 1926-2022

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Sean Coffey

Thomas Bewley, who died aged 95 last June, was a highly distinguished psychiatrist who had a major impact on the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction, as noted by extensive obituaries in the Irish Times, Guardian, Telegraph, and Times, amongst … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Players | Leave a comment

Proved or not proved?

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The Irish Championship 1997 came down to the final game between Anthony Fox and Stephen Brady. A win for Brady would leave him tied with Joe Ryan for first, on the astounding score of 8½/9, thus sharing the title, while … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Irish championships | Leave a comment

Cafolla – McCarthy, Irish Championship 1999

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Sean Coffey

Peter Cafolla’s round 3 game against Jim McCarthy in the Irish Championship 1999 reached the diagrammed position at move 25. Cafolla – McCarthy, Irish Championship 1999 (3) 25. ? Black’s last move 24… Rf8-d8? turns out to be an error … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Irish championships | Leave a comment