Category Archives: Games

Sligo Spring Tournament Masters 2024

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The Sligo Spring Tournament was held in Enniscrone from February 2-4, 2024. The flyer gives testimonials from players (“the best tournament in Ireland at present”, “by far the most professional weekender I’ve been to”), and these seem no idle boasts. … Continue reading →

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Eddie O’Connor and the Armstrong Cup 1988-89

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The 1988-89 season of the Armstrong Cup turned into a battle between the defending champions, and favourites for the new season, Kevin Barry, versus the previous year’s runners-up, Rathmines. The background and atmosphere was described vividly by Michael O’Brien in … Continue reading →

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Irish Championship 1947

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The Irish Championship 1947 was held in Cork, for the first time ever, at the C.C.Y.M.S. Hall in Castle Street. The event was structured as a 14-player all-play-all, with the provincial unions each nominating three players, and with another place … Continue reading →

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National Club Championship 2024

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The National Club Championship took place at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan over the weekend, ending today. Congratulations to Elm Mount, who won for (I think) the first time ever. The event attracted 15 teams, and was hotly contested all along. … Continue reading →

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A Varsity Match record

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The “Varsity” matches between Oxford University and Cambridge University go back to 1873 in an almost complete sequence, broken only by World Wars. The latest in the sequence took place last month at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall in … Continue reading →

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Dublin International Open 2024

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The Dublin International Festival concluded yesterday at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan. Three seven-round events were held: the Open (77 players, 1st Stephen Jessel), the 40+ Championship (18 players, 1st John Delaney), and the 65+ Championship (21 players, 1st-4th Gerry MacElligott, … Continue reading →

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Bartczak – Spence, DCU Majors 2024

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The recent post about the DCU Majors 2024 gave the Bartczak – Spence game as the most interesting, with plenty of play left in the final position. I thought Black “should be able to draw”, but the line I offered … Continue reading →

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Kononova – Naughton, Ennis Open 2024

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The last post gave Kononova – Naughton as the most interesting game of the Ennis Open 2024. Kononova – Naughton, Ennis Open 202452. ? From the diagrammed position, 52. c6 wins easily. Instead the mysterious 52. Rc1? wasted a crucial … Continue reading →

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Harding – Reynolds, Irish 65+ Championship 2024

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Sean Coffey

The Irish 65+ Championship 2024 round 6 game between Tim Harding and Pat Reynolds reached the diagrammed position with White to play. Harding – Reynolds, Irish 65+ Championship 202448. ? While 48. Qe5 would leave White much better, the game … Continue reading →

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Galvin – Plotkin, Irish Universities v Scottish Universities match 1968

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The recent update here on Irish championship players added first names for many players. One of these was Roddy Galvin, who played in the 1967 championship in Cork. No games of his are currently in the ICU games archive. However, … Continue reading →

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