Category Archives: Games

Jessel – O’Donnell, Plancoët Open 2014

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Sean Coffey

Stephen Jessel and Conor O’Donnell competed in the strong Plancoët Open 2014, finishing with 6/9 and 5½/9 respectively. They met in round 8, in a game of changing fortunes. The first diagram shows one interesting moment. Jessel – O’Donnell, Plancoët … Continue reading →

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Fox – D. Nolan, Irish Championship 2023

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Sean Coffey

Among the many interesting moments in the recently concluded Irish Championship was the following from the encounter between Anthony Fox and Dermot Nolan in round 6. Fox – D. Nolan, Irish Championship 202353. ? I was following the game live, … Continue reading →

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Irish players at the 1948-49 Hastings Congress

Posted on July 23, 2023 by David McAlister

The 24th annual international Xmas congress of the Hastings Chess Club was officially opened at 3.45 p.m. on Thursday December 30th, 1948 by Neil Cooper-Key Esq., M.P. for Hastings, supported by the Mayor and other important members of the municipality. … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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O’Connell – Daly, Irish Championship 1999

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Sean Coffey

In the Irish Championship 1999, defending champion Colm Daly had some difficulties at the beginning of the event, drawing in round 2 against Gerard O’Connell and then losing in round 3 against Jonathan O’Connor. His 5½/6 in the remaining games … Continue reading →

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Greer – Orr, Irish Championship 1985

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Sean Coffey

In the 1985 Irish Championship, contemporary reports said that Mark Orr was in serious danger in only one game: his round five encounter with 17-year-old Kieran Greer. After Black’s 21… g6, the position in the first diagram was reached. How … Continue reading →

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