This year’s Munster championship provided a return to a separate event and live boards for the top two games, both welcome decisions. (See the recent post here.)
In an even more welcome development, the Munster Chess Union has now followed up by providing almost all of the remaining games, keyed in by Eric Salsac. These have now been added to the updated report on the Tournaments page here.
Here’s one interesting moment, from O’Connell-O’Brien in round 3, with White to play his 35th move. What’s your evaluation of 35. Rxh5+ gxh5 36. Qxh5+ Kg8 37. Re3 (as played in the game)?
Update, November 13, 2015: see my solution in the comments section.
After 37. Re3? (much better 37. Nh6+!, winning quickly, e.g., 37 … Kg7 38. Re3 or 37. … Kh8 38. Nf7+ Kg7 39. Rg3 Rxf7 40. Rg3+ Kf8 41. Qh8+ Ke7 42. Qxa8 and Black can resign; I confess I had missed this completely) 37. … Qh7 38. Rg3+ Kh8 39. Qxh7+ Kxh7 40. Rg7+ Kh8, Denis O’Connell played 41. Rc7 and only drew as Black managed to open the Q-side and get two rooks on the 7th rank.
I would have tried 41. h5!? with the immediate threat of h6 and Nh4-g6 mate, and more generally the goal of keeping Black tied up with no counterplay, e.g. 41. … Rg8 42. h6 Rxg7 43. hxg7+ followed by a slow march of the king.
It’s not entirely that simple, as after 41. h5 axb3 42. axb3 Ra1+ 43. Kd2 Rh1 44. h6? Black simply takes: 44. … Rxh6. But White instead has 44. d6!, e.g. 44. … Rxh5 45. Re7 followed again by a white king march up the board Even that requires some care, but White should be winning.