A report on the Irish Championship 2002 has been added to the archive here.
For the second year in succession, the championship was held in Greystones. In all, 19 players competed. The defending champion and top rated player Stephen Brady lost three games, while Philip Short was also off the pace. After round 5, six of the seven players with a plus score had never won the championship, with John Joyce leading on 4½. In the end, though, it was Sam Collins who finished strongest, ending with an undefeated 7/9 for his first Irish championship.
He didn’t have it all his own way, though, and had to rescue a thoroughly lost position in his round 5 game against Mel Ó Cinnéide.
In the diagrammed position Collins (White) played 38. Rxe6!?, when instead of the game’s 38… Qxe6?, 38… Rxg3! ends White’s attack and gives Black a crushing advantage.
Question: what should the verdict be with best play after 38… Qxe6? Black is better in all variations, but is it enough for a win?