The annual Sligo Spring Tournament has expanded even further this year to a Sligo Chess and Culture Festival, comprising a five-section Weekender, a 9-round Open in which norms might be possible, a rapid and a blitz, as well as various non-chess events. Congratulations to the organisers, who have taken a very ambitious approach.
The Weekender took place this last weekend. A full report on the Masters section (for rating 1900+) has been added to the Tournament pages here.
The event consisted of five rounds, and was contested by a field of 30 players. Top seed Jacob Flynn won his first three games and stood clear first, but could only draw his last two games, having been a pawn down in each, against Lukian Hushpit and Oliver Barnes; Barnes could well have played on.
Flynn still stood in clear first after round four, on 3½, but was followed by seven players on three points. All last-round games between players on 3 points had decisive results, so the final result was a four-way tie between Flynn, Shane Melaugh, Oisín O’Cuilleanáin, and Yannick Woods. I did not see any tie-break method specified.
All games are available via live boards.
Perhaps the most interesting game, from many strong candidates, was the second round game between Jamie Comley and Robert Ashworth.
19. ?
After the prosaic 19. Na4, White would stand slightly better. Instead the game saw the startling 19. Nf7?!!. Though enterprising, this is objectively bad, and after 19… Bxf7 20. e6 gxf6 21. exf7+ Kxf7, Black stood better. Five moves after that, White was winning, but he missed the best continuation, and the game oscillated for a while between winning for Black and level. Black established a clearly winning position, and seemed to have navigated all obstacles, only to agree a draw in a winning position. Quite an eventful game!
The last-round game between Mustakim-Ul Haque and England’s Kevin P. Millward had an interesting finish.
34… ?
With rook, bishop, and knight for a queen, Black had been winning on material just a couple of moves earlier, but the position has turned treacherous. He still stands much better after 34… Be5!. After the game continuation 34… Bd7?, White responded 35. Rg5!, and suddenly Black has no defence against 36. Rb5. After a few checks, Black resigned.