Author Archives: Sean Coffey

Wexford June Congress 1974

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Sean Coffey

As mentioned previously, there appear to be very few games available from the Wexford/Drogheda June Congresses. If any reader has any they can send in, please do so! The only games I’m aware of are the five games of Bernard … Continue reading →

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Wexford/Drogheda June Congress

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Sean Coffey

The Drogheda June Congress is on this weekend. This competition has a unique structure of 6-player all-play-alls and a long history: this is the 24th of the series in Drogheda, in an unbroken sequence from 1990, and it had previously … Continue reading →

Posted in Drogheda Congresses, Photos, Wexford Congresses | 7 Comments

Denis Irwin

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Sean Coffey

Around ten years ago, Denis Irwin gave an extensive interview to RTÉ as he was about to leave Manchester United after a glittering career there (1 European Cup, 7 Premier League titles and 3 FA Cups, among others), while also … Continue reading →

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Black to play and win

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Sean Coffey

As the title says: Black to play and win. (N.B. If you’d like to try it as an exercise, don’t read any further for now: the answer is given below.) This is from a game of Joe Ryan’s (White), played … Continue reading →

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Zukertort-Soffe, blindfold simul 1879

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Sean Coffey

Last week saw a welcome return of John Watson’s series of book reviews at The Week in Chess, after an extended break. And the very first book up for review is none other than Tim Harding’s Eminent Victorian Chess Players, … Continue reading →

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The New Winawer Report, issue 5

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Sean Coffey

The fifth issue of The New Winawer Report has been posted: see the tnwr page. This issue continues with the much-maligned, but much-better-than-its-reputation, 13. Be3. Black has a few viable options, but one of the main lines reaches the diagram … Continue reading →

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“Here’s one that wasn’t so good”: Alekhine-Barry, Dublin 1938

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Sean Coffey

The Simuls page has a list of the illustrious visitors to Ireland down the years: these include Steinitz, Capablanca, Alekhine, Euwe, Smyslov, and Topalov, all world champions at one time or other. But only one of these was the reigning … Continue reading →

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From Cork 2013

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Sean Coffey

TWIC 963 had 23 games from the Cork Masters 2013, now all posted in the games archive. In the second round, local player and newly minted Irish U-19 champion Hugh Doyle was up against Alexander Baburin, and reached the following … Continue reading →

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Alex Montwill

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Sean Coffey

J.J. Walsh has sent the news that Alex Montwill, who has been mentioned here several times, died two weeks ago, on April 18th. He was 78. As previously discussed here, he finished equal first in an Irish championship but was … Continue reading →

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The New Winawer Report, issue 4

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Sean Coffey

The fourth issue of The New Winawer Report has been posted: see the tnwr page. This one continues with the main line of the poisoned pawn variation. A game from this year’s Gibraltar Masters, Janev-Quillan, featured 13. Be3. This was … Continue reading →

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