Category Archives: Games

Galvin – Plotkin, Irish Universities v Scottish Universities match 1968

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Sean Coffey

The recent update here on Irish championship players added first names for many players. One of these was Roddy Galvin, who played in the 1967 championship in Cork. No games of his are currently in the ICU games archive. However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Games | Leave a comment

Doyle – Ward, Hastings Major C 1933-34

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Sean Coffey

James J. Doyle was a long-time stalwart of Dublin C.C., playing on Armstrong Cup-winning teams spanning at least the 1921-22 to 1949-50 seasons, and was Leinster champion in 1925. He was also a regular at tournaments at Margate and Hastings. … Continue reading →

Posted in Games | Leave a comment

A great escape

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Sean Coffey

Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen is the current World Champion of Study Composition, and co-author, with Jacob Aagaard, of the freshly published book Endgame Labyrinths. He also has an account on X (formerly Twitter) that features many interesting studies and other curiosities. … Continue reading →

Posted in Games | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games, Irish championships | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games, Tournaments | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games, Puzzles | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games, Puzzles | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games, Players | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Games, Irish championships | Leave a comment