Irish Chess Championship 2023

macelligott

The Irish championship badly needs a few more FMs and another IM 😀

Joedryan

I know I have gone on about the last rd starting time, which is not good IMHO

Apart from that last time I played all sets were plastic pieces, even the top boards, which seemed very strange.

macelligott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120737628#Comment_120737628

Joe, I’d expect all games to be on live boards this year. I think the material of the pieces is less consequential

zeitnot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120737628#Comment_120737628

I can see how the different starting times can be an annoyance, but it has almost always been the case that it has been done that way. For one example, 1983 had three different schedules:

"Round 1: 2.00pm, rounds 2-8: 1.30pm, with adjournments at 10.00am the following day; round 9: 10.00am-finish"

The opening round was delayed to allow for the opening ceremony, and the last round had to be earlier to allow for games to be played to a finish. (The previous year's championship came down to Philip Short trying to win a K + Q v K + R ending against Keith Allen, in which they had to move to another hotel, before Philip finally had to give up around midnight.)

(See https://www.irlchess.com/irlch1983_allfiles/information_irlch1983.html.)

In 1949 (first Swiss), rounds 2-7 (of 7) had the same schedule (9.30am-1.30pm, with adjournments to be played 6.30-10.30pm the same day), but the first round was at a different time (2.30pm start) to allow for the opening ceremony.

I suppose that there is no major reason why all rounds couldn't start at 12.30pm or around there. Maybe that would be worth considering for future championships.

Joedryan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120750495#Comment_120750495

I think its pretty important for the players

Joedryan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120750914#Comment_120750914

Historically yes, thats useful info, but as you allude in your last sentence there is a solution, if anybody has any doubts to this issue go online and search for Peter Svidler rants on this issue. Its not really a thing we can keep IMO as it affects the last rd, the most critical, in the national championship

macelligott

Now we have 32 entrants - but still could do with a few more FMs or an IM.

macelligott

Joe Ryan,

Looks like in the World Cup they are using plastic pieces on many of the boards.

RooksPawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811397#Comment_120811397

Currently 32, and norm chances this year it appears, now that Mark Quinn and the Kanyamaralas have withdrawn (still recovering from the Leaving Cert and British Championship).

As the new champion presumably qualifies for an automatic place on the Irish team at the 2024 Budapest olympiad, the absence of some people who might like be on that team (Conor Murphy and David Fitzsimons for example) seems to suggest that chess is lower on their priorities now - and there is a not negligible chance that a player rated below 2250 could earn a place on the team.

Even macelligott??

No Cafolla this year, so no tipping competition presumably.

RooksPawn

Sorry, that should read "no norm chances", couldn't see how to edit.

macelligott

Parings for the Irish Championship will be published here:

https://chess-results.com/tnr801415.aspx?lan=1

sodacat11

Only 3 of the top 25 rated Irish players playing, this is what happens when you ignore rating floors but sure never mind the quality , just feel the width.

RooksPawn

Apparently three late withdrawals and Eamon Keogh coming into balance numbers.

zeitnot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120942192#Comment_120942192

29 of the 30 players meet the rating floor requirement that was announced (1900 on any FIDE or ICU published list).

RooksPawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120943168#Comment_120943168

And the one who did not has just beaten Gerry O'Connell (FIDE 2026).

zeitnot

One draw in the entire fist round! That's a promising start.

Retd.LoyolaCpt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120943755#Comment_120943755

That's not the player who did not (1924 ICU). Brendan Lyons evened numbers (ie wildcard). Keogh qualifies as prior champion. All other players have been over 1900 at some point this year on one list or the other.

zeitnot

Keogh was over 1900 FIDE on the February and March lists, so qualified in that way also.

sodacat11

My poinbt was NOT that anyone who is playing should not be under "the current rules". I was inferring that because the rating requirements have become so relaxed over the years the Irish Ch is not as attractive a proposition as it once was for the strongest players who understandably don't want to take nine days off work to play weaker players.

macelligott

Eamon Keogh also qualifies as current 65+ champion.

zeitnot

Here's sodacat's first Irish championship: https://www.irlchess.com/irlch1985_allfiles/pairings_irlch1985.html.

Much has changed, but the size and strength of the field seems roughly comparable at a first glance.

Five players from that event are playing again this year.

sodacat11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120949600#Comment_120949600

Interesting to see that table after all these years, not a single weak player in sight. You will notice that the ratings shown were ICU ratings and not FIDE which tend to be higher. If you compare the ICU ratings of this years Ch with that of 1985 you will see which was the stronger. The Irish Championship used to be a really special tournament before entry restrictions were relaxed to allow just about every Tom Dick and Harry rated over 1800 who knew the en passant rule was allowed to play in it.

macelligott

Blast form the past - It was nice to see Colm Barry and Dennis Healy in today as spectators. They took a keen interest in all the games.

sodacat11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120950735#Comment_120950735

Ask Colm to give me a call if you see him there again. Tell him my scrabble is now at a level to give him a run for his money.

cdeb

Rounds 4 and 5 results have I believe confirmed Kavin Venkatesan's FM title (having missed out by 2 points last month due to a FIDE tweak on his k-factor)

Maybe no norm chances, but good to see a new title nonetheless

RooksPawn

He only needed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955135#Comment_120955135

We haven't had round 5 yet.

But otherwise you are right; in fact I think his round 1 win already took Kavin above 2300, and if not, his round 2 win certainly did.

cdeb

Not quite so clear as that as the Branagan is to be rated too, and he lost about 20 points in that.

(But yes, correct on rounds 3/4, not 4/5)

RooksPawn

Two crucial games coming up in round 6 involving the four players on 4/5: Baburin v O'Connor and O'Donnell v Venkatesan.

Does anyone know why Shane Melaugh is not paired for round 6? He is on three and a half points out of five but should presumably score nothing?

Shanemelaugh

I came down with a head cold the night before Round 5 so asked the arbiter if a bye was possible, which he granted. Not quite sure why I would take a 0 point bye I would have just played and taken my chances if a bye was completely impossible, and nothing in the rules for the event prevent the request of a bye apart from I believe the last round.

Joedryan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929693#Comment_120929693

I just saw that, disgraceful!

Started as a very big event though over 200 players, think they all have proper wooden pieces now at the business end of the tournament 😉