The regulations concerning entry to the Irish Ch have been flouted regularly over the years so really they don't have much meaning any more and should be rewritten completely, perhaps something like "entry to the Irish Championship is entirely at the discretion of the ICU executive, ratings and national affiliation will be completely ignored".
Reply received from ICU, seems it was not a mistake but intentional, but only to even up the numbers, and on compassionate grounds as the player is a refugee, and after calculation that said player would not influence the tournament winner.
Players rated 1900 or above on any published FIDE or ICU list in 2023, prior to the close of entries, meet the rating requirement for the main 9-day event. (‘Live’ ratings do not count.) All others must apply for wildcards to the event.
Peter I would 100% support you if you wanted to play in the senior event although it will be hard work to gain 32 rating points and officially qualify. I am of the opinion that any reasonably strong player (eg over 1800) that is prepared to sacriface 9 days of their life to play in our national championships (so long as they are IRL of course) should be allowed to play.
If interested please put your name down as a wildcard and I will do my best to ensure you are allowed to play 😉
Thanks!!😀. As is well known I don't agree with players under 1900 being allowed to play in the Irish Championship but as everyone always points out there are "wild cards" allowed these days. IF I was to apply for one as someone who has been over 1900 for over 40 years I'd like to think that I have a stronger case than some kid who has only being playing for a year or two and who is quite likely to give up playing when they reach their late teens. Anyway, it is all hypothetical as I am not yet senile and I haven't firgotten the en passant rule or how to castle Queenside so I fully expect to be back over 1900 by August. My recent rating crash is the result of me trying out many new openings and having the misfortune to come up against a load of very underarted kids . One 1200 player I lost to drew with GM kevin Spraggett, another 1300 I lost to beat two other 1900+ players in the same tournament and in Galway last year I stupidly played two rounds before withdrawing because I was quite ill and that cost me 5o rating points.
If i don't get back to 1900 by August the Britsh Senior Championship is always an option.
