Irish Championships 2021

What about the weekenders and morning tournament? Do you still expect them to go ahead?

I agree with anchor that there are likely to be large numbers of unvaccinated kids and adolescents (the latter due to be vaccinated when they return to school) so maybe switch the championship to the mid-term break in late October and start in August with a tournament or two for players with the new vaccination certs only.

Indeed it qould make sense to move the 50+/65+ Championship to August instead of late September?

Back on 28 May I suggested the ICU seek explicit permission from the Minister for some chess tournaments to be approved as pilot cultural events.

It seems now that they haven't done that and it's possibly too late but they could still try asking.

I thought you’d already been warned about having two accounts.

Why in gods name do you think this hasn’t been done and been unanswered, why mention it in every single post for 3 months - the government doesn’t provide information in April, May, June or even early July for small niche events running primarily in August. They’ve a tough enough time arranging restrictions for one week at a time.

It seems the best thing for the ICU is to keep the heads down and continue along the path it has chosen. The planning and organisation around the Irish Championship has been excellent. If we make too much of a song and dance before the event, we might only attract the attention of other disgruntled sectors. After the event(s) are over, hopefully, the ICU can generate some positive publicity from having run chess events safely in difficult circumstances.

This suggestion I interpreted to be as sarcasm and am shocked that it wasn't.

I would be against this, I think we should be publicing the event. Otherwise I would argue that we then know it to be in breach of COVID guidelines/regulations and it's why we are being hush hush about it.

I'm happy it's going ahead but a bit disappointed that the reasoning isn't more solid. If a hotel won't permit the event to run in their venue or boardgame/cardgame stores won't permit events to run - I think that would be an indicator that the event shouldn't be permitted. Maybe the easing of restrictions would permit this?

At the moment I don't know how or what would cancel the event... what restrictions would have to be reintroduced for the event to be canceled?

I'm almost certain we would fit under 15. Other indoor leisure facilities or 4. Organised indoor events (such as large conferences, concerts and shows) - hell even 9. Exercise and sporting activities would prohibit the event from taking place (it says no matches).

I have to second that emotion. OTB tournaments are being played in many countries now.

I just worry that if the event goes ahead ICU need to be certain that it's not contrary to regulations, else they and the hosting venue could be in trouble. It shouldn't be Golfgate if everyone is careful. There are 42 entries currently according to the ICU website this morning so room for a few more.

Still no word on whether the first weekender is going ahead? I suppose ICU is waiting on any Government announcements on indoor dining etc.

It looks as if the team event must be postponed due to lack of interest?

From the rate at which infection numbers are increasing, I suspect some restrictions will be re-introduced in August/September. But I'm reasonably confident that nothing will happen before the championship is finished :-)

(Link is on the ICU website. Tomorrow the link could be different.)

I miss important features we used to have:

a) Edit your last post to fix typos or add new information;

b) Go directly to your first unread post in a topic;

c) See at a glance in the chess topics listing which threads have updates you have not seen (these are bold, the others not).

Both a) and b) are available on the English Chess Forum for example.

So far I think the new version is a major disimprovement.

Down to 40 entrants now (ICU website as of Tuesday morning the 27th).

Peoples and Keogh seem to have withdrawn.

Will any of the wildcard entries be admitted?

Thank you for that information.

Looking at the revised list, title norms are just about possible if pairings work out. In practice, depending on actual results, it might be impossible.

In the field there is 1 x GM, 2 x IM (two others originally entered but are no longer listed), 1 x WIM.

Of course this is a consideration chiefly for the higher-rated FMs and also Trisha Kanyamarala who could be seeking a WGM norm, and Alice O'Gorman who could be seeking a WIM norm.

It would be necessary for them (apart from getting the required rating performance of course) to be paired with sufficient titled opponents.

These players would all need to meet the one GM, both IMs and EITHER at least two FMs OR one FM plus Trisha (who of course cannot play herself so she would need two FMs). Alice can omit the GM or one of the IMs if she plays Trisha.

Anyone fortunate enough to meet the right balance of opposition and skilful enough to achieve a high score would probably also need to avail of the provisions of FIDE Handbook clause 1.46b if one of their early opponents was low-rated.

Calculating the Rp for the IM norm allows a player to raise the rating of ONE opponent to the adjusted rating floor of 2050. (The FIDE rating of the first round opponent of all plausible candidates is sure to be lower than that.) The adjusted rating floor for Trisha's first opponent would be 2000.

(This is not relevant to Alice, should she score well enough, since the floor for WIM is 1850 and all players in the tournament are currently rated above that number by FIDE - unless a lower rated player comes in as a late entry.)

It was 13 out when I looked after breakfast but now it's 15, maybe more to come? Two FMs among the recent withdrawals. Current entry list is 37. If it stays at 37, what's the plan?

Admitting late entries to balance numbers (two already in) isn't making much sense as there could be more dropouts?

This is very hard on the organisers, but also on the remaining competitors who are probably wondering can an advance draw be posted, and if so when?

I also see an unfamiliar name on the Waiting List added since yesterday. I see no such player with a FIDE rating. Are they even eligible?

I wouldn't worry about wildcards - a player who was 1700 at the start of the pandemic might well be 1900 today anyway, especially juniors. There should probably be extra wildcards allowed this year, to allow for players not being able to improve their ratings for over a year.

I don't think you should take away places once they have been offered. The ICU could offer one of the remaining wildcard hopefuls a place subject to there being an odd number of players at the start tomorrow.

I am not sure who you mean but I think the two latest withdrawals (both FMs) certainly don't fall into that category.

There could be many reasons for a late withdrawal, e.g., somebody might be informed they are a close contact of a new confirmed case of Covid-19.

I guess ICU chiefs were all at work when these withdrawals were notified but they really should make some announcements tonight, e.g., how soon before the start should players arrive, will they be temperature-tested, should they bring their vaccination certs if they have them, what are the rules about consumption of beverages, chocolate etc. during games, can players remain after their game to spectate, etc. etc.

Some of that information could have been communicated after they saw how things went last weekend, not waiting until the night before the first round.

• That page maybe should have been flagged on the main icu.ie page IMHO.
• It says "The usual Irish Championship time control will apply; 105 mins + 30 second increment for move one plus 30 minutes after move 40."
• On the other hand the PDF flier for the event still linked from the event page, says the rate of play is 105 minutes plus 35 second increment with no time added after move 40.
• https://www.icu.ie/system/events/flyers/000/001/409/original/The_100th_Irish_Championship_2021.pdf?1617029064
• Reverting to the two-period system means a longer time spent indoors with increased risk, does it not?
• Maybe it's not too late to have a change of mind about this.
• 
  

The tournament director has now posted the entry list and tournament parameters on chess-results.com and it says Time control 105+35

There is no draw up yet, possibly because the organisers still hope to even the numbers to avoid a bye?

I would imagine most games would be longer if the 40-move control with 30 minutes added is used.

I think the extra 5 seconds on the increment in 2020 was intended to balance the inconvenience of two boards or other distractions last year and I don't see the point of it this year.

35 when I last looked

Tony Fox v Tim Harding is a very interesting game so far (rd 2 after the opening a Caro ..exf6)

Tom may still have an outside chance of an IM norm? He has met his GM and two IMs but only one FM and has an untitled opponent in round 8. He needs to meet one of the three available FMs (or Trisha) in the final round and (without doing any calculations) he probably needs 2/2.