Irish Championship 2020

Commentary on the Irish starts today at 6.30pm with FM Henry Li joined by former Irish Champion, FM Stephen Jessel on Henry's twitch account: https://www.twitch.tv/theyellowdragoon

sodacat11 wrote: »

I had my first game on the two board set up today and I must say that I found it very weird. It is hard to see the clock and also hard to see which sides long arm is pressed down so if you are away from the board it is hard to see whose move it is. I also didnt enjoy having to verbalise the moves and I was constantly checking to make sure that I hadnt forgotten to make my opponents move on my board. I think that the people who are playing on the two boards and are used to them certainly have a competitive advantage.The one board set up is brilliant!!

seemed to work out ok for you results wise, nice win!

Magnus wiped out Nepomniachtchi today so now there is nothing to distract us from the Irish Championship as it reaches the half-way stage.
Here are tomorrow's pairings in order of scores:

Tarun K (3) v Sam Collins (3.5)
Conor O'Donnell (3) v Tom O'Gorman (3); David Fitzsimons (3) v Colm Daly 93)
Shane Melaugh (2.5) v Killian Delaney (2.5); David Murray v Trisha K; Paul Wallace v Kavin Venkatesan; Jonathan O'Connor v Stephen Brady (also all 2.5)
Jacob Flynn (2) v Peter Cafolla (2); Darragh Moran v Gavin Melaugh; Jonathan Peoples v Adam Collins (also all 2pts)
Brendan Lyons (1.5) v Gerry O'Connell (1.5); Carl Jackson v Eoghan Casey; Peter Carroll v Lara Putar (also all 1.5)
Leon Putar (1) v Alex Byrne (1); Alice O'Gorman (0.5) v Gerry MacElligott (1); Diana Mirza (0.5) v Kevin McHugh (0.5)

All 64 games so far played are available to download from
https://chess-results.com/PartieSuche.aspx?lan=1&id=50023&tnr=531394&art=3

Quite a good day for the ladies: although Trisha lost the others won, making it 3/4.

Because the leaders have already played there are several downfloats – notably on boards 1 and 9.
Also Gerry MacElligott is not paired – perhaps withdrawn or unwell?
Alex Goss kindly plays on the bottom board as a filler to avoid a bye.

Pairings in score order are:

Sam Collins (4.5) v Tom O'Gorman (3.5)
Colm Daly (4) v David Murray (3.5)
Killian Delaney (3.5) v Conor O'Donnell (3.5)

Stephen Brady (3.5) v David Fitzsimons (3)
Kavin Venkatesan (3) v Tarun K (3); Jonathon Peoples v Paul Wallace; Gavin Melaugh v Jacob Flynn (also all on 3)

Trisha K (2.5) v Jonathan O'Connor (2.5); Lara Putar (2.5) v Shane Melaugh (2.5)
Peter Cafolla (2) v Brendan Lyons (2.5)

Adam Collins (2) v Darragh Moran (2); Eoghan Casey v Leon Putar (2)
Alice O'Gorman (1.5) v Carl Jackson (2)
Gerry O'Connell (1.5) v Peter Carroll (1.5)
Alex Byrne (1) v Diana Mirza (1.5);
Kevin McHugh (0.5) v Alex Goss.

Gerry back on Friday. He gave advanced notice.

Very nice game today by Killian Delaney, I am guessing this is crashing through now after 27.Rxf6!

If not I'll eat my words but the game was played very nicely.

Edit - there was a lot more roller coaster stuff after that!

What a colossal day of chess today. A few comments while I wait for tomorrow's draw to be posted.
First to finish was Gerry O'Connell whose unsound attack was crowned with success when Peter Carroll made an horrendous blunder.

The highlight was the epic game between Killian and Conor today where all three results were possible more than once. It seems that Killian's determination and Conor's clock were the decisive factors.

Now the question is no longer who can stop Sam but who can stop Colm? Tom O'Gorman, Killian and Sam are half a point behind him and, with three rounds to go, probably the new champion will be one of those four. There are three players on 4/6 who could still take the title but they would need to win their last three games like Conor Murphy (if I recall aright) did last year.
Conor must be out of it now.

Tom seems to have played most of his game very well until he faffed about in the bishop endgame (possibly very short of time?). Instead of 57...Ke4 (or other moves too) Tom played Bf3 putting his B on a square his king needed. Then 58 Bf1 would have been a tablebase draw, though probably very hard to see, coming down to a drawn QvQ+B ending in the main line. Once Sam missed that it was soon over.
Some other games went against rating too.

The September FIDE and ICU rating lists are going to see some big changes. After a few months where nobody played rated games, there could suddenly be major alterations in the pecking order.

Commentary on the Irish starts today at 6.30pm with FM Henry Li joined by former Irish Champion, FM Stephen Jessel on Henry's twitch account: https://www.twitch.tv/theyellowdragoon

Do any of the competitors reside in Counties Kildare, Laois or Offaly?

If so, because of the regional lockdown announced an hour ago, they will have to withdraw and not play the last two rounds (unless they are staying in Dublin until the event is over).

Ivan had better check before making the draw for tomorrow...

EDIT: Has there just been a one-point swing on top board?

sodacat11 wrote: »

I think now with all the withdrawals for the final two rounds it just adds to what Spidersweb said about it not being a true Irish Championship.

Quote "In other words, we want our best players to be trying to show and produce their best. This simply cannot happen under the conditions currently being suggested, just a couple of amendments would overcome that.

Having a less than ideal Irish ch and playing conditions from what we would all like and is more usual, with most of these guideline changes,is manageable and would still retain the prestige and authenticity of a proper championship. As is, it is hard to understand any self respecting player being willing to endure this ordeal".Unquote

In light of his comments and the ensuing Covid disruption it is only right and proper that we continue to acclaim Conor Murphy (who couldn't defend his title) as the true champion and whoever wins it this year as just someone who benefited from the absence of all the self respecting players and the attendance of some (who as Spidersweb points out) simply couldn't produce their best under the trying conditions.

Yes, Conor Murphy is the real champion and moreover I don't think the winner of this year's event should have an automatic place in an olympiad team.

Maybe a motion to that effect should be submitted for the just-announced ICU agm to prevent future arguments on this point?

The 2021 team is already selected but there could be a withdrawal. And, if not, the 2022/2023 olympiad is a long way from now and form could radically change.

RooksPawn wrote: »

Too bad four players have had to drop out. SO only 14 games today, four of them absolutely critical.

In score order:

Brady (4.5) v Daly (6)
Tom O'Gorman (5) v Wallace (4.5)
Sam Collins (4.5) V Fitzsimons (4)
O'Donnell (4.5) v Venkatesan (4)
Gavin Melaugh v Tarun K (both 4)
Trisha K v Flynn (both 4)
Alice O'Gorman (3.5) v Shane Melaugh (3.5)

Murray (3.5) v Lara Putar (3.5)
O'Connell v Peoples (both 3.5)
Casey (3) v Adam Collins (3.5)
Leon Putar (3) v Lyons (3)
Carroll (2.5) v Diana Mirza (2.5)
Moran (2) v McHugh (1.5)
MacElligott (1.5) v Byrne (1.5)

On chess results it says Sam is on 5.5

What is he on?

Joedryan wrote: »

On chess results it says Sam is on 5.5

What is he on?

Yes Sam is on 5.5, it was just a typo, writing in haste.

Looking forward, the last round will probably see Daly playing O'Donnell and Sam playing Stephen (if Stephen doesn't lose today), given that Killian is no longer in the event and who has already met.

Should Stephen lose, Sam could meet one of the 4-pt group if they win today to overtake Stephen. But Sam has already played Tarun and Flynn. Venkat, Gavin and Trisha would be available if they were to win but the first of those has a very tough game today and probably won't win.

Then Tom O'Gorman needs an opponent for the last round and Fitzsimons is the most likely.
However if Paul Wallace beats Tom today then some of these predictions will change.

zeitnot wrote: »

Nobody can share the title or be joint champion--change in system starting with the 2018 championship. See https://www.icu.ie/articles/670, fourth section down.

The title goes by the head-to-head results, and if those don't decide, then a 2-game rapid playoff match between two players, chosen via the head-to-head results.

In the present case, the possible ties and outcomes are (I think!--corrections welcome):

Collins, Daly tie -> playoff
Collins, O'Gorman tie -> O'Gorman champion
Collins, Daly, O'Gorman tie -> O'Gorman champion
Collins, Daly, O'Donnell tie -> Collins champion
Daly, O'Gorman tie -> playoff

One implication is that while Conor O'Donnell has a chance of finishing equal first, he is out of the running for the title, even via a playoff.

Interesting. It was always the case that two players shared the title.

When was this changed?

My own opinion if it aint broke dont try to fix it.

Edit . Well obviously 2018. But was this approved by the membership?

Seems a strange and unnecessary addition

zeitnot wrote: »

2018. In place for the 2018 championship, made permanent at the 2018 AGM for all Irish championships.

Like the open versus closed debate, and the debate over minimum rating requirements, it's one of those things that has no right or wrong answer. For myself, having a shared title was a bit broken.

Shared title was perfect imo. It never happened with me as it happened but there was the year i won with 8.5 out of 9 and fully expected Stephen to also get 8.5 but as it happened Tony Fox held him to a draw. To expect either of us to go to a playoff in those circumstances would be ludicrous imo.

The system has stood the test of time. Leave it be

Edit . But apparently its been changed. First I heard of it. Sounds very dodgy to my point of view

zeitnot wrote: »

Ah, now, Joe, this system was in place last year! You're surely not suggesting you took part in the championship last year without reading the terms and conditions fully? I refuse to believe that.

As to the merits, shared championships are the minority even in chess events, and are almost unknown in other competitive endeavours. We don't have shared English Premier Leagues, world snooker championships, Wimbledons, or All-Ireland hurling Championships. And we don't have joint world chess champions, ever. Not even joint world correspondence chess champions.

Even the Irish championship didn't allow that originally. (And only got into it by accident.) It's not a bit dodgy.

You may be right. I certainly was unaware last year. A playoff is all very unsatisfactory in my view. A tie break even more so. Might as well toss a coin. I stand by my opinion! Aint broke dont fix.

An armageddon blitz play-off using the 2-board system might be interesting ...

It doesn't apply this year, but if 3 players tied for first, with all 3 having drawn against each other, then the rules say that the 2 players to play in the play-off can be chosen by drawing lots. This makes absolutely no sense - what is the point of randomly selecting 2 out of 3 players for a playoff?

Is the purpose of the playoff to determine who gets the Olympiad place? If so, why not have the Championship shared, and have a playoff specifically for any non-monetary benefits of being champion.

Or why not have a simple tie-break based on the rating performance of the players in the tournament? This would at least have the benefit of being based on the players' performance during the event and would avoid using any quicker time-controls.

I see Sam is playing on double boards (board 9) after all, though his game was originally listed as board 2.

AND it isn't a 2 c3 Sicilian. Stephen opened 1 Nf3 so it's a sort of King's Indian Attack.
Daly-O'Donnell opened 1 d4 e6 and Daly seems to be taking his time on move 2 (or else the feed isn't working).
Tom O'Gorman's game is a symmetrical English.

Long dour battles in prospect.

If you want some early action to watch, Peoples v Leon Putar looks a good candidate.