Top Young players compete to be Ulster Champion at Methodist College

On the stormy morning of 7th December 2024 top young players gathered. Six rounds of chess to get age group Ulster Champions. We were in for some good chess. At the Annual Schools Individual Ulster Championships. Sponsored by Lisburn Chess Club.

Morning of the 7th December we had registered some 50 players. However with storm Darragh striking Northern Ireland players with distances to travel cancelled. We decided to continue with the competition and to see how many players would attend and then review the format. However we had some 42 players attending. All age groups and new faces. With some top players including last years Ulster Schools Champion Ben McIlroy and Ireland Player and previous Champion Ethan Cole. Also Andrew Campbell, Alwin Michael and Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo.

Geoff Hindley and David Corr assisted with the running of the event. There were two rooms with 26 chess boards and a parents room.

All the registering players were given the opportunity to play in a puzzle solving competition. With some 24 challenging positions. These were collected at the beginning of round 5 and marked and returned with certificates. David Corr helped with the marking.

Primary Schools Puzzle Champion: Rizwan Arshed.

	Name	Age	Points	Cert
1	Rizwan Arshed	U8	14	Gold
2	Alex McKeown	U10	13.5	Gold
3	Soundharya Premkumar	U10	13	Silver
4	Kia Jahandizi	U12	13	Silver
5	Darragh Marsh	U12	13	Silver
6	Abhiram Ganja	U10	12	Silver
7	Jackson Coakley	U12	8	Bronze
8	Aarin Micheal	U8	7	Bronze
9	Daniel Simpson	U8	7	Bronze
10	Timothy Simpson	U10	6	Bronze
11	Apra Rawal	U8	3	Bronze

Secondary Puzzle Solving Champion: Andrew Campbell

	Name	Age	Points	Cert
1	Andrew Campbell	U19	19	Gold
2	Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo	U19	18	Gold
3	Aaditaya Singh	U16	14	Silver
4	Ethan Cole	U14	12	Silver
5	Jake Gourley	U14	12	Silver
6	Peter Murphy	U16	12	Silver
7	Benjamin Rainey	U16	12	Silver
8	Max McCroskery	U16	11	Silver
9	Jonah Corr	U19	10	Silver
10	Nathan Murray	U16	9	Bronze
11	Tom Busby	U14	8	Bronze
12	Skyla Finnegan	U16	7	Bronze
13	Shlok Amol Thoke	U14	6	Bronze
14	Monish Rawal	U14	6	Bronze

Here are some of the harder puzzles. For you to try - solutions at the end of the page.

Its always brilliant to start the first round and hear the hushed concentration.

Round 1

Results

No Name                    Feder Total  Result   Name                  Feder Total

 1 Ethan Cole              U14   [0]      1:0    Dean AlMasri          U14   [0]  
 2 Tom Busby               U14   [0]      0:1    Andrew Campbell       U19   [0]  
 3 Ben Mcilroy             U19   [0]      1:0    George McClelland     U14   [0]  
 4 Monish Rawal            U14   [0]      0:1    Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo U19   [0]  
 5 Alwin Micheal           U12   [0]      1:0    Parker Robinson       U14   [0]  
 6 Prathyush Sekar Santhya U14   [0]      0:1    Jake Gourley          U14   [0]  
 7 Alex McKeown            U10   [0]      1:0    Isaac Thomas          U14   [0]  
 8 John Wang               U14   [0]      0:1    Peter Murphy          U16   [0]  
 9 Jonah Corr              U19   [0]      1:0    Ruan Black            U12   [0]  
10 Arthur Clarke           U12   [0]      0:1    Shlok Amol Thoke      U14   [0]  
11 Timothy McClenahan      U19   [0]      1:0    Kia Jahandizi         U12   [0]  
12 Darragh Marsh           U12   [0]      1:0    Jakub Slebioda        U19   [0]  
13 Callum White            U19   [0]      1:0    Abhiram Ganja         U10   [0]  
14 Nathan Johnston         U10   [0]      0:1    Conor Alexander       U16   [0]  
15 Skyla Finnegan          U16   [0]      1:0    Rizwan Arshed         U8    [0]  
16 Jackson Coakley         U12   [0]      0:1    Max McCroskery        U16   [0]  
17 Nathan Murray           U16   [0]      1:0    Aarin Micheal         U8    [0]  
18 Apra Rawal              U8    [0]      0:1    Benjamin Rainey       U16   [0]  
19 Nathanael Robinson      U16   [0]      1:0    Daniel Simpson        U8    [0]  
20 Soundharya Premkumar    U10   [0]      0:1    Ben Russell           U16   [0]  
21 Aaditya Singh           U16   [0]      1:0    Timothy Simpson       U10   [0]

by Swiss Perfect (TM) www.swissperfect.com

I gave the players approximate ratings unless they had one. Looking at the results of round 1. They went roughly to rating. Except board 12 where Darragh Marsh beat Jakub Slebioda.

Round 2

Results

No Name                  Feder Total  Result   Name                    Feder Total

 1 Timothy McClenahan    U19   [1]      0:1    Ethan Cole              U14   [1]  
 2 Andrew Campbell       U19   [1]      1:0    Callum White            U19   [1]  
 3 Conor Alexander       U16   [1]      0:1    Ben Mcilroy             U19   [1]  
 4 Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo U19   [1]      1:0    Skyla Finnegan          U16   [1]  
 5 Max McCroskery        U16   [1]      0:1    Alwin Micheal           U12   [1]  
 6 Jake Gourley          U14   [1]      0:1    Nathan Murray           U16   [1]  
 7 Benjamin Rainey       U16   [1]      1:0    Alex McKeown            U10   [1]  
 8 Peter Murphy          U16   [1]      0:1    Nathanael Robinson      U16   [1]  
 9 Ben Russell           U16   [1]      0:1    Jonah Corr              U19   [1]  
10 Shlok Amol Thoke      U14   [1]      0:1    Aaditya Singh           U16   [1]  
11 Dean AlMasri          U14   [0]      0:1    Darragh Marsh           U12   [1]  
12 Jakub Slebioda        U19   [0]      0:1    Kia Jahandizi           U12   [0]  
13 Abhiram Ganja         U10   [0]      1:0    Tom Busby               U14   [0]  
14 George McClelland     U14   [0]      1:0    Nathan Johnston         U10   [0]  
15 Rizwan Arshed         U8    [0]      0:1    Monish Rawal            U14   [0]  
16 Parker Robinson       U14   [0]      1:0    Jackson Coakley         U12   [0]  
17 Aarin Micheal         U8    [0]      1:0    Prathyush Sekar Santhya U14   [0]  
18 Isaac Thomas          U14   [0]      1:0    Apra Rawal              U8    [0]  
19 Daniel Simpson        U8    [0]      1:0    John Wang               U14   [0]  
20 Ruan Black            U12   [0]      0:1    Soundharya Premkumar    U10   [0]  
21 Timothy Simpson       U10   [0]      0:1    Arthur Clarke           U12   [0]

Ethan Cole and Timothy McClenahan have a tough match. The game is all locked up with pawns and then Ethan forces a break through with a sacrifice and it looks like Timothy has the edge when he misses a pawn fork giving a Rook back to Ethan who goes on and wins. Timothy is definately a player to watch. In the Under 8's Aarin Micheal wins against Prathyush Sekar Santhya and Daniel Simpson wins against John Wang.

Round 3

Results

No Name                    Feder Total  Result   Name                  Feder Total

 1 Ethan Cole              U14   [2]      1:0    Jonah Corr            U19   [2]  
 2 Nathan Murray           U16   [2]      0:1    Andrew Campbell       U19   [2]  
 3 Ben Mcilroy             U19   [2]      1:0    Benjamin Rainey       U16   [2]  
 4 Nathanael Robinson      U16   [2]      0:1    Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo U19   [2]  
 5 Alwin Micheal           U12   [2]      1:0    Darragh Marsh         U12   [2]  
 6 Aaditya Singh           U16   [2]      1:0    Jake Gourley          U14   [1]  
 7 Alex McKeown            U10   [1]      0:1    George McClelland     U14   [1]  
 8 Monish Rawal            U14   [1]      0:1    Peter Murphy          U16   [1]  
 9 Parker Robinson         U14   [1]      0:1    Shlok Amol Thoke      U14   [1]  
10 Isaac Thomas            U14   [1]      0:1    Timothy McClenahan    U19   [1]  
11 Callum White            U19   [1]      1:0    Aarin Micheal         U8    [1]  
12 Arthur Clarke           U12   [1]      0:1    Conor Alexander       U16   [1]  
13 Skyla Finnegan          U16   [1]      1:0    Abhiram Ganja         U10   [1]  
14 Soundharya Premkumar    U10   [1]      0:1    Max McCroskery        U16   [1]  
15 Kia Jahandizi           U12   [1]      1:0    Ben Russell           U16   [1]  
16 Tom Busby               U14   [0]      1:0    Daniel Simpson        U8    [1]  
17 Nathan Johnston         U10   [0]     .5:.5   Jakub Slebioda        U19   [0]  
18 Jackson Coakley         U12   [0]      1:0    Dean AlMasri          U14   [0]  
19 Prathyush Sekar Santhya U14   [0]      0:1    Rizwan Arshed         U8    [0]  
20 John Wang               U14   [0]      1:0    Timothy Simpson       U10   [0]  
21 Apra Rawal              U8    [0]      0:1    Ruan Black            U12   [0]

Round 4

Results

No Name                    Feder Total  Result   Name                 Feder Total

 1 Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo   U19   [3]      1:0    Ethan Cole           U14   [3]  
 2 Andrew Campbell         U19   [3]      0:1    Alwin Micheal        U12   [3]  
 3 Aaditya Singh           U16   [3]      0:1    Ben Mcilroy          U19   [3]  
 4 Peter Murphy            U16   [2]      1:0    Max McCroskery       U16   [2]  
 5 Jonah Corr              U19   [2]      0:1    Nathan Murray        U16   [2]  
 6 Shlok Amol Thoke        U14   [2]     .5:.5   Benjamin Rainey      U16   [2]  
 7 George McClelland       U14   [2]      0:1    Timothy McClenahan   U19   [2]  
 8 Kia Jahandizi           U12   [2]      0:1    Callum White         U19   [2]  
 9 Conor Alexander         U16   [2]      0:1    Nathanael Robinson   U16   [2]  
10 Darragh Marsh           U12   [2]      1:0    Skyla Finnegan       U16   [2]  
11 Ruan Black              U12   [1]      0:1    Alex McKeown         U10   [1]  
12 Ben Russell             U16   [1]      1:0    Arthur Clarke        U12   [1]  
13 Rizwan Arshed           U8    [1]      0:1    Tom Busby            U14   [1]  
14 Abhiram Ganja           U10   [1]      0:1    Monish Rawal         U14   [1]  
15 Aarin Micheal           U8    [1]      0:1    Parker Robinson      U14   [1]  
16 Daniel Simpson          U8    [1]      0:1    Isaac Thomas         U14   [1]  
17 Jackson Coakley         U12   [1]     .5:.5   John Wang            U14   [1]  
18 Jakub Slebioda          U19   [.5]     0:1    Soundharya Premkumar U10   [1]  
19 Prathyush Sekar Santhya U14   [0]      0:1    Nathan Johnston      U10   [.5] 
20 Dean AlMasri            U14   [0]      1:0    Apra Rawal           U8    [0]  
21 Timothy Simpson         U10   [0]      1:0    BYE

The top players begin meeting each other. Jyuan Migeul G. Bendo plays Ethan Cole. The game is very drawish but Ethan makes one slip and allows Jyuan an opening for his King to form a passed protected pawn. A tough game. The rooms are full of complex chess positions and players working through them - some very interesting games to watch. The other two top players meeting Andrew Campbell and Alwin Micheal. Alwin winning.

Round 5

Results

No Name               Feder Total  Result   Name                    Feder Total

 1 Ben Mcilroy        U19   [4]     .5:.5   Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo   U19   [4]  
 2 Alwin Micheal      U12   [4]     .5:.5   Ethan Cole              U14   [3]  
 3 Nathanael Robinson U16   [3]      0:1    Andrew Campbell         U19   [3]  
 4 Nathan Murray      U16   [3]      1:0    Peter Murphy            U16   [3]  
 5 Timothy McClenahan U19   [3]      1:0    Aaditya Singh           U16   [3]  
 6 Callum White       U19   [3]      1:0    Darragh Marsh           U12   [3]  
 7 Alex McKeown       U10   [2]      1:0    Shlok Amol Thoke        U14   [2.5]
 8 Benjamin Rainey    U16   [2.5]    0:1    Jonah Corr              U19   [2]  
 9 Monish Rawal       U14   [2]      0:1    Conor Alexander         U16   [2]  
10 Skyla Finnegan     U16   [2]      0:1    George McClelland       U14   [2]  
11 Max McCroskery     U16   [2]      1:0    Kia Jahandizi           U12   [2]  
12 Parker Robinson    U14   [2]      1:0    Ben Russell             U16   [2]  
13 Tom Busby          U14   [2]      0:1    Soundharya Premkumar    U10   [2]  
14 John Wang          U14   [1.5]    0:1    Isaac Thomas            U14   [2]  
15 Nathan Johnston    U10   [1.5]    1:0    Jackson Coakley         U12   [1.5]
16 Rizwan Arshed      U8    [1]      0:1    Dean AlMasri            U14   [1]  
17 Aarin Micheal      U8    [1]      0:1    Ruan Black              U12   [1]  
18 Arthur Clarke      U12   [1]      0:1    Daniel Simpson          U8    [1]  
19 Timothy Simpson    U10   [1]      0:1    Abhiram Ganja           U10   [1]  
20 Jakub Slebioda     U19   [.5]     1:0    Prathyush Sekar Santhya U14   [0]  
21 Apra Rawal         U8    [0]      1:0    BYE

With 3 players on full marks we have matches that should determine winners. But they all provide draws. A brilliantly close competition.

rd5-1

Round 6

Results

No Name                    Feder Total  Result   Name               Feder Total

 1 Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo   U19   [4.5]   .5:.5   Alwin Micheal      U12   [4.5]
 2 Andrew Campbell         U19   [4]     .5:.5   Ben Mcilroy        U19   [4.5]
 3 Timothy McClenahan      U19   [4]      1:0    Callum White       U19   [4]  
 4 Ethan Cole              U14   [3.5]    1:0    Nathan Murray      U16   [4]  
 5 Darragh Marsh           U12   [3]      0:1    Alex McKeown       U10   [3]  
 6 Peter Murphy            U16   [3]      0:1    Aaditya Singh      U16   [3]  
 7 Jonah Corr              U19   [3]      1:0    George McClelland  U14   [3]  
 8 Conor Alexander         U16   [3]      1:0    Parker Robinson    U14   [3]  
 9 Isaac Thomas            U14   [3]      0:1    Max McCroskery     U16   [3]  
10 Soundharya Premkumar    U10   [3]      0:1    Nathanael Robinson U16   [3]  
11 Shlok Amol Thoke        U14   [2.5]    0:1    Nathan Johnston    U10   [2.5]
12 Benjamin Rainey         U16   [2.5]    0:1    Skyla Finnegan     U16   [2]  
13 Ben Russell             U16   [2]      1:0    Ruan Black         U12   [2]  
14 Dean AlMasri            U14   [2]      0:1    Abhiram Ganja      U10   [2]  
15 Kia Jahandizi           U12   [2]     .5:.5   Tom Busby          U14   [2]  
16 Daniel Simpson          U8    [2]      0:1    Monish Rawal       U14   [2]  
17 John Wang               U14   [1.5]    0:1    Jakub Slebioda     U19   [1.5]
18 Jackson Coakley         U12   [1.5]    0:1    Arthur Clarke      U12   [1]  
19 Apra Rawal              U8    [1]      0:1    Rizwan Arshed      U8    [1]  
20 Timothy Simpson         U10   [1]      1:0    Aarin Micheal      U8    [1]  
21 Prathyush Sekar Santhya U14   [0]      1:0    BYE

We were hoping not to rely on tie breaks for the Ulster Champion. But with again hard fought battles ending in draws and we end up with 3 players on 5 points. What a tight finish.

I want to thank all the players for a great day of chess. Also their parents for supporting them. The Lisburn Chess Club for sponsoring the Trophies www.lisburnchessclub.co.uk . Methodist College for the venue. Last but not least the volunteers Geoff Hindley and David Corr for making the tournament possible. Our next monthly tournament is on Saturday January 11th again at Methodist College starting at 12:30pm. https://www.ulsterchess.org/Members/ucu00450/2024-2025/childrens-chess-2024-25/january-11th-2025-childrens-chess-12-30-2013-5-00

The Champions:

Ulster Champion Girl : Soundharya Premkumar

girl-champ

Ulster Champion : Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo (People 1st)

champ

The age group Champions:

Under 8 Ulster Champion : Daniel Simpson ( Moira Primary School)

Under 10: Ulster Champion : Alex McKeown (Home Educated)

Under 12: Ulster Champion : Alwin Micheal (St.Mattews Primary school)

Under 14: Ulster Champion : Ethan Cole

Under 16: Ulster Champion : Nathaniel Robinson (Belfast Royal Academy)

Under 19: Ulster Champion : Jyuan Miguel G. Bendo (People 1st)

The Under 8's played in two tournaments. The main one and a separate all play all competition. This was to allow them to have a match against players of their own age. The results of both tournaments were added to determine the placings. As two players ended on 3 points we decided to use the tie break of who won in the all play all when the two met.

Under 8
Place	Name	Score
		All-Play-All	Main Tournament	Total
1	Simpson, Daniel	3	2	5	Under 8 Champion
2	Micheal, Aarin	2	1	3	2nd
3	Arshed, Rizwan	1	2	3	3rd
4	Rawal, Apra	0	1	1

Overall Standings for the Tournament.

With tie breaks, M-Buch is the sum of your opponents scores less the top one and bottom one. Buch is the sum of your opponents scores. Progressive is your cumulative score. The first is used M-Buch, if people have the same value then the second is used Buch, then if these are the same then Progressive is used.

Place	Name	Feder		Score	M-Buch.	Buch.	Progr.

1-4	Bendo, Jyuan Miguel G.	U19	Ulster Champion	5	16.5	24.5	19.5
	Micheal, Alwin	U12	Under 12 Champion	5	16	24	19.5
	Mcilroy, Ben	U19	Under 19 2nd	5	15.5	23	19.5
	McClenahan, Timothy	U19	Under 19 3rd	5	14	21	16
5-6	Cole, Ethan	U14	Under 14 Champion	4.5	18	25	17
	Campbell, Andrew	U19		4.5	17	24.5	17.5
7-14	Robinson, Nathanael	U16	Under 16 Champion	4	14.5	21.5	15
	Murray, Nathan	U16	Under 16 2nd	4	14	19.5	16
	Alexander, Conor	U16	Under 16 3rd	4	13.5	20.5	13
	Singh, Aaditya	U16		4	13	19.5	16
	White, Callum	U19		4	13	19	15
	Corr, Jonah	U19		4	12.5	19	14
	McCroskery, Max	U16		4	11.5	18	13
	McKeown, Alex	U10	Under 10 Champion	4	11	16	12
15	Johnston, Nathan	U10	under 10 2nd	3.5	9.5	14	8
16-25	McClelland, George	U14	Under 14 2nd	3	16.5	24.5	11
	Murphy, Peter	U16		3	15	20.5	13
	Marsh, Darragh	U12	Under 12 2nd	3	13.5	20.5	14
	Rawal, Monish	U14	Under 14 3rd	3	12	19	9
	Premkumar, Soundharya	U10	Ulster Girls Champion / Under 10 3rd	3	12	18	10
	Finnegan, Skyla	U16	Ulster Girls 2nd	3	11.5	18.5	11
	Thomas, Isaac	U14		3	11.5	17	10
	Robinson, Parker	U14		3	11	17	10
	Russell, Ben	U16		3	10.5	16.5	10
	Ganja, Abhiram	U10		3	10.5	16	8
26-30	Jahandizi, Kia	U12	Under 12 3rd	2.5	13.5	21	9.5
	Rainey, Benjamin	U16		2.5	13.5	19	12.5
	Amol Thoke, Shlok	U14		2.5	13	19	11.5
	Busby, Tom	U14		2.5	10.5	17	7.5
	Slebioda, Jakub	U19		2.5	10	14	5
31-36	Black, Ruan	U12		2	11	15.5	6
	Simpson, Daniel	U8		2	10.5	16	7
	AlMasri, Dean	U14		2	9.5	14.5	5
	Simpson, Timothy	U10		2	9.5	14.5	4
	Clarke, Arthur	U12		2	9	14.5	6
	Arshed, Rizwan	U8		2	8	11.5	5
37-38	Coakley , Jackson	U12		1.5	10.5	16	5.5
	Wang, John	U14		1.5	9	13.5	5.5
39-42	Micheal, Aarin	U8		1	10.5	15	5
	Santhya, Prathyush Sekar	U14		1	10	14.5	1
	Rawal, Apra	U8	Ulster Girls 3rd	1	9.5	14.5	2
	Gourley, Jake	U14		1	4	8.5	3

The solutions to the puzzles.

13. Black to move (1001W-815) 1. … Rxd4 2. cxd4 Bxd4+ 3. Kf1 Qxg2+ 4. Kxg2 Bh3#	14. Black to move. (1001W-816) 1. … g5 2. f3 Qc5+ 3. Kg2 Qf2+ 4. Kh3 Qxh2+ 5. Kxg4 Rxf4+ 6. gxf4 Qh5#	15. Black to move (1001W-817) 1. … Be3 2. fxe3 g3 3. Rd7 f2+ 4. Kf1 h2 Resigns a pawn will Queen	16. Black to move (1001W-818) 1. … Nf3+ 2. Kh1 Ng4 3. Qxb5 Qxf2 Winning
17. Black to move (1001W-819) 1. … e5 2. Rxd5 Rxd5 3. exd5 exf4 4. Rb1 Rc2+ 5. Ke1 Rc1+ Black Queens the pawn	18. Black to move (1001W-820) 1. … Rxh2 2. Rxh2 Qxa3 3. bxa3 Bxa3+ 4. Kb1 Nc3+ 5. Ka1 Bb2+ 6. Kxb2 Nxd1+ Followed by Nxe3	19. White to move (1000CC-342) 1. Bc3 e1(Q) 2. Bxe1 Rd5+ 3. Kb6 Rxa5 4. Bc3! Ra8 5. Kb7 Rf8 6. Nf5+ Kg8 7. Nh6#	20. White to move (1000CC-343) 1. Bd6! Black resigned if 1. … Rxd6 2. Rc8+ Rd8 3. Rxd8+ Qxd8 4/ Qxf7#
21. White to move (1000CC-344) 1. Rxg7+! Kxg7 2. Qg5+	22 White to move (1000CC-345) 1. Bxh7+ Kxh7 2. g8(Q)+ Rxg8 3. Qh5#

13. Black to move (1001W-815)

1. … Rxd4

2. cxd4 Bxd4+

3. Kf1 Qxg2+

4. Kxg2 Bh3#

14. Black to move. (1001W-816)

1. … g5

2. f3 Qc5+

3. Kg2 Qf2+

4. Kh3 Qxh2+

5. Kxg4 Rxf4+

6. gxf4 Qh5#

15. Black to move (1001W-817)

1. … Be3

2. fxe3 g3

3. Rd7 f2+

4. Kf1 h2

Resigns a pawn will Queen

16. Black to move (1001W-818)

1. … Nf3+

2. Kh1 Ng4

3. Qxb5 Qxf2

Winning

17. Black to move (1001W-819)

1. … e5

2. Rxd5 Rxd5

3. exd5 exf4

4. Rb1 Rc2+

5. Ke1 Rc1+

Black Queens the pawn

18. Black to move (1001W-820)

1. … Rxh2

2. Rxh2 Qxa3

3. bxa3 Bxa3+

4. Kb1 Nc3+

5. Ka1 Bb2+

6. Kxb2 Nxd1+

Followed by Nxe3

19. White to move (1000CC-342)

1. Bc3 e1(Q)

2. Bxe1 Rd5+

3. Kb6 Rxa5

4. Bc3! Ra8

5. Kb7 Rf8

6. Nf5+ Kg8

7. Nh6#

20. White to move (1000CC-343)

1. Bd6! Black resigned if

1. … Rxd6

2. Rc8+ Rd8

3. Rxd8+ Qxd8

4/ Qxf7#

21. White to move (1000CC-344)

1. Rxg7+! Kxg7

2. Qg5+

22 White to move (1000CC-345)

1. Bxh7+ Kxh7

2. g8(Q)+ Rxg8

3. Qh5#