English Chess Forum

The Irish Chess Union will be running Norm events, closed 10-player all-play-alls and 40+ age group events from the 28 March-1 April in Dublin. We have one spot left in the norm events with no minimum rating requirement. Full details here: https://www.icu.ie/events/1033. The last spot will be finalised on March 1st once the next FIDE rating list is published.

The event already has some English and Scottish interest with Nick Pert, Alex and Sarah Longson, and Matthew Turner already confirmed. The Irish contingent is made up of IMs Sam Collins (3 GM norms, has been 2499, but not 2500) and Alex Lopez (needs all norms and rating), FMs David Fitzsimons (2 IM norms, has been 2400), Colm Daly (2 IM norms), Joe Ryan (4 IM norms), Conor O'Donnell (no norms, has been 2400), Tom O'Gorman (no norms) and untitled players Killian Delaney (who just drew with Nigel Short in Bunratty R1) and Shane Melaugh.

As well as the norm events, the ICU will be running a two 40+ events (2 sections: rating under/over 1600), and 3 closed all-play-all groups with rated tiers: Over 1800, 1300-1900, Under 1400.

The event will close with a blitz even with a 600 euro prize fund on Sunday, April 1st (Easter Sunday).

Hotel rates are 99 euro single or 109 for a twin. For reference, flights from London are currently about 55 pounds/65 euro, while flights from Edinburgh are 40 pounds/45 euro - seems to be pretty cheap from other spots too; Manchester 40 euro, Birmingham 60 euro, Cardiff 80 euro.

For more details or if you are interested in playing, contact: [email protected].

Two norms achieved for local players!

GM norm for Alex Lopez and IM norm for Conor O' Donnell

http://chess-results.com/tnr329341.aspx?lan=1

http://chess-results.com/tnr329342.aspx?lan=1&art=1

As I mentioned before I expect Alex to become a GM in time...this result now propels him high up the ladder to becoming Ireland's first native GM and he might be Ireland's new no.1 player in the May FIDE rating list!

Conor's result was phenomenal ...8/9 and a TPR of 2585....Surely given his young age he is now the new clear favourite to become Ireland's next IM.

I wouldn't be so sure that Conor is the favourite, Martin - but not for lack of talent. His 1 IM norm and history of being over 2400 certainly but him in the race and among the favourites but I think David Fitzsimons would be the favourite with 2 Norms and peak rating of 2420 or so. David will get first bite of the cherry too as he is one win away from his third consecutive norm in the 4NCL.

Stephen Jessel also deserves some consideration with 4 or 5 IM Norms and a current rating of 2350 roughly - he tends to be quite streaky of late with big gains negated by big losses so 2 good events would put him over the line.

Ryan Griffiths was very much in the mix-up until recently with 2 IM Norms a 2375 live rating and a big score in the 4NCL but I think his Norm chances there are now gone.

Further down the odds standings in no particular order: Colm Daly (2 IM Norms), Stephen Brady, Joe Ryan (4 or 5 IM Norms), Tom O'Gorman (just missed his first IM norm last week - we could have had 2 IM Norms if Tom had beaten Conor in round 9), Henry Li, John Delaney (1 Olympiad IM Norm), Philip Short (1 IM Norm after the Irish last year), Conor E Murphy.

Good to see so many of them signed up for the Irish this year too with - Alex Lopez, Sam Collins, both Conors, Both Stephens, Tom, Henry, Colm, Joe, Killian Delaney, Jonathan O'C, John Delaney, Gordon Freeman, Gerry O'C and Stephen Moran all signed up already

Hi John
thanks for the updates re David being so close to the title... I admit I wasn't following his progress in this seasons 4NCL so closely... I seen he lost a game or 2? so thought his chance of a norm this season was not on the cards...good to hear it is still on.

quote "further down the odds standings in no particular order: Colm Daly (2 IM Norms), Stephen Brady, Joe Ryan (4 or 5 IM Norms), Tom O'Gorman (just missed his first IM norm last week - we could have had 2 IM Norms if Tom had beaten Conor in round 9), Henry Li, John Delaney (1 Olympiad IM Norm), Philip Short (1 IM Norm after the Irish last year), Conor E Murphy" unquote

Stephen Brady (certainly IM strength) yet to achieve a norm or break 2400...I could be wrong of course but from my memory (showing my age now...Stephen came very close to the 2400 rating maybe 2395 but never broke it ...also he was very unfortunate to have achieved a norm (so to speak) at one of the European championships....he had a norm after 8 rounds but had to play in round 9 because we only had a 4 man team.... he ended up getting busted by a 2000 rated Welsh player and his norm went out the window. He only needed not to play for the norm. Also on the above list the missing player that has an IM norm is Conor O' Shaughnessy (norm achieved in the Hasting Challengers back in 1993? I think) but he is barely active these days...he plays a few games in the London league for Kings Head chess club....

there is a list of Irish players norms here (a bit out of date now needs updating)

http://www.irlchess.com/2013/07/05/norms-and-titles/

That Brady near-miss must have been a long time ago, because under the current rules, that would be a norm.