Fingal Open Championships

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The Opening Ceremony of the Fingal Open 2024 just before round 1 on 23 Jan 2024.

Introduction

The 2nd Fingal Open Championships will be held in Skerries Chess Club and nearby clubs in early 2025. Five rounds will be spread over 11 weeks from Jan - Mar 2025, interspersed with Coaching Sessions from the current Irish Champion, IM David Fitzsimons.

The event will be FIDE and ICU rated. Time controls will mirror those in various divisions of the Leinster leagues for players with similar ratings, as outlined below. Adjournments are allowed where both players agree before the game.

While entry is open to all ICU members, those from clubs near Skerries (see below) may play their Black games in their home venue, except for the last round which will be in Skerries. Any club with large entries may opt to host a section in their premises on a day that suits them, normally their match night.

Venues

Skerries Amalgamated Bridge Clubs, 73B Strand Street, Skerries, Co. Dublin, K34 C951 and nearby clubs.

A small amount of funding was provided by Fingal County Council Community Development Office, with support from Cormac McDonagh, Area Officer.

Playing Sections

Players will be divided into sections of six, based on FIDE, ICU and SCC ratings, using the controller's best judgement, in the hope that every player will play five others close to them in rating and strength. The lowest section may be a five round Swiss.

Cups

The Fingal Open Champion Perpetual Cup will be presented to the winner, engraved. Engraved plaques and medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each section. Most prizes are shared where players are on equal points and tiebreaks are only used to decide minor places e.g. joint 3rd-5th. The top SCC player in the top section will receive the Skerries Club Champion's Perpetual Cup. Half the Skerries players in each section will receive prizes. The top SCC U18 Boy and Girl will be awarded the Junior Perpetual Cups.

Round Dates and Coaching Sessions

Round times are as below unless a player from a club near Skerries (see list) opts to play their black games at home. In that case the game is played in their club on their normal league match day/night, in the same week as the round in Skerries. See a sample schedule for Frank from Drogheda CC, below.

All rounds and coaching sessions start at 7.15 pm. Coaching resources will be added after each session.

Coaching this year will be given by the current Irish Champion, IM David Fitzsimons.

Tue 07 Jan Round 1
Tue 14 Jan Coaching 1: Opening play and preparation
Tue 21 Jan Round 2
Tue 04 Feb Round 3 Tue 18 Feb Coaching 2: Tactics and calculation
Tue 25 Feb Round 4
Tue 04 Mar Coaching 3: Positional play
Tue 18 Mar Round 5
Tue 25 Mar Prize-giving and Coaching 4: Endgames Tue 01 Apr Coaching 5: Learning from your own games and classic games

If players rearrange a game, results must be in by 18 Feb for rounds 1, 2 and 3 and by 18 Mar for rounds 4 and 5. Any player who has a league match or other pressing engagement on any of the above dates may arrange with their opponent in advance to reschedule their Fingal Open game, e.g. in the BEA, Naomh Barróg play Blanchardstown on 25 Feb.

Coaching Sessions

IM David Fitzsimons will give coaching on the dates above. It will include 40 minutes aimed at juniors or adult beginners, a short break and then another more advanced session until 10 pm. It will include analysis of games from the event as well as tuition on the topics listed above. Participants will play out key positions with a sparring partner, which makes it more fun and interactive. Coaching sessions for non-members cost €10 per session or €40 for all five sessions. Coaching fees are due on the first night, or can be paid on the event page by 6 Jan.

Entries

Early entry for the Fingal Open for €40 by Tue 17 Dec, or for €50 by Sat 4 Jan. No entries or refunds after that, unless in exceptional circumstances, for €70. Entries may close early if we reach capacity.
All players must be registered with the ICU. A bottom section, unrated, may be added for junior players who are not members of the ICU. Free entry for titled players (GM, IM, FM, WGM, WIM) and FMs/CMs by Tue 3 Dec, with conditions, who contact the controller. Free entry for SCC members by Sat 4 Jan.
Enter for the Fingal Open and for Coaching on the ICU Fingal Open event page.

Pairings

Pairings for all rounds will be published on or soon after Sat 4 Jan.

Time Controls

Time controls mirror those in various divisions of the Leinster leagues for players with similar ratings.

Default time 60 mins.

Section A: 90 mins + 30 s/move
Section B,C: 75 mins + 30 s/move
Section D,E: 60 mins + 30 s/move
Section F,G: 45 mins + 30 s/move
Section H: 30 mins + 30 s/move

Before each game, if both players agree, they can play the following time controls which allow for adjournments. Special rules for adjourning games are explained below.

Section A: 35 moves in 1 h 45 mins
Section B,C: 42 moves in 1 h 45 mins
Section D,E: 40 moves in 1 h 15 mins
Section F,G,H: 40 moves in 1 h

Rules and Playing Conditions

Expect pleasant playing conditions with some professional touches. These include name cards on all boards, and some games from higher sections broadcast live. Shops and restaurants are a short walk from the club, and it is easy to find free parking outside.

While quiet is expected in the playing area, players will be allowed to spectate quietly after they finish playing.

Electronic devices are not permitted in the playing area, corridor, toilets or outdoor smoking area. An exception is if they are left near the controller's desk, switched off, not on silent. Electronic devices include anything that may make a noise or vibrate including watches, alarms.

As these are round robin sections, no byes will be given. If you cannot play in a certain round, please contact the controller well in advance, who may help you to rearrange it, provided your opponent agrees.

In games with a 30 second increment players are required to record their moves to the end of their game, and keep their scoresheet up to date. In games with adjournmentns and fixed time controls, players may stop recording in the last five minutes but must catch up after the time control, or when the game is adjourned.

At the end of your game please fill in your result on the pairings sheet. You may analyse downstairs, quietly if other games are continuing there. If your opponent fails to show 60 mins after the round started call the assistant arbiter to claim a win by default.

All players without a FIDE ID who play in this FIDE rated tournament will be registered with the IRL federation.

Clubs near Skerries include

Aer Lingus
Balbriggan
Blanchardstown
Chess Kings
DCU
Drogheda
Dublin
Elm Mount
Finglas
Inchicore
Lucan
Malahide
Naomh Barróg
Portmarnock
Phibsboro
Raharney TCD
TUD

Players from the clubs above may play their games as black at home, except the final round.
We do not see enough of our chess neighbours and hope this gives us a chance to meet up in Skerries and in these clubs too.

Sample schedule

For a player from a club near Skerries. Say Frank DCC, from Drogheda and Rosemary EM, from Elm Mount, are in a section with four Skerries players: Áine SCC, Bill SCC, Cerys SCC and Dmitri SCC:

Round - White - Black - Venue - Day Date
R1 - Frank DCC - Bill SCC - Skerries - Tue 7 Jan
R2 - Cerys SCC - Frank DCC - Drogheda - Sat 25 Jan (same week as R2 in Skerries on Tue 21 Jan)
R3 - Frank DCC - Rosemary EM - Elm Mount - Mon 03 Feb (same week as R3 in Skerries)
R4 - Áine SCC - Frank DCC - Drogheda - Sat 29 Feb (same week as R4 in Skerries)
R5 - Frank DCC - Dmitri SCC - Skerries - Tue 18 Mar

Of course a player could have 1, 2 or 3 games at home depending on how many blacks they have in R1-4. Clubs with large entries will be offered the option to host a section, including the final round, on their normal match day/night. This requires two boards.

Option to Adjourn Games

If both players agree before a game, they may adjourn their game if their total time exceeds 3.5 hours in section A or as above for other sections. When this time arrives, or close to this time, the player who chooses to adjourn, privately writes down their move on an adjournment sheet, stops their clock, notes the clock times, then seals everything in an envelope, which the assistant controller keeps until the agreed date to resume the game, normally the following week. The second session is in the same venue as the first session, with the same time control. Adjournments means the finish time is fixed and a little earlier. They also allow analysis of the adjourned position with a computer or friends which is a great way to learn and improve, and good fun too.

Controller, Contact

Chief Organiser: John Loughran, , 086 374 5410.
Chief Arbiter: Chris Dorrian.

The first coaching session on 30 Jan 2024 with Zalan Nemeth FM, the advanced session after the juniors had gone.