Feast of chess at championships in July

It’s time to book your summer holidays for the 2006 Irish Chess Championships, which will be held in the south suburbs of Dublin from July 7 to 16.

Prize money will total more than €5,000 at the 86th Irish Chess Championships, which are being staged at St. Benildus College, Upper Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, in conjunction with St. Benildus Chess Club.

The premier event – the IRISH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP – is over 9 rounds, from Saturday, July 8 to Sunday, July 16. Up for grabs is the coveted title of Irish Champion, won last year by Colm Daly. Entry is €50 for players rated 1900 and above. Time limit: 40 moves in two hours and one hour allegro for each player.

The feast of chess starts a day earlier, on Friday, July 7, with the IRISH CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKENDER, a six-round Swiss event split into three sections (1600 plus, Under 1600, and Under 1200 with entry fees of €35, €30 and €30 respectively). Round one is Friday night (7pm), with three rounds on Saturday, July 8 (9.30, 2.00 and 6.30) and two on Sunday, July 9 (10.00 and 2.30). Time limit: All moves in 105 minutes for top section; all moves in 90 minutes for Under 1200.

There are two other championships being staged throughout the week, both 6-round Swiss events:

The IRISH INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP, from Monday, July 10 to Wednesday, July 12, is for players rated from 1500 to 1899, with an entry fee of €35. Rounds are 10.00 to 2.00 and 3.00 to 7.00 each day. Time limit: All moves in two hours.

The IRISH JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP, from Monday, July 10 to Wednesday, July 12, is for players with ratings below 1500, with an entry fee of €30. Rounds start 10.00 and 3.00 each day. Time limit: All moves in 105 minutes.

To wrap things up, the second weekend of the event features the IRISH OPEN WEEKENDER, a 6-round Swiss from Friday, July 14 to Sunday, July 16 (rounds at 7pm Friday, 9.30, 2.00 and 6.30 Saturday, 10.00 and 2.30 Sunday), featuring grading prizes and a “David and Goliath” prize. Entry fee is €35. Time limit: All moves in 105 minutes.

It’s therefore possible for players outside the senior championship to get in 18 games of competitive chess over a 10-day period!

And perhaps even more . . . there are plans for an IRISH OPEN BLITZ on Thursday, July 13 if numbers permit. It will take place from 8.15pm until late, with a €10 entry fee. Time limit: All moves in 5 minutes.

More details will be announced when they become available.