Chess and chocolate – an unbeatable combination!

More than 60 competitors took part in the Gonzaga Chess Classic over the weekend of February 3-5 . . . and it might have been more but for the lure of Ireland’s opening rugby match in the Six Nations.

At least, that was one of the theories put forward to me, although it may also have been because the organisers were a little tardy in getting advance details of the tournament onto the ICU website.

However, if that was the case, no blame should be attached – the competition is organised every year by transition year students at the college, and this year’s group of 15-year-olds appeared to have done a great job in every other respect, aided by the unflappable demeanour of experienced chief arbiter Herbert Scarry.

I particularly liked the playing conditions and venue. Gonzaga College is in the pleasant south Dublin suburb of Ranelagh, with a good selection of shops and restaurants just a blitz-game stroll away. The actual playing conditions were excellent, with good lighting, plenty of elbow room (compared to Kilkenny’s lower sections, anyway!), and an unlimited supply of chocolate bars and coffee available from a stand run by enthusiastic students.

Throw in a Sunday visit by Alex Baburin’s popular bookshop, with the GM hosting an interesting and informative lecture on some selected games played at the tournament, and it all added up to a very pleasant weekend for chess players. Now, if only I hadn’t twice lost pawns to opening blunders when white, things would have been even better!

There were some particularly impressive performances, especially from Kevin Burke and Mark Finnigan (respective winners of the Minor and Junior sections) who both racked up 5.5 points from 6 games. Kevin “did a Topalov” by starting with five straight wins, which assured him of at least a tie for first place whatever the outcome of his last-round game.

The results were:

• MASTERS
• 1. Tom Clarke 4/5
• 2. Gordon Freeman 3.5/5
• 3. John McMorrow 3/5

• MAJOR
• 1. Eric Bennett 5/6
• 2. Danny Mallaghan 4.5/6
• 3-4. Daniel Lynch and Sam Osborne 4/6
• Grading prize: Stephen Stokes 3.5/6

• MINOR
• 1. Kevin Burke 5.5/6
• 2. Patrick Launders 5/6
• 3-4. Eoin O’Higgins and Sean McGlinchey 4/6
• Grading prize: Damien McCormick 3.5/6

• JUNIOR
• 1. Mark Finnigan, 5.5/6
• 2. Michael O’Toole 5/6
• 3. Alasdair Walsh 4.5/6
• Grading prize: Daniel Hurley 4/6
• Ladies winner: Dee Mowlds 2.5/6

There was also some money left over to benefit a couple of good causes – the Jesuit Refuge Services in Kosovo and the victims of landmines . . . all the more reason to support an event that has been running since 2002.