CHESS IRELAND - NEWS, Jan-Mar 1999

• Bray on the double
  Bray retain the Branagan Cup & complete the league/cup double this season albeit in unorthodox fashion. Bray A slipped up in the quarters (Bray A 1½-3½ Phibsboro A) entrusting the title defence to the B side.

  Branagan Cup final: Bray B 3-2 Phibsboro A.
  Results (Bray black on odd boards)1. M.Neville 0-1 J.Ryan, 2. Reynolds 1-0 Nolan, 3. K.Butler 1-0 S.Duffy 4. E. Bennett ½ M. Olsson, 5. K.O'Donnell ½ J. Phelan.

  Rd1: Phibsboro B 0-5 Bray B
  QF: Dun Laoire 1-4 Bray B
  SF: Malahide A 1½-3½ Bray B
  

  Bray B squad: Joe Ryan 2/2, Pat Reynolds 4/4, Seamus Duffy (c) 3/4, Eric Bennett 2/4, Jim Joyce 1½/2, John Phelan 2½/3, Tom Conlon ½/1.

• Pat Reynolds rpts on Bray 99:
  Colm Barry retained his Bray title, this time sharing the spoils with Colm Daly (1998: 1 Barry 4½ 2 Joyce 4 ). Eric Bennett took his chances & third place. Barry is back close to his best and this win follows his 10/11 score in the Armstrong. He had some difficult positions and may have been lost against Joyce at one point but came through the c omplications and was effective as ever when time was short. He availed of a stalemate resource to hold the ending against Daly.

  Daly has been a model of consistency including picking up 2 Irish titles since making just 50% here last year. He had a big scare in Rd1 (let out of jail when totally lost v Reynolds), then played well when he needed to and in the final round played a difficult ending very accurately to record his first ever win in a rated game against Johnny Joyce.

  A playoff match would be interesting ...

  Tournament was ably controlled by Phil Smith.

  Rd5 results: Joyce 0-1 Daly, Barry 1-0 Barber,Beckett ½ Brady,Reynolds 0-1 Bennett,Salter ½ Hearns,Hurley 1-0 Phelan,Tortora 0-1 Path
  Final Standings: 1= Daly Barry 4½ 3 Bennett 3½ Barber Beckett 3 Joyce Brady Salter 2½ Hurley Reynolds Hearns Path 2 Phelan 1 Tortora 0.

• Former Irish Champion, Paul Delaney reports on Rathfarnham Chess Club's plans for the future: Rathfarnam Chess Club has moved to new premises at the Spawell , Templeogue. Their club night will be held each Monday evening at 7.30pm from Monday May 10th. All are welcome.
  The new venue has been chosen with a view to expanding the membership significantly. The club aims to secure both a division one Armstrong team and division two Heidenfeld teams within 3 years. Paul believes in encouraging the social aspects of a chess club. In his view the new attractive venue will generate interest both from potential new members and from currently inactive players. The Rathfarnam Junior Chess Club , for under 14s , will continue to meet in Santa Maria , Ballyroan Crescent , Rathfarnam at 7.30pm on Fridays.

  To celebrate their opening in their fine new premises they are holding two informal open blitz tournaments starting on Monday 17th May at 8.00pm - won by Mel O'Cinneide, see link below for crosstable. Following this the next blitz tournament will be held on Monday , May 31st again starting at 8.00pm. All are welcome. However it would be appreciated if competitors could bring their own chess clocks.

  CONTACT: Secretary, Rathfarnam Chess Club. Tadgh O’Connell, ph:(eves) 4902338. The club has also started up its own Rathfarnham CC website.