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Thursday, April 15, 2010

UCU Leagues on a knife edge, by Rookie

Both leagues are going down to the wire. With 13 games played, three and a half points separate first and second in each league (see up to date tables at the UCU website). League one leaders RVH Hawks “soar” above second-placed QUB, who are just feeling “sore”. The big two meet at Queen’s next Thursday in a final showdown, postponed games permitting.

League two leaders Malone face second-placed Bangor Wannabees in a delayed match at Fisherwick some Wednesday in the near future. I shall publish the date as soon as possible. Interestingly, the Bangor captain stated one of his players couldn’t play from now on, as he did not play chess during the summer for religious reasons! Meanwhile, Randalstown overtook RVH Ravens to avoid the wooden spoon by drawing on Tuesday past against RVH Hendersons. Though without a win all season, Peter Wilson’s team did not ”peter” out. With players like Frenchman,David Baras, they did not “embarrass” themselves!

Now for a “tale of two cities” - Dublin and Belfast, which host quickplay tournaments on the weekend of 24/25 April 2010. First, on Saturday 24 April, the Phillip Hogarty Memorial Rapidplay takes place at Academy Plaza Hotel, off O’Connell St, Dublin. For details, ring Darren McCabe at 00 353 87-6938736. It is named after a former ICU President, who died in a tragic road accident on New Years Day 2008 at the age of 19.

On Sunday night, from 7.15-10.45pm,on 25 April,the popular fun tournament, the Bar Blitz, takes place again in the Parlour Bar, behind Queen’s Students Union. Let’s hope I’m not “blitzed”at it, if I hope to do a report on it. Just turn up for it. Check out more details at http://chess.club.qub.ac.uk/qubblitz.htm.

When Paddy Lambe played Adrian Skelton in Belfast years ago, I commented in the “Irish News”: ”make no bones about it; they have threatened muttony if I write anymore about them”!

Finally, here is possibly the most analysed game of the 1950s between two men who had been or were about to be world champions. There was a lot of blood spilt, metaphorically speaking, in Bled!!




8 comments:

BgB71 said...

Glad to see the second division match finally getting the off after much stumbling form the Malone captain. We only hope the that fisherwick hall IS actually open this time and that there are more than THREE boards available! After all we wouldn't want to ACCIDENTLY mislead anyone or gain an unfair advantage.
Machiavelli is alive and well it seems!

machiavelli said...

Good luck to Malone in their upcoming match.It is great to see Partner aka 'ROOKIE' back on form.

ichthus888 said...

Has anyone heard the results from TAT-RVH Hawks and RVH Hawks-Fisherwick?

David McAlister said...

Wasn't playing this match on 30/03/2010 but here's the result as reported through the TAT grapevine.
TAT v RVH Hawks 2-5(3+2)
1. Danny Mallaghan vs. Michael Holmes 0-1
2. Damien Lavery vs. Gareth Annesley 1-0
3. Des Moreland vs. John Masterson 0-1
4. John McKenna vs. Nicholas Pilkiewicz 0-1
5. Richard Gould vs. Ciaron Marron 1-0
TAT play Fisherwick on Monday night in a rearranged fixture and then go to Lagan on Wednesday for the relegation decider.

Dennis the Menace said...

Good luck to the Molly Malones for their title decider v Wannabees,,hopefully they can 'mussel' their way to the title!

ichthus888 said...

Thanks David.

How'd TAT get on last night?

David McAlister said...

Drawn match so 3.5 points each. By my reckoning TAT are now 5.5 points ahead of Lagan, who still have to play their postponed match vs Fisherwick (next week?).

boozerloser said...

Good luck to the super Bangor Wannabees