The FIDE World Youth Chess Championships takes place this year in the lovely city of Halkidiki in Greece, from the 19th to the 31st of October 2018. Ireland has eight players representing us across six different categories. Players arrived on the Friday the 19th with the first round taking place on Saturday the 20th. Full standings can be found here.

Schedule

19/10/18 Arrival
20/10/18 Round 1
21/10/18 Round 2 & 3
22/10/18 Round 4
23/10/18 Round 5
24/10/18 Round 6
25/10/18 Free day
26/10/18 Round 7
27/10/18 Round 8
28/10/18 Round 9
29/10/18 Round 10
30/10/18 Round 11
31/10/18 Departure


Sunset before round 1.

Day 1

Report from Fiachra Scallan:

Greetings from Greece,
We all arrived safely yesterday looking forward to two weeks of chess! As always in these tournaments the first round was a tough one with all 9 Irish players unseeded and out-rated on average by 350 points. Only one point was won by the Irish today with Fiachra beating a 2319 in the under 18 section. Everyone else put up a strong fight but the rating gaps proved too much to handle. Tom played the white side of a Ruy Lopez with 3.g6 and put up a strong fight against the top seed in the under 16s (2609). Felix played the Alexhine against his 2026 rated Polish opponent and put up a very strong fight before his position started to crumble in the mid-endgame. Dayna played with the black pieces against an Iranian 1859 and made a couple of slight weaknesses in the middlegame and couldn’t recover.



Our players are hoping to get their tournaments underway with Danny and Tom (playing Peter in a match between the Irish U16 and 19 champions) seeded in the next round while Fiachra get to play the top seed in the under 18s; Alexey Sarana(2641).

Day 2

Report from Pippa O'Gorman:

It was double round today and we could not be guaranteed full points as Tom and Peter were drawn against each other in round 2. Tom came out the victor after a tough battle. Fiachra lost to Sarana (2641) in a Carlsbad after having drawing chances. Danny won his second round and Eibhia held a draw. Felix played against a Norwegian player rated 1885. He played the French Defence. Felix had many opportunities but was unable to take advantage of them and lost. In the third round, Tom won his match, having a winning position by move 10. Peter had an interesting closed Sicilian where he was playing with 2 bishops and an IQP in a reasonably balanced position. His opponent blundered a piece and Peter won the game. Mercedes and Dana also won in the 3rd round. Felix played an Armenian rated 1916. He played the Alekhine. It was a tight game until the end when both players were low on time and Felix made a mistake that his opponent took advantage of. Everyone is in good spirits, enjoying this lovely tournament in a stunning location.

Day 3

Report from Donal Ferguson:

We all had a well deserved, restful morning after the double round yesterday. Felix was the first to come out with a quick win against a local player. Danny won against a 2011 rated player from the Czech Republic. Fiachra and Eibhia drew, Eibhia maintaining an advantage throughout the game but unable to convert it into a win against her American 1827 rated opponent. Fiachra was putting pressure on his opponent and later agreed on a draw, his opponent rated 2162 from Estonia. Mercedes unfortunately was unable to secure the win in a long game against her American opponent and made some mistakes under time pressure. Sadly, Tom, Peter and Dayna also lost their games. Good luck to everyone tomorrow!

Day 4

Report from Eibhia Ni Mhuireagáin:

Today I played a girl from Montenegro who was the same rating as me. I got a winning position early on but after missing a few clear wins I blundered. My opponent offered me a draw but i played on and managed to secure a win. Mercedes played a lower rated South African girl. She won easily after she blundered a piece in the middlegame. Today Felix played a German player rated 1876. He played the Alekhine Defence. It was a marathon of a game and all was even until the endgame when he was down two pawns but was in a drawn position. Felix then made a mistake moving his king to the wrong square and feeling there was no way out, Felix resigned. Daniel played with a Slovakian player rated 2218. He played a Grand Prix attack and had a advantage through out the the middle game and up a pawn until the end game. But in the end game it was opposite colour bishops and Daniel couldn't break through and the game sealed out as a draw. Tom held a difficult position to a draw against a 2445 by sacking a piece and managing to liquidate enough material. Tomorrow I play a 1879 Polish girl while Fiachra, Tom, Daniel, and Felix all play strong 2100+ players. Peter faces a 1400 South Korean as Mercedes goes up against a 1900 Norwegian and Dayna plays a 1300 Estonian.

Day 5

Report from Inessa Dwyer:

Today Eibhia played a higher rated player from Poland. She was a pawn up but nerves got the better of her and she accepted a draw. Mercedes won today against a Norwegian 1900, She had it well prepared and it payed off, getting into a better position early in the game. Dayna played white against Mari Rubina from Estonia. She wasn’t happy with her play at the start but managed to go a piece up later in the game. Fiachra played a QGD and exchanged everything off into a drawn endgame. He then fell for a cheapo, dropping a pawn and wasn't able to get back in the game. Felix played black against an Italian FM rated 2101. His opponent opened with the English. Felix defended very well but in a sequence of moves, he moved one of his pieces out of sequence and unfortunately he wasn’t able to recover and so he resigned. Peter managed to secure a win. Unfortunately Tom and Danny lost. Daniel played very well holding a drawn position against 2125 boy from Slovenia. He got tired after 5 and half hours and made a mistake which cost him the game. We have a free day tomorrow, plenty of rest and preparations for Friday.

Day 7

Report from Neasa Jordon:

After a much needed rest day during which some played football and others properly rested, everyone headed off to Olympic Hall determined to bring back some positive results. Danny's opponent hailed from England and had a rating of 2133. Danny's opening didn't go to plan, as his opponent played something different than expected. He got all his pieces on Danny's king side and attacked him winning a lot of material and eventually Danny resigned. Felix played a less experienced player from Nepal today. His opponent played the Pirc Defense but did not execute it very well. Felix got the advantage, played the middle game well and was up a bishop. He then promoted to a rook and his opponent resigned. Peter played a German player rated 2279, he blundered his queen to a nice tactic and sadly lost. Fiachra's game was a classical French where he overextended and blundered losing to his 2079 opponent from Spain. Dayna played black against a 1627. The opening went well and she later won in an endgame where her bishop dominated the opposing knight. Mercedes won against a 1900 from Georgia. She sacrificed the exchange to which her opponent responded poorly and she eventually went on to win the game. Tom drew. Eibhia played a 1900 French girl. She was losing for most of the game but managed to turn the game around completely. Unfortunately the game ended in a draw after she fell for a 3 move repetition trick.