Tension mounts as the 2015 Irish Championships enters critical phase.
Round 6 offered up plenty of drama on the top boards with both the tournament leader David Fitzsimons and yours truly (Colm Daly) in joint second place losing to Phillip Short and Stephen Brady respectively. These were close calls as both myself and David made some poor judgements trying too hard to keep winning chances in positions that did not merit such an approach. Fine and accurate play by Philip and Stephen earning them well deserved and hugely significant wins that in effect knock myself out of the race for first and now more or less require David win today in the big clash of the day against Stephen Jessel, who now leads jointly with Philip Short and Stephen Brady after a win against Gerry O Connell who came so close to making a draw.
Conor O Donnell got himself back in the frame with a win over Bernard Palmer and now plays Stephen Brady in a make or break game that may well in effect, decide the winner of the event. Having played all the other top seeds Stephen is surely odds on overwhelming favourite now to clinch yet another title if he can draw or win today.
Meanwhile Phillip Short fresh from his excellent win at the Bray rapid ahead of so many top Irish players has also played almost all the top seeds and if he can overcome Gerry Macelligott today with Black then he will likely then have Conor O Donnell and myself to overcome in the last two rounds. Bound to me some great games and serious clashes left in these last three rounds. Stephen Brady looking hard to stop at this stage but the tension mounting it is impossible to be sure of much of anything.
The games start at 14:00 today and Saturday with the time on Sunday brought forward to 10:00 so well worth checking things out at the Academy Plaza Hotel.
There is also a fun and novel team tournament (Scarry Cup) starting tonight at 19:00 comprising of six players per team over five rounds with so far among the entries being a team making up the bones of the Armstrong Cup winning team from Gonzaga comprising of no less than five 2000 plus players.
Plenty of chess to enjoy and watch with a nice bar restaurant that offers good food at decent prices (for a Hotel anyway) and nice chess ambiance generally. See Irish ch final phase for latest updates and details
Created 2015-07-10 ◦ Last updated 2015-07-10 ◦ Editor CD