March 2024 FIDE NI Rating Report – 14 players make a debut by FIDE National Arbiter Brendan Jamison

Well done to 14 more players gaining a FIDE rating on the 1st March rating list. The season is almost over but we have one last major speed event scheduled for April, the Ulster Rapidplay, taking place on Saturday 6th April at the beautiful harbour village of Groomsport (City of Bangor Chess Club). We’re almost at max capacity with 5 spaces left so if you’re keen to play, please register with the event organiser/arbiter Brendan Jamison at fidechessni@gmail.com

The Ulster Rapidplay is also the 15^th and final event in the FIDE-rated NI Rapid Grand Prix 2023/2024 which has seen 223 players compete so far and it’s been great to see players travel up from the South of Ireland, over and over again, to enjoy our speed chess series. It’s been a wonderful way to connect many of the clubs across NI that are not within the league circuit, thus branching out far beyond the current zone of UCU clubs. This has also helped attract many new players to enrol as members of the UCU to get their games rated. The culmination of the Grand Prix will see 3 large silver cups awarded to the overall champion, intermediate champion and junior champion.

CLASSIC RATING DEBUTS:

David Garvin (Greenisland FC) makes his FIDE classic debut at 1726

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2516985

Dylan Wylie (Greenisland FC) makes his FIDE classic debut at 1663

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2519496

Peter Campbell (Lisburn Chess Club) makes his FIDE classic debut at 1656

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2518406

Peter Murphy (Greenisland FC) makes his FIDE classic debut at 1624

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2518465

Toby Crothers (Bangor Chess Club + Downpatrick Chess Club) makes his FIDE classic debut at 1609

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2527804

Oliver Mead (Bangor Chess Club) makes his FIDE classic debut at 1590

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2524031

Leah Worbey (Greenisland FC) makes her FIDE classic debut at 1585

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2518783

RAPID RATING DEBUTS:

Michael Heald (Roaming Knights NI) makes his FIDE rapid debut at 1641

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2519402

Pearse Quinn (no club) makes his FIDE rapid debut at 1613

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2530490

Paul Smith (Roaming Knights NI) makes his FIDE rapid debut at 1509

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2530503

Bernie McCarthy (Roaming Knights NI) makes her FIDE rapid debut at 1477

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2520788

BLITZ RATING DEBUTS:

Tibor Belko (Bangor Chess Club) makes his FIDE blitz debut at 1611

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2529165

Ciara Jensen (Bangor Chess Club) makes her FIDE blitz debut at 1580

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2525895

John Rollins (Bangor Chess Club) makes his FIDE blitz debut at 1437

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2527812

In other rating news, Bangor Chess Club are now awarding the title of ‘Club Master’ to paid-up members who gain a FIDE rating over 1800, with ‘Club Candidate Master’ to those who achieve 1700+. With 70 members this season, the club has been expanding fast, especially with a massive youth wing. The Club Committee hope these new titles will encourage players to see grading levels as stepping stones within the club as everyone works to improve their chess. The inaugural Club Master titles were awarded to Danny Roberts (1962), Brendan Jamison (1848), Ben McIlroy (1843), Caleb McClean (1836) and Calum Glendinning (1801). Please note, a few players who compete in the league for other clubs have joined Bangor Chess Club as members this season to avail of free entry into the many FIDE events each month, the next of which is the FIDE-rated Spring Rapid at Groomsport on Thursday 21^st March, with 6 rounds of 12+0.