Prize-winners at awards ceremony. Photography: ChessNI

Outdoor Chess Animates Groomsport Harbour

Saturday May 29, 2021

On Saturday 29 May, Bangor Chess Club hosted its first event of 2021, an outdoor blitz tournament. Held at the picnic tables at Groomsport Harbour, the competition saw three newcomers to the club. They received a warm welcome from all the regular players. 

Club Treasurer James O’Fee invited PhD student Jonathan Kernaghan and Dufferin Avenue shoemaker Sylwek Furman. Both enjoyed the tournament with Sylwek taking the best newcomer award with an impressive 4 points out of 6. Jonathan also scored several excellent wins to finish on 3. Meanwhile chess veteran Richard Proctor invited his grandson Caleb McClean to take part. It was clear the Bangor Academy pupil was benefiting from his grandad’s coaching as he hunted for checkmate at every opportunity! 

The 12 players battled it out over six rounds of blitz with a time control of 5+5 (each player had five minutes on their clock plus gained an extra five seconds after making each move). Therefore each game lasted around 20 minutes. 

Calum Glendinning of the Steiner School in Holywood won best teenager with 3.5 points. Ben Toogood of Bangor Grammar scored some wonderful wins to scoop the best school pupil award with 3/6. Club keyholder Richard McClean took the prize for most improved player and Chris Dorrian came 3rd with an impressive 4 points. 

James O’Fee was having a run of great wins to secure second place on tie-breaks, with 19 year old Adam Rushe crowned champion with 4 wins and 2 draws. This now makes Adam an 18-time chess champion, congratulations to this rising star!

7 prize-winners:

Champion: Adam Rushe (5/6) 

2nd Place: James O’Fee (4/6) 

3rd Place: Chris Dorrian (4/6)

Best Newcomer: Sylwek Furman (4/6)

Best Teenager: Calum Glendinning (3.5/6)

Best School Pupil: Ben Toogood (3/6)

Most Improved Player: Richard McClean (2/6)

The chess season runs from September to April each year so this outdoor event was a one-off but the club hopes to return to indoor chess in the autumn. Bangor Chess Club meets on Thursday nights at Groomsport Parish Hall from 7:30pm to 10:30pm during the autumn/winter months. New chess players of all abilities are very welcome.

Chris Dorrian (White) v Calum Glendinning. Photography: ChessNI

Rebecca McClurg (White) v Richard Proctor. Photography: ChessNI

Newcomer Jonathan Kernaghan (Black) v Club Keyholder Richard McC. Photography: ChessNI

Ben Toogood (White) v Chris Dorrian. Photography: ChessNI

James O'Fee (White) v Adam Rushe. Photography: ChessNI