Club Blitz Tournaments

Results of the club’s blitz tournaments, played at the Limerick Chess Club venue (Limerick Lawn Tennis Club). Most are handicap events, in which the weaker player in a pairing receives extra time. The most recent events have their own reports: Start of Season Blitz 2026, End of Season Blitz 2026, Xmas Blitz 2025, Xmas Blitz 2024.

Start of Season Blitz, 25 September 2025

Held on Thursday 25 September 2025 at 8 pm. Six rounds at 5 minutes a side plus 2 seconds per move, with time handicaps. Controllers Ray O’Brien and Neal Kirby; organiser Phillip Foenander. Entry €5 for adults and €3 for juniors.

• 1st: Robert Arellano, 5.5/6
• Joint 2nd: Korneliusz Bartczak and Adam McCoy, 5/6
• Best Junior: Cathal Murphy, 4/6

End of Season Blitz, 16 May 2024

30 players took part. Ray O’Brien made the draws and Neal Kirby was the controller.

• 1st: Robert Arellano, 6.5/7
• 2nd: James Naughton, 5.5/7
• Joint 3rd on 5/7: Hamilton Mandeya, George Stack, Dmitrijs Gavilovskis, Sveinn Geirsson and Adam McCoy
• Joint Best Juniors on 4/7: Korneliusz Bartczak, Conor Sheehan and Jamie Comley

Start of Season Blitz, 26 September 2024

Held on Thursday 26 September 2024 at 8 pm. Seven rounds at 5 minutes a side plus 2 seconds per move, with time handicaps; 24 players. Controller Ray O’Brien; organiser Phillip Foenander.

• 1st: Hamilton Mandeya, 7/7
• Joint 2nd: George Stack and Adam McCoy, 5/7
• Best Junior: Dominik Niewczas, 4/7

Start of Season Blitz, 5 October 2023

Held on Thursday 5 October 2023 at 7.30 pm. Seven rounds at 5 minutes a side plus 2 seconds per move, with time handicaps. Controller Neal Kirby; organiser Ray O’Brien.

• 1st: Robert Arellano
• 2nd: Norbert Hoffmann
• 3rd: George Stack
• Best under-1400: Stephen Clancy
• Best Junior: Korneliusz Bartczak

End of Season Blitz, 25 May 2023

26 players took part. Neal Kirby was the controller.

• 1st: James Naughton, 7/7
• Joint 2nd–3rd: George Stack and Con Kirby, 5.5/7
• Joint Best Juniors: Max Gavilovskis and Scott Fitzgerald, 5/7

Xmas Blitz, 8 December 2022

Held on Thursday 8 December 2022 at 7.45 pm. Six rounds at 5 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with rating-based time handicaps; 20 players. Controller Neal Kirby; organiser Phillip Foenander.

• Joint 1st on 5/6: Con Kirby and Martin O’Grady
• Joint 3rd on 4/6: James Naughton, Niall McDonnell, Liam O’Brien, Gerry Burke and Conor Sheehan
• Best Junior: Con Kirby, 5/6

Start of Season Blitz, 22 September 2022

Held on Thursday 22 September 2022 at 7.30 pm. Seven rounds at 5 minutes a side plus 2 seconds per move, with time handicaps. Controller Neal Kirby; organisers Liam Stack and Phillip Foenander.

• 1st: James Naughton
• Joint 2nd: Con Kirby and George Stack
• Best Junior: Scott Fitzgerald

Club blitz, 26 May 2022

Five rounds, 19 players.

• Joint 1st on 4/5: Emilio Meza Carrasco, Con Kirby, George Stack and Neal Kirby

Xmas Blitz, 15 December 2021

12 players took part. Ray O’Brien was the tournament controller.

• 1st: Martin O’Grady, 5.5/6
• 2nd: Niall McDonnell, 4.5/6
• 3rd: Conor Sheehan, 4/6

Start of Season Blitz, 3 November 2021

Held on Wednesday 3 November 2021 at 8 pm. Six rounds at 5 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps, to kick off the club season; 12 players from Limerick. Controller Neal Kirby; organiser Phillip Foenander.

• 1st: George Stack, 6/6
• Joint 3rd on 4/6: Liam O’Brien and Tim Dineen
• Best Junior: James Naughton, 4/6

Chess960 Xmas Handicap Blitz, 18 December 2019

Held on Wednesday 18 December 2019 at 8 pm, 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; seven rounds; 18 players from Ennis and Limerick. Controller Brian Scully; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Angelo Alarcon Fuentes (Limerick), 7/7
• Joint 2nd: Paul Carey and Rory Delaney, 5/7
• Best Junior: James Naughton
• Best under-1000: Michael Scully

Start of Season Blitz, 25 September 2019

Held on Wednesday 25 September 2019 at 8 pm. Seven rounds at 5 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; 22 players from Limerick, Ennis and Shannon. Controller Neil Kirby; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Rory Delaney (Limerick), 6.5/7
• 2nd: John Cassidy (Ennis), 5.5/7
• 3rd: Niall McDonnell (Limerick), 5/7
• Best Juniors: James Naughton and Con Kirby, 4/7

Michael Meaney Memorial Blitz, 15 May 2019

Held on Wednesday 15 May 2019 at 8 pm at 5 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; six rounds; 18 players from Ennis and Limerick. Controller Neil Kirby; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Rory Delaney, 5/6
• Joint 2nd: James Naughton and John Cassidy, 4.5/6
• Best Junior: Jana Solomatina, 3.5/6

Chess960 Xmas Handicap Blitz, 19 December 2018

Held on Wednesday 19 December 2018 at 8 pm, 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; six rounds; 18 players from Ennis and Limerick. Controller Neil Kirby; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Con Kirby, 5/6
• Joint 2nd: Rory Delaney and John Cassidy, 4.5/6
• Best Junior: James Naughton, 4.5/6

Handicap Blitz, 16 May 2018

Held on Wednesday 16 May 2018 at 8.30 pm, 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; 17 players from Ennis, Shannon and Limerick. Controller Ted Jennings; organiser John Cassidy.

• Joint 1st on 5/6: Niall McDonnell and Liam O’Brien, who shared the €60 first prize
• Joint 3rd on 4/6: James Naughton, Kevin O’Flaherty and Phillip Foenander (€10 each)
• Best Juniors (€10 each): Con Kirby, Jana Solomatina and Dylan Murphy (Ennis)

Handicap Blitz, 17 May 2017

Held on Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 8.30 pm, 5 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; seven rounds; 22 players from Ennis, Charleville and Limerick. Controller Ted Jennings; organiser John Cassidy.

• Joint 1st on 5.5/7: John Cassidy (Ennis) and Josef Holzbar (Charleville), who shared the €60 first prize
• 3rd: James Naughton, 5/7 (€20)
• Best Junior: Con Kirby (€20)

End of Season Handicap Blitz, 11 May 2016

Held on Wednesday 11 May 2016 at 8.15 pm, 5 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; six rounds; 20 players from Ennis, Sarsfield, Charleville and Limerick. Controller Brian Scully; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Jan Heinrich (Charleville), 5/6
• Joint 2nd on 4.5/6: John Cassidy (Ennis), Niall McDonnell and Con Kirby (Limerick)
• Next on 4/6: Kevin O’Flaherty, Liam O’Brien and Alan Salsac

Chess960 Xmas Handicap Blitz, 16 December 2015

Held on Wednesday 16 December 2015 at 8.15 pm, 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move with time handicaps; six rounds; 17 players from Ennis, Sarsfield, Shannon and Limerick. Controller Brian Scully; organiser John Cassidy.

• Joint 1st on 5/6: Niall McDonnell (Limerick) and Paul Carey (Sarsfield)
• 3rd: John Cassidy (Ennis), 4.5/6
• Joint Best Juniors on 4/6: James Naughton and Kevin Singpurwala (Shannon)
• Best under-10: Jiri and Josef Podzimek (both Limerick)

Handicap Blitz, 13 May 2015

Held on Wednesday 13 May 2015 at 8.30 pm, 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; six rounds; 14 players from Ennis, Shannon and Limerick. Controller Ted Jennings; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Rory Quinn (Ennis), 5/6
• Joint 2nd: Kevin Singpurwala (Shannon) and Geoff Keating (Limerick), 4.5/6

Chess960 Xmas Handicap Blitz, 17 December 2014

Held on Wednesday 17 December 2014 at 8 pm, 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move with time handicaps; seven rounds; 18 players from Ennis, Sarsfield and Limerick. Controller Gerry Graham; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Rory Quinn (Ennis), 7/7
• 2nd: Kevin O’Flaherty (Limerick), 6/7
• 3rd: Gerry Graham (Sarsfield), 4.5/7

Handicap Blitz, 1 October 2014

Held on Wednesday 1 October 2014 at 8.30 pm, 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; six rounds; 18 players from Ennis, Sarsfield, Shannon and Limerick. Controller Brian Scully; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Rory Quinn (Ennis), 6/6
• Joint 2nd: James Danaher (Shannon) and Paul Carey (Sarsfield), 4.5/6

Christmas Blitz, 18 December 2013

Held on Wednesday 18 December 2013 at 8 pm, 6 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; 14 players from Ennis, Sarsfield and Limerick. Controller Gerry Graham; organiser John Cassidy.

• Joint 1st: John Cassidy (Ennis) and Niall McDonnell (Limerick)
• 3rd: Jim McKenna (Limerick)
• Joint 4th: Martin O’Grady and Paul Carey (both Limerick)

Start of Season Blitz, 18 September 2013

Held on Wednesday 18 September 2013 at 8 pm, 6 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; seven rounds; 22 players from Ennis, Sarsfield and Limerick. Controller Gerry Graham; organiser John Cassidy.

• 1st: Rory Quinn, 7/7 (top seed, with a 100% score)
• 2nd: Martin O’Grady, 6/7
• 3rd: Dan Clancy, 5/7
• 4th: Liam O’Brien, 4.5/7

End of Season Blitz, 5 June 2013

Held on Wednesday 5 June 2013 at 8 pm, 6 minutes plus 2 seconds per move with time handicaps; seven rounds; 23 players from Ennis, Sarsfield, Charleville and Limerick. Controller Gerry Graham; organiser John Cassidy.

• Four players tied for joint first on 5.5/7: John Cassidy, Niall McDonnell, Jan Heinrich and Rory Quinn
• 5th: John Alfred, 5/7

Christmas Blitz, December 2012

The traditional Christmas Blitz was held on 19 December.

• 1st: Liam O’Brien, 21 points out of 21
• 2nd: Brian Nunan, 16 points
• 3rd: David Hanley, 14.5 points
• First female player: Jessica Danaher, 9 points

Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.