OUTREACH

29 August 2025: Coaching for teenage chess players, Jamaica Blue, Bloomfield’s Shopping Centre, Bangor, County Down

4pm to 6pm. Attendees from the nearby housing estate of Whitehill, as well as Newtownards and central Bangor. The 2 hour session featured Club Master coaching through Q&A with each teen discussing challenging openings and we did group opening theory to solve the problems so everyone learned from the experience.  Adolescent participants ranged in age from 14-18, with 3 adults present to lead the activity.  The event was cross-community. After the coaching, attendees enjoyed casual chess in a relaxed environment.

These outreach events are made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund 2025-2027

28 August 2025: Community Cafe Chess, Bangor, County Down

10am to 12:15pm. Attendees from the housing estates of Whitehill and Kilkooley, as well as further afield with 2 players that travelled 90 minutes by car from Kilrea. We gathered at the original venue in Kilkooley at 10am but it was cancelled so we took our group of 10 chess players to The Red Berry Cafe at Bangor marina. Participants ranged in age from 15 to 71 and the event was cross-community with all attendees enjoying casual chess in a relaxed environment. We even had time to do a little coaching session as we played through a classical game with 2 of the attendees!

These outreach events are made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund 2025-2027

23 August 2025: Outside the Walled Garden at Bangor Castle Park, County Down

10am to 1:30pm. Attendees from the nearby housing estates of Whitehill and Kilkooley and the tonic fold in Bangor City Centre. Participants ranged in age from 9 to 71 and included a celebration of neurodiversity with several players with autism and ADHD excelling on the day, winning many games and enjoying the social interaction.

These outreach events are made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund 2025-2027

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2024/2025 season:

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July 2024: Outside the Walled Garden at Bangor Castle Park, County Down

This event was made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund

July 2024: Londonderry Room, Ards Arts Centre, County Down

This event was made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund

July 2024: Londonderry Room, Ards Arts Centre, County Down

This event was made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund

July 2024: Londonderry Room, Ards Arts Centre, County Down

This event was made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund

July 2024: Londonderry Room, Ards Arts Centre, County Down

This event was made possible thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund

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May 4, 2024:

We are over the moon to receive a grant from the The National Lottery Community Fund to help develop our community outreach activities where chess builds bridges, builds confidence, breaks down language barriers, cross-cultural, cross-community, attracts young and old in wonderful cross-generational activities, combats loneliness and isolation and is often described as a ‘happy place’ for those with ASD who adore attending our events and making friends for life.

Chess connects, it builds community, it creates a magic spark in the lives of so many. To the National Lottery, thank you for believing in what we do…

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September 7, 2024:

Venue address: 44 Shore Rd, Rostrevor, BT34 3ET

The venue is a magical setting, overlooking the beautiful Carlingford Lough

and the wonderful Kilbroney Forest Park is behind our building.

TIMETABLE:

Check-in:        10:45am to 10:50am

Be seated at 10:55am for tournament announcements

Round 1          11:00 to 11:40

Round 2          11:45 to 12:25

Round 3          12:30 to 1:10

Lunch break

Round 4          2:00 to 2:40

Round 5          2:45 to 3:25

Round 6          3:30 to 4:10

Round 7          4:15 to 4:55

Prize-giving:     5pm

Time control: 20+0

Number of rounds: 7

Tie-breaks: Swiss Master 5.7 Build 8 will determine tie-breaks in this order: Buchholz, Progressive, TPR Mixed

Format: Open Swiss

Chief Arbiter: Brendan Jamison

Limited to 30 players

Entries to bangorchessclubni@gmail.com

CURRENT ENTRY LIST (as at July 21, 2024)

Players listed with FIDE rapid ratings in bold:

1971 Buraczewski, Rafal – FIDE CANDIDATE MASTER

1820 McClean, Caleb – CLUB MASTER

1812 Gallagher, Dominic

1777 Rushe, Adam – CLUB MASTER

1759 Kelly, Christopher

1728 Khanzharov, Edward

1725 Wesolowski, Andrzej

1712 Armstrong, Chris

1673 Liszewski, Mikolaj

1670 Dumigan, Owen

1654 McClay, Declan Patrick

1637 Mead, Oliver

1634 Allsop, Rhys

1629 Crothers, Toby

1626 Murphy, Cathal J

Players eligible for Junior trophies:

1597 Keenan, Colin

1561 Powell, Shea

1543 Amo, Hugo

1466 Jensen, Ciara

1427 Jablonski, Radoslaw

1400p Judd, Stephanie

1400p Killen, Chris

1400p Amo Leon, Liher

1400p Catani, Thiago Bolzan

1400p Clements, Jonathan Samuel

1400p McKeown, Alex (age 8)

1400p O’Neill, Eoghan

1400p Powell, Charlie

1400p Powell, Jack

1246 Largey, Paddy

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