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King David wins chess championship

Thursday, 22 January 2009

A NORTH Dublin student took time out from his Leaving Cert studies recently to win the Leinster Chess Championship. The competition, held at Wynn’s Hotel, Dublin, comprised five sections ranging from Masters to Novices. David Fitzsimons (17), a sixth year student at St Kevin’s CBS, Ballygall Road, won the Masters section of the championship outright, finishing ahead of UK based International Master Gavin Wall who finished as runner-up and Dun Laoghaire Chess Club’s Tony Fox in third place. This was David’s second major tournament win of the season following on from his capture of the City of Dublin Chess Championships in September 2008, and has copper-fastened his burgeoning reputation as one of the rising stars of Irish chess. Some of David’s clubmates from the Drumcondra-based Elm Mount Chess Club were also among the prize winners. These included Marian Hotak who finished joint second place in the Majors section, and father and son duo, Sean and Cian MacGowan (11), who won prizes in the Junior and Novices section respectively. Dubliner Stephen Moran won the Majors section outright, while Inchicore Chess Club’s Andrew Rodger took the Challengers section on a tiebreak from Pat Coleman. The winner of the Junior section was Brendan Cuffe, from the St Benildus Chess club, while the Novices event was won by Wicklow Chess Club’s Jake Maguire. Independent Dublin City Councillor, Maureen O’Sullivan, presented the prizes at the event.