Ennis Chess Congress 2025, Masters section was won by International Master IM Tarun Kanyamarala which took place from 16 – 18th May. The congress had 4 sections: Masters, Cathal Walsh, Michael Meaney, Jim Hussey.
By Trisha
Over the weekend, Tarun and I traveled to Ennis to play in the Ennis Chess Congress 2025. It was our first time visiting the town, and we were lucky with the weather—it was bright and sunny the whole time! The tournament took place at the Treacy West County Hotel, a lovely venue that hosted a strong field featuring 2 Grandmasters and 6 International Masters.
Day 1: Trains, Sunshine, and a Midnight Finish
Our journey began with a train ride from Portlaoise to Limerick Junction, followed by a transfer to the Ennis-bound train. We even spotted a few fellow chess players along the way, which added to the excitement.
Upon arrival at Ennis train station, we were saved from the scorching heat by FM Rory Quinn, who kindly gave us a lift to the hotel. Thanks to him, we didn’t have to drag our luggage in the blazing sun—such a thoughtful gesture.
Tarun was the top seed of the tournament and started off with a win against Rustem Abdullayev.
You can watch Tarun’s recap of this game here:
I was paired against Gabor Bolkeny. I got a good position straight out of the opening and built some promising attacking chances against his king. There was a critical moment when I had to consider taking on h5 to open up the position—I kept improving my piece placement and was feeling optimistic about the position.
Both of our games went quite late, we only made it back to our room around 12 a.m. But Tarun still had the energy to record, edit, and upload his video recap before calling it a night. Talk about dedication!
Day 2: Momentum Builds and Clock Drama | Ennis Chess Congress
We both began the day on a high note, winning our second-round games. Tarun faced FM Colm Daly, a well-known player in Irish chess circles.
You can watch the video of the game here
I played against Brian Gallagher, it was a technical battle where I was a pawn up in the middlegame and managed to convert it into a full point.
The third-round pairings were delayed as GM Czebe Attila and Hamilton Mandeya played a marathon endgame that ended in a draw. With little time to prepare, we dove into our next battles.
Tarun was paired with IM Oleg Gubanov.
Catch his thoughts on the game here (timestamp)
I faced IM Aleksandr Domalchuk, the second seed. He opted for the English Opening and soon we were in unfamiliar territory. To my surprise, after the game, I found that the move Kf8 had actually been played in the Nepo–Ding World Championship match—a cool coincidence!
It was a crazy game with time pressure kicking in. At one point, Domalchuk had 1 second left on his clock and still managed to make his move just in time!
By the end of Day 2, both of us were on 3/3, sharing the tournament lead—meaning we were paired against each other in Round 4!
Final Day | Ennis Chess Congress
The final day started with a clash I had been dreading: me vs. Tarun. Playing your brother is hard—playing someone you’ve played a zillion times is even harder.
I tried to surprise him in the opening, but he handled it well and gradually built up pressure. Eventually, he won the game. I won’t lie—it was tough losing to my brother. But that’s part of tournament life. I had to shake it off and refocus for the final round.
On the other boards, the results were equally dramatic:
- GM Keith Arkell defeated Kavin Venkatesan in a long battle.
- David Fitzsimons won against GM Czebe Attila.
In the final round, Tarun was on 4/4, the sole leader. He played against Keith Arkell and after a balanced game, they agreed to a draw, securing Tarun the tournament victory with 4.5/5!
Meanwhile, David Fitzsimons drew his game against Domalchuk, so there was no tie breaker needed.
My final round was a rollercoaster. I was paired against FM Rory Quinn, I got into trouble early and had a tough position in the middlegame, especially with my passive bishop. Honestly, I had lost hope, but somehow, luck was on my side and I managed to turn it around and win!
I finished on 4/5, sharing second place. A great weekend overall, though that loss to my brother still stings a little!
Check out FM Rory Quinn’s detailed report about the tournament here: https://ennischessclub.wordpress.com/2025/05/18/ennis-congress-a-great-success/. For those who may not know, Ennis Chess Club is one of Ireland’s strongest chess clubs, having taken clear first place in this year’s National Club Championship and sharing first last year.
A Heartwarming Finish
My last-round game went longer than expected, and we missed our train home. The next option was a long bus ride, but we were saved once again by kindness: Rustem Abdullayev from Dun Laoghaire Chess Club (Tarun’s first-round opponent) and his lovely family offered us a ride. Our house happened to be on their way, and they generously dropped us off. We had such a nice chat during the drive, it was the perfect end to a memorable trip.
Final Thoughts
From sunshine in Ennis to thrilling games and sibling showdowns, this tournament had it all. Tarun taking home the winner’s trophy and me finishing shared second made it extra special.
We’re leaving with great memories, a few lessons, and of course, a bit of that sibling rivalry still lingering!
Thanks for reading! Let us know if you’ve ever had to play your sibling or a close friend in a tournament—how did it go?
Well done Trisha, great article, also congratulations to Tarun on winning 1st spot! Glad to hear you got there and back, I knew it would work out in the end, luckily there were no airplanes involved 😀
Thanks, James! It was a bit touch-and-go until the last minute, but we were really lucky to get a lift. I guess FIDE’s motto, Gens Una Sumus (We Are One Family), really does hold true!