Tarun Wins 34th Drogheda Chess Congress 2025 – Thomson Masters
Tarun clinched victory at the Drogheda Chess Congress 2025, winning the Thomson Masters section in impressive style. This marks his second tournament win in just two weeks, following his triumph at the Ennis Chess Congress earlier this month.
A Return to Familiar Grounds
This was our second time playing in Drogheda, with our first visit dating back to 2019 — almost six years ago! That year, FM Stephen Brady, Tarun, and I shared first place. It was special to return to the same venue and see how much has changed — and how much has stayed the same.
The Congress was held over the Bank Holiday weekend at St. Mary’s Parish Primary School in Drogheda, and the event was buzzing with energy. With four competitive sections — Thomson Masters, O’Boyle Championship, Fox Major, and Murray Challengers — the tournament saw 100+ participants participating in the Congress.
Spectators could follow the action in real time, thanks to live boards on the top tables of each section.
Day 1: A Déjà Vu Pairing
The pairings were released the evening before Round 1, and to our surprise, Tarun and I were paired against the same opponents from Ennis — with the same color and in the same round!
Round 1
Tarun had a comfortable win against Rustem Abdullayev
Trisha vs Gabor Bolkeny
Can you spot the winning line I found to win a piece?
Round 2:
Tarun vs Oisín Ó’Cuilleanáin
How did Tarun put more pressure on the d7 pawn?
My game with Pratik Mulay ended in a draw.
At the end of Day 1, three players had perfect scores (2/2): Colm Daly, Tarun, and Oleg Artemenko.
Day 2: Leadership Battle
Round 3
Tarun faced Colm Daly in the third round.
Unfortunately, Tarun’s game wasn’t fully broadcasted as his board had to be moved due to direct sunlight interfering with visibility.
Tarun won his game and emerged as the sole leader of the tournament.
📸: Droghedachessclub
Second seed, sharp play — Jacob Flynn delivers a clean win over Artemenko.
I played against Kirill Kholyavko
What is the winning line?
Round 4:
It was sibling rivalry time again — Tarun vs Trisha. In our last clash in Ennis, Tarun had the upper hand. This time, I managed to hold a draw, improving on my earlier result.
Nhung caused an upset on board two, outplaying Jacob in the opening and wrapping up the game in a miniature.
Heading into the final day, Tarun and Nhung were co-leaders with 3.5/4.
Day 3: The Final Push
Round 5
With the position balanced, it seemed like a draw was inevitable — but Tarun found a resourceful idea and turned the tables.
Trisha vs Oleg Artemenko
What did I miss here?
I wasn’t as fortunate and lost my game to Artemenko, ending my own chances of a strong finish.
Round 6 (Final Round):
With a half-point lead, Tarun only needed a draw against Artemenko to secure the title.
Artemenko offered a draw, and with that, Tarun was crowned the champion of the Thomson Masters.
I managed to win my final game and finish the event on a high note.
The longest game of the tournament was between Nhung and Colm Daly, an intricate knight vs bishop endgame where Colm tried to hold a draw but knight endgames are notoriously tricky.
📸: Droghedachessclub
Victory & Reflection
You can find all the standings here
All in all, Tarun and I had a great time in Drogheda, enjoying a full weekend of competitive chess, surprises, and memorable moments.
Next stop for us? The Whitsun Open in Munich, Germany. Hoping to continue this momentum!