The Ulster Chess Championship is an annual chess tournament organised by the Ulster Chess Union which has been held since 1892. It is currently open to all players who qualify as having been born in any of the 9 counties of Ulster. Nearly all Championships since 1982 have been played in Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

. Among the winners in recent years have been two players, both also Irish Champions, who now have the title of International Master (IM), Mark Orr (4 times, most recently in 2001/02) and Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly (chess player)

Brian Kelly is an international chess player.Although born in England, he moved to Limerick, Republic of Ireland when he was 2 years old, and later to Belfast, Northern Ireland when he was 12. Both his parents are however Irish...

 (1994/95). Other recent winners have been Stephen Scannell (8 times)
Eugene O'Hare (6 times) Adrian Gillen (3 times), Michael Holmes (twice), Stephen Gillen (twice) and Tom Clarke (three times). Other winners have represented Ireland at chess Olympiads and European Team Championship

European Team Championship

The European Team Championship is an international team chess event, eligible for the participation of European nations whose chess federations are located in zones 1.1 to 1.9...

.

Tom Clarke

UCU Archive

Winners of the Ulster Chess Championship