Armstrong Cup
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The Armstrong Cup is the oldest Irish team league competition and has been played every year since 1888, making it one of the longest running chess leagues in the world.[1] The cup is named after William Armstrong BL (1849-1899)[2][3] who presented the cup in its first season.[4] It is organised by the Leinster Chess Union and is division one of the Leinster Chess Leagues. Each team comprises 8 players, and the league comprises 12 teams. Each year the bottom two clubs are relegated, and the top two clubs from the second division Heidenfeld Trophy are promoted. As well as being graded by the ICU, games in the Armstrong Cup are submitted for rating by the International Chess Federation FIDE.
In 1971 the League was divided into top 6 teams who played each other home and away, the remaining teams formed the new division two named the Heidenfeld Trophy with the older Ennis Shield league competition becoming the third division of the Leinster leagues. In the early 1980s the LCU experimented with having a preliminary round and then dividing the league into 2 section however it returned to the league format.
Wins by club[edit]
| Club | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 32 | 1910, 1913, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966. 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1981 |
| Sackville | 17 | 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907,1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915, 1926, 1929, 1932, 1942, 1949, 1951, 1957 |
| Rathmines | 10 | 1895, 1898, 1946, 1978, 1989, 1993, 1996, 2006, 2007, 2012[5] |
| Kevin Barry + | 7 | 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| Phibsboro | 7 | 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013[6] |
| Dublin University | 6 | 1891, 1896, 1897, 1900, 1945, 2014 |
| Gonzaga | 6 | 2015,[7][not specific enough to verify] 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 |
| University College Dublin | 6 | 1959, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980 |
| Blackrock/Booterstown ++ | 5 | 1899, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1936 |
| Collegians +++ | 4 | 1964, 1972, 1975, 1979 |
| Eoghan Ruadh +++ | 4 | 1954, 1956, 1962, 1968 |
| Clontarf | 3 | 1890, 1953, 1955 |
| Colmcille | 3 | 1937, 1940, 1943 |
| Crumlin ++++ | 3 | 1997, 1998, 2001 |
| Bray | 2 | 1990, 2000 |
| Raheny | 2 | 1982, 1983 |
| City | 1 | 1894 |
| Dundrum +++++ | 1 | 1985 |
| Elm mount | 1 | 2010 |
| Kilkenny | 1 | 2011 |
| Kingstown | 1 | 1893 |
| Phoenix | 1 | 1890 |
| Rathfarnham | 1 | 1995 |
| St. Benildus +++++ | 1 | 1994 |
Italics indicate clubs which are defunct or no longer active.
+ Kevin Barry Chess Club previously called North City Chess Club played in Mountjoy Square, Dublin, disbanded in 1992.
++ Bootherstown(Blackrock) evolved into Blackrock Chess Club and played in the Carnegie Library in Blackrock, the club is now defunct.
+++ 1981 Eoghan Ruadh (who played in Merchants Quay, Dublin) and Collegians merged to form Vikings Chess Club, Collegians continued on as a Chess and Go Club.
++++ Crumlin Chess Club, in 2002, played in Rathmines Chess Club, playing as Rathmines/Crumlin up until 2004 until the joined Rathmines.
+++++ St. Benildus and Dundrum Chess Club merged, so perhaps their victories should be counted together[original research?][tone]
References[edit]
- ^ Tim Harding (2014). "The Oldest Chess Leagues – and a Success Story". Chess Café. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014.
- ^ "Photo William Armstrong Gravestone - Mount Jerome Cemetery Dublin". Archived from the original on 30 July 2018.[failed verification]
- ^ "William Armstrong". irlchess.com.
- ^ Armstrong Cup Irish Chess History
- ^ Roll of Honour - LCU Competitions Rathmines Chess Club.
- ^ History Phibsboro Chess Club, www.phibsborochessclub.com.
- ^ Leinster Leagues LCU Website