The Armstrong Cup is the oldest Irish team league competition and has been played every year since 1888, perhaps giving it a claim on the longest running chess competition in the world. The Club is named after William Armstrong BL (1849-1899) who presented the cup in its first season It is organised by the Leinster Chess Union and is division one of the Leinster 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. The winners of the Armstrong Cup go forward to participate in the National Club Championships run by the Irish Chess Union. As well as being graded by the ICU, games in the Armstrong Cup are submitted for rating by the International Chess Federation FIDE.
Contents
- 1889 1899
- 1900 1901
- 1910 1919
- 1920 1929
- 1930 1939
- 1940 1949
- 1950 1959
- 1960 1969
- 1970 1979
- 1980 1989
- 1990 1999
- 2000 Present
- Number of Wins by Club
- References
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.
1889-1899
1900-1901
1910-1919
1920-1929
1930-1939
1940-1949
1950-1959
1960-1969
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
2000-Present
Number of Wins by Club
Italics indicate clubs which are defunct or no longer active.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.
++++ St. Benildus and Dundrum Chess Club merged, so perhaps their victories should be counted together