Upon registering and completing the online form, and ensuring the correct entry fee is paid to our account, your name will be added to the entrants list within 24 hours. Failure to pay the correct entry fee will result in exclusion from the round 1 pairings.

To participate in FIDE standard rated tournaments, all English players must hold a membership level of Gold or above. If your membership level is below Gold, you will need to pay a “pay to play” fee of £15. For inquiries regarding your membership level or to upgrade, please contact the English Chess Federation (ECF) at [email protected].

We do not use tiebreak methods to determine the winner. Instead, prize money will be distributed evenly among all players who scored the same points. The organisers reserve the right to adjust prize distribution as needed.

If you’re unable to participate in certain rounds of the congress, you can request a half-point bye and skip those rounds (except for the last round). Each player is allowed a maximum of two half-point byes in a single congress.

The U2000 section is for players with a FIDE standard rating below 2000. If you do not have a FIDE standard rating, you will be entered into the U1700 section by default. However, if you wish to compete in the higher section, you may do so by paying the play-up entry fee.

You have the option to transfer your entry fee to the next congress. However, if you prefer a refund, please note that an admin charge of £5 will be deducted from the fee paid.

A FIDE ID is a unique identification number assigned by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) to chess players participating in tournaments worldwide. If you don’t already have one, you can obtain it through your national chess federation (such as ECF, WCU, SCU, etc.). For English players, you can contact the English Chess Federation (ECF) at [email protected] or call 01424 775222 to request your FIDE ID.

After the final results are confirmed, you will receive an email listing the prize winners and the amount of prize money. To receive your prize more quickly, please reply to that specific email. Sending a separate email may delay your payment, as our accountant may not see it. All our events are organized during the weekend, and prize funds will be paid the following Monday and Tuesday.