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| Last day to enter online | 2026-01-07 |
| Places Remaining | 80 |
The 8th SOMERSET NEW YEAR CHESS CONGRESS
Welcome
will be held on
Saturday 10th January to Sunday 11th January 2026
At the Walton Park Hotel, Wellington Terrace, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 7BL
01275 874253
It is a 5 round Swiss congress, 75 min + 30 sec per move
All sections are ECF standard play rated.
Sections
| Section | U2050 | U1750 | U1550 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Fee | £38(Must be Gold or above ECF or other National Federation member) | £38(£54 Bronze or non ECF members ) | £38(£54 Bronze or non ECF members ) |
| First Prize | £180 | £180 | £180 |
| Second Prize | £110 | £110 | £110 |
| Third Prize | £70 | £70 | £70 |
| Rating Prize | £40 | £40 | £40 |
Note: Unrated players are not eligible to win grading prizes and can only receive 50% of any prize money
No competitor may win more than one prize.
Prize fund subject to number of entries 70+.
Entry Fees
All sections £38 ECF Gold or above. Bronze/non-members must add £16.00
Postal entries please make cheques payable to Chess 4U.
Send to: Rebecca Gardiner, 18 May Gardens, Lanner, Cornwall, TR16 6AR
Mobile phones must be switched off in the playing area
FIDE Rules of Chess apply and the Arbiters decision is final.
Default time 30 minutes
All games will be ECF standard play rated and ratings published on the ECF website. Unless informed otherwise the organisers may use photos taken at the event for publicity purposes.
Venue
The Walton Park Hotel is a lovely Best Western seaside hotel overlooking the Bristol Channel.Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises.
ANY COVID RESTRICTIONS IN FORCE AT THE TIME OF THE CONGRESS MUST BE ADHERED TO. PLEASE DO NOT COME IF YOU ARE SHOWING ANY SYMPTOMS OF COVID.
Time Table
| Time | ||
|---|---|---|
| Opening Ceremony | Saturday | 09:25 |
| Round 1 | Saturday | 09:30 - 13:00 |
| Round 2 | Saturday | 14:00 - 17:30 |
| Round 3 | Saturday | 18:30 - 22:00 |
| Round 4 | Sunday | 10:00 - 13:30 |
| Round 5 | Sunday | 14:30 - 18:00 |
Missing players will be defaulted after 30 minutes from the designated start time of a round.
One half point bye may be taken in rounds 1-4
Ratings
The December 2025 ECF standard play lists will be used for entry/eligibility purposes, the January 2026 lists for pairings. Other lists may be used at the organisers discretion. Players without a grade must give full information regarding playing strength, including their best previous results and/or their highest grade. The organisers reserve the right to transfer entrants to another section.
Rate of Play and Pairings
All games must be completed in 75 minutes plus a 30 second increment per move for each player.The tournaments will be paired using Swiss Manager computer pairings. Pairings and results will be published on www.chess-results.com
Conditions
The organisers reserve the right to:- Transfer entrants between sections
- Withhold prizes from ungraded players if they play in sections below their known strength
- Redistribute in whole or in part a prize won by a competitor who has won or shared another prize
- Take any other measures deemed necessary to ensure the smooth running of the congress
Single occupancy bed & breakfast: Friday & Saturday £80, Sunday £60.
Double/Twin occupancy bed & breakfast: Friday & Saturday £90, Sunday £80.
Terms and conditions;
Hotel bookings are secured by providing a payment card and can ONLY be cancelled up to 48 hours prior to arrival date.
Accommodation cannot be booked online or with any third party websites – no refunds will be given
Early booking is advisable
We strongly recommend that you have travel insurance to cover cancellation.
Further information
For further information on the congress, contact Rebecca at chess4u23@gmail.comor 01209 217210 before 9pm please.