1) No entries can be accepted except on an official entry form or online at the Championship website. Additional forms can be obtained from the ECF Website or by contacting the ECF Office with a stamped addressed envelope.
2) Participants are expected to maintain acceptable standards of dress & behaviour.
3) Prize winners must attend the appropriate prizegiving for their event as announced in the programme. The main prize giving will be held on Saturday 6th August at 9.30 am. Failure to attend without the prior permission of the Congress Manager or a Principal Arbiter may result in the forfeiting of the prize concerned.
4) Every effort is made to place entrants in the tournament of their choice but the right is reserved to transfer an entry to another appropriate section. The right is reserved to refuse any entry. The Federation may deduct an administration fee from any refund to players who withdraw.
5) A player withdrawing during any event without good cause will be liable to pay a full entry fee at any future event organised by the Federation and/or a bond returnable on satisfactory conduct during such events.
6) A player wishing to resume in a tournament after missing a round for any reason must inform the Principal Arbiter for his section of this intention BEFORE the pairings are published for that round. The Congress Manager and/or the Chief Arbiter reserve the right to ask the player to provide a bond which will be returned should the player compete in all subsequent rounds.
7) Only food/drink bought at the playing venue may be consumed within it.
8) English players MUST be members of the English Chess Federation. Gold membership is required for FIDE rated events (other than rapidplay and blitz) and Silver for others. Silver membership is required for rapidplay and Bronze membership is required for blitz. Members should quote their membership number on the Entry Form. Other players MUST be a member of their national body.
9) Players competing in FIDE rated events who do not wish to be “English” registered MUST be registered with FIDE and obtain a FIDE ID number before entering. To register with FIDE, please contact your preferred National Federation.
10) To avoid late fees, both the entry form and entry fee MUST BE RECEIVED before the “late fee” date.
Please note that photographs will be taken at the event which may be used for publicity purposes both for the current Championships and those in future years. Any objection by an individual to the same being published should be notified to the event organisers. The ECF Data Controller is Gary Willson.
Entry to the Championships is deemed to be acceptance of the above conditions
Information for Competitors
Grades/Ratings:
For U180, U160, Weekender Soanes and both Seniors U150 sections, the tournaments will be paired using January 2016 national ratings, but will be FIDE rated.
For other FIDE rated standard play events FIDE ratings take precedence, if no FIDE then other National Grade/Rating. For FIDE rated rapidplay and blitz, please see website for details.
Non FIDE rated events: National Grade/Rating will be used. Ungraded players must give details of any previous grades/ratings held.
Membership: ECF players require Gold Membership for FIDE-rated standard play events, Silver for non-FIDE-rated events and rapidplays, and Bronze for blitz.
Default time: Players arriving 30 (10 for U9 or U8; 3 for blitz) minutes or more after the start of a session shall lose, unless the arbiter decides otherwise. Repairing will normally be offered after that time.
Programme: A full programme will be available to download from the website shortly before the Championships.
Surcharges: A £10 surcharge will apply to entries made on the day of an event, if accepted.
Mobile phones: Please see programme and notices within venue for rules regarding mobile phones.
Overlapping events: Players may not take part in two tournaments on the same day if the sessions potentially overlap. The following exceptions apply:
Players must take a ½ pt bye in a Weekender if they are playing in an afternoon event.
Players must take a ½ pt bye in the Major Open if they have a junior afternoon round.
Players in the British Championship must take a ½ pt bye in the junior pm round when playing in both.
Players competing in both 50+ and 65+ Championships must take either a 0 point bye in Round 7 of
65+ Champ or ½ point bye in Round 1 of 50+ Champ)
Byes: In non-championship events, a round one bye may be claimed on the entry form. For other rounds, the section controller must be consulted at the event. Players may take up to 2 half point byes in any of the first six rounds of the Major Open.
Commentary: Daily commentary will take place on British Championship games.
Coaching for Juniors: Coaching will be available free to juniors. Further details will be given in the programme. We are grateful to the John Robinson Youth Chess Trust for allowing us to provide this service.
Sussex Junior Best Game Prize: Sussex Junior Chess Association have donated two £50 best games prizes. These prizes will be awarded for the best game in the Junior Championships (U10 – U16) in week 1 and week 2. Details of how to enter will be announced at the Championships. We are grateful to Sussex Junior Chess for their continued support of these prizes.
Accommodation
Information regarding accommodation at Bournemouth can be found at —
http://www.bebres.org.uk/events/british-chess-championships-.html