Entries

It is not necessary to be an ECF member to enter any section. However:

1. Entrants to the Open who are neither ECF Gold nor Platinum members, nor FIDE-registered members of another national body, must pay an additional £12.
   Note that the ECF will use this fee to upgrade Silver members to Gold membership.
2. Entrants to the Open who are neither ECF Gold nor Platinum members, but are FIDE-registered members of another national body, must pay an additional £1.50.
3. Entrants to other sections who are not ECF Silver, Gold or Platinum members must pay an additional £9.
   The ECF will use this fee to upgrade Bronze members to Silver.

Players without an official rating may enter any section (at the organising committee's discretion), but must provide some indication of playing strength (recent tournament or match results, etc.).

A Junior (under the age of 18 on 1st September 2023) discount of £5 may be applied in all sections.

Entry fees less an administration charge of £2 will be refunded for withdrawal notifications received by 1^st May. 

The organizers reserve the right, without giving a reason, to either refuse an entry or to transfer a player to another section.

Ratings

The January 2024 ECF standardplay rating list will be used to determine section eligibility for the Congress. The Original (not Revised) value is applied.
The most recently published ECF standardplay rating list will be used to determine pairings.

It is a condition of entry that all entrants agree that their results will be forwarded to the ECF for rating purposes.

FIDE Laws of Chess

The current FIDE Laws of Chess will apply with the following exceptions and clarifications.

Article 6.7.1: Default time. Players will be defaulted (i.e. will lose their game) if they are not present within 30 minutes of the start of a round. A new pairing may be made for any player whose opponent has not arrived, or for any player who was initially awarded a (full point) bye.

Article 11.2: Playing Venue and Playing Area. The 'playing venue' is defined to be the Selwood Academy buildings (including toilets) and excludes the grounds and car park. Note that a player may not leave the playing venue whilst their game is in progress. The 'playing area' is defined to be the spaces used for competition games, including the main hall and any other rooms set aside for this purpose. Note that a player having the move may not leave the playing area without an arbiter's permission.

Article 11.3.2: Mobile Phones. Whilst play is in progress, any electronic means of communication and any device capable of suggesting chess moves

1. must be completely switched off
   
2. may not be carried on the player's person (but may be stored in a bag, provided that this bag is not used without an arbiter's permission)

Failure to comply will result in the loss of the game.

Article 11.3.4: Smoking. Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is not allowed anywhere within the Academy building or grounds.

Prizes

1. Cash Prizes

   
   

   a) All cash prizes are subject to the number of entries.

   b) Except in the Open section, players without a current published ECF rating will not be eligible for rating prizes.

   c) In the Open section, only players with a current published ECF rating and/or a published FIDE rating will be eligible for rating prizes.

   d) Except in the Open Tournament, an unrated player may not win more than the value of the 3^rd prize.

   e) No player may win more than one prize (the highest value prize will be paid).

   f) All cash prizes will be forwarded within 14 days of the Congress.

   
   

2. Somerset Trophies




To be eligible for a Somerset trophy a player must satisfy one of the following criteria:




a)    Birth in the County.

b)    Five years consecutive residence in the County at any time.

c)    Two years immediately previous and present membership of a club either in or affiliated to the County.

d)    One month immediately previous and present residence in the County.

e)    Present attendance as a teacher or student at a school, college or university in the County.




N.B. The County of Somerset is taken to include Somerset East, Somerset West, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, and South Bristol.

3. Somerset Trophy Tie-Breaks

The following methods will be used in order:

A) Result of individual game (if applicable)
B) Sum of progressive scores
C) Sum of opponents' scores
D) Sonneborn-Berger (summing the score of each defeated opponent, and half the score of each drawn opponent)
E) Number of games with the black pieces

Privacy Policy

Frome Chess Congress is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.
The Privacy Policy on the Frome Congress website explains when, how, and why we collect personal data about people.

Disputes

In all disputes the decision of the Congress Controllers shall be final.