Bristol welcomes competitive over-the-board chess when the 92nd Bristol Open Championship brings rated action to March 27-29, 2026 and April 24-26, 2026 in Bristol, England, United Kingdom. The event targets ambitious club players and experienced competitors who want serious games in a well-run championship setting. The Bristol Bridge Club hosts both weekends and offers a focused playing environment in central Bristol. The program splits the field into two separate rating-based championships to keep pairings competitive.

The tournament runs a 5-round Swiss with long-play conditions and consistent round times across both weekends. The Over 1799 Championship awards both FIDE and ECF rating results, while the Under 1800 Championship awards ECF rating results. The organizers use the February 2026 ECF rating list for section eligibility and seeding, and they apply clear rules on byes, recording moves, and punctual starts. You can choose the weekend that matches your rating band and fight for a championship title in your section.

🗓️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament runs a 5-round Swiss in each weekend section.
Each game uses 90 minutes for all moves plus a 30-second increment from move 1.
Players record moves throughout the game.
The event uses a 30-minute default time.
Players may take one half-point bye in any round except Round 5, and players must request the bye before the end of Round 3.

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

Over 1799 Championship (March 27–29, 2026)

Under 1800 Championship (April 24–26, 2026)

📝 Registration

You register online using the section-specific entry form.
Over 1799 entry form: https://forms.office.com/r/7LZKB8YpCL
Under 1800 entry form: https://forms.office.com/r/f1CuFCXk6T

You must provide your FIDE ID number on entry.
The event uses the February 2026 ECF rating list for section eligibility and seeding, and the organizers use a FIDE rating when a player has no ECF rating.
Players who do not hold ECF Gold or Platinum membership may need to pay the ECF Pay to Play fee.

👥 Organizer

Bristol Chess Congress organizes the Bristol Open Championship and runs separate championship weekends for each rating band at the Bristol Bridge Club in Hotwells.

• Email: chessinbristol@gmail.com

• Website: https://www.chessinbristol.co.uk/

🏨 Venue

Bristol Bridge Club
99 Oldfield Road, Hotwells
Bristol BS8 4QQ
England, United Kingdom

🚗 How to Get There

Fly into Bristol Airport (BRS) and continue into central Bristol by taxi or public transport.
Arrive by rail at Bristol Temple Meads and travel onward to Hotwells by local transport or taxi.
Drivers can reach Bristol via the UK motorway network and continue into the Hotwells area near central Bristol.

Take your seat in Bristol and chase a championship result with five serious rounds against players in your rating band.

🧾 Other

Players must switch off mobile phones and keep them out of use in the playing area.
The organizers apply the 30-minute default time and may score a game as a loss after a default.
Ungraded or unrated players do not win rating prizes, and the Under 1800 Championship limits ungraded or unrated players to one-third of any other prize.