Adam Raoof

♟️ About Adam Raoof

Adam Nasim Raoof is an English chess organizer, International Arbiter, International Organizer, coach, and tournament director based in London. He is the driving force behind Chess England, through which he organizes a large calendar of FIDE-rated and English Chess Federation-rated tournaments in London and other parts of England. His events include classical congresses, rapid tournaments, blitz competitions, club championships, and accessible rating-limited sections for developing players. Raoof has decades of experience in tournament organization and chess administration. FIDE awarded him the International Organizer title in 2001, the FIDE Arbiter title in 2005, and the International Arbiter title in 2013. His current arbiter license is International Arbiter Category C. In addition, he serves as the Manager of Arbiters for the English Chess Federation, giving him a current national role in the development and administration of English chess arbiting. Alongside tournament organization, Raoof remains active as a chess player and coach. His work covers adult and junior instruction, tournament preparation, online coaching, and organized competitive chess. Through Chess England, he has built a particularly active tournament network that gives players frequent opportunities to compete for FIDE and ECF ratings without having to wait for a small number of major annual congresses.

🧑‍⚖️ International Arbiter and Organizer

Adam Raoof has held official FIDE organizing and arbiting credentials for many years. He became a FIDE International Organizer in 2001, followed by the FIDE Arbiter title in 2005. At the 84th FIDE Congress in Tallinn in 2013, his International Arbiter title was formally approved. FIDE currently lists him as a licensed Category C International Arbiter. Raoof regularly serves both as Tournament Director and Chief Arbiter. This combination allows him to manage events from initial planning and registration through pairings, tournament regulations, player communication, arbiting, results publication, and final rating submission. In 2026, he also serves as Manager of Arbiters for the English Chess Federation. In this role, he handles matters relating to ECF arbiters and enquiries concerning the FIDE Arbiter Licence Scheme.

🏆 Chess England

Chess England is the principal platform through which Adam Raoof organizes tournaments. The current operation is supported by Chess England Limited, which was incorporated in England in 2019. Raoof serves as a Director of the company. Chess England's tournament model emphasizes frequent rated competition. Instead of focusing on a single annual festival, the program includes events throughout the year at several venues. Many tournaments are divided by rating. Stronger players can enter Open or higher-rated sections, while improving competitors can select Major, Minor, Under-1600, Under-1400, or similar sections depending on the event. Most of the leading sections are rated by both FIDE and the English Chess Federation.

⚡ Golders Green FIDE Rapid

The Golders Green FIDE Rapid is one of Adam Raoof's longest-running tournament projects. The series offers regular rapid chess in London and has become a recurring part of the Chess England calendar. Typical editions use a six-round Swiss system with a rapid time control of 20 minutes plus a 5-second increment per move. Events are divided into rating sections, which allows players ranging from experienced competitors to developing club players to participate in appropriately matched groups. The tournaments are submitted for FIDE and ECF rapid rating.

♟️ Muswell Hill FIDE Chess

The Muswell Hill FIDE Chess series provides another regular tournament opportunity in North London. Events are held at The Clissold Arms in East Finchley and include both rapid and standard-play formats. The rapid competition normally consists of six rounds, while standard-play days provide longer FIDE-rated games. Chess England also organizes multi-day Muswell Hill FIDE Congresses. The October 27–28, 2026 congress, for example, consists of four standard-rated games played over two days. Raoof acts as organizer and principal tournament contact throughout the series.

🏆 Northampton FIDE Congress

Adam Raoof and Chess England also organize recurring FIDE congresses at the University of Northampton, Waterside Campus. The July 2026 Northampton FIDE Congress featured four rating sections:

• Under 2400
• Under 1900
• Under 1600
• ECF Under 1400

The first three sections were designed for FIDE and ECF standard rating, while the Under-1400 competition provided an additional entry point for developing players. The congress used five Swiss rounds over a weekend with a time control of 60 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. A further Northampton FIDE Congress is scheduled for November 2026.

🏙️ London FIDE Congresses

Raoof's 2026 schedule includes tournaments at several distinctive London venues. The Silvertown FIDE Congress took place at the Tate Institute in July 2026 and offered Under-2400, Under-1900, Under-1600, and ECF Under-1400 sections. Chess England also organizes congresses at the Army & Navy Club on Pall Mall. These events bring FIDE-rated classical chess into a central London venue and include Open and rating-restricted competitions. Hendon provides another regular base. Raoof organizes the Hendon FIDE Blitz as well as the Hendon FIDE Club Championship, with events played at Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club in West Hampstead. Together, these projects create a dense London tournament schedule covering classical, rapid, and blitz chess.

🌍 International Tournament Activity

Chess England's activity also extends outside the United Kingdom. In 2026, Adam Raoof is Chief Arbiter of the Rotterdam FIDE Congress, organized jointly by Chess England and Chessmates International. The October 9–11 event includes Open, Under-1900, and Under-1650 sections and is rated nationally and internationally. The tournament demonstrates the wider reach of the Chess England model, combining Raoof's tournament organization and arbiting experience with local European partners.

🎓 Coaching and Player Development

Coaching remains an important part of Adam Raoof's chess work. The English Chess Federation currently lists him among its Advanced registered coaches for the London region. His coaching formats include work in schools, training groups for children, adult groups, and online instruction. The ECF also identifies Raoof with the Steps Method, a structured chess-training system widely used for progressive chess instruction. His tournament program complements this coaching work. Players can move from instruction and casual play into rapid tournaments, rating-limited congress sections, and eventually stronger FIDE-rated competition.

🤝 Accessible Competitive Chess

A notable feature of Raoof's events is the effort to provide competition for a wide range of playing strengths. Many Chess England congresses include lower-rated sections alongside their main tournaments. This reduces the rating gap for developing players and provides a more suitable environment for those beginning serious tournament chess. Several events are also identified by the English Chess Federation as disability-friendly. Clear tournament information, online entry forms, published schedules, rating requirements, and direct organizer contact are recurring features across the calendar. As a result, Chess England provides both experienced tournament players and newcomers with frequent opportunities to play formally rated over-the-board chess.