6th 4NCL Easter Congress brings a high-quality Easter weekend congress to April 3-6, 2026 in Daventry, England, United Kingdom, combining FIDE-rated and ECF-rated classical chess with a strong tournament atmosphere inside a full-service hotel venue. The event suits ambitious club players, competitive juniors, and titled players who want a serious seven-round test with clear section choices and a substantial cash prize pool.
The congress runs a 7-round Swiss in three classical sections and supports it with an Open Blitz side event on Saturday, creating a complete weekend program for both long-play specialists and players who enjoy faster formats. A £4,500 total cash prize fund across the congress and blitz adds extra motivation, while the hotel setting keeps everything practical for travel and on-site comfort.
🗓️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | April 3-6, 2026 (Congress); April 4, 2026 (Open Blitz) |
| 📍 Location | Mercure Daventry Court Hotel, Sedgemoor Way, Daventry, NN11 0SG, England, United Kingdom |
| ♟️ Format | 7-round Swiss-System (Congress) |
| ⭐ Rating | Rating national, Rating international (Congress) |
| 📂 Sections | Open; Under 2000; Under 1700; Open Blitz |
| ⏱️ Time control | 90 minutes + 30-second increment per move from move 1 (Congress) |
| 💳 Entry fee | £45 (Congress); £61 including adult pay-to-play fee; £15 (Open Blitz) |
| 💰 Prize fund | £4,500 (total cash prize fund) |
🏆 Prize Fund
The congress awards cash prizes across the Open, Under 2000, and Under 1700 sections, and it also runs an Open Blitz on Saturday with its own prize pool.
Open prizes
| Prize | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1st | £600 |
| 2nd | £300 |
| 3rd | £200 |
| 4th | £100 |
| 5th | £50 |
| Best performance prize | £75 |
| Best performance prize | £50 |
| Best performance prize | £25 |
Open Blitz prize fund: £300.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The congress uses a 7-round Swiss-System and rates games for national and international lists. Each game uses 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move from move 1.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating / target group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Open section | 7-round Swiss; national and international rating |
| Under 2000 | Under 2000 rating cap | 7-round Swiss; national and international rating |
| Under 1700 | Under 1700 rating cap | 7-round Swiss; national and international rating |
| Open Blitz | Open section | One-section Open Blitz on Saturday |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | 15:00–19:00 | Round 1 |
| April 4, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00–14:00 | Round 2 |
| April 4, 2026 | Saturday | 15:00–19:00 | Round 3 |
| April 5, 2026 | Sunday | 10:00–14:00 | Round 4 |
| April 5, 2026 | Sunday | 15:00–19:00 | Round 5 |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | 10:00–14:00 | Round 6 |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | 15:00–19:00 | Round 7 |
📝 Registration
You can register online through the organizer’s event page. The congress entry fee costs £45, and the adult entry including the pay-to-play fee costs £61. The Open Blitz entry fee costs £15.
👥 Organizer
Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) runs the event and appoints Mike Truran as Tournament Director, delivering a well-established congress structure with multiple rating-capped sections and a dedicated Easter schedule.
Email: mike@truranfamily.co.uk
Website: https://www.4ncl.co.uk/fide/information_easter26.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4nclChess/
🏨 Venue
Mercure Daventry Court Hotel, Sedgemoor Way, Daventry, NN11 0SG, England, United Kingdom
The congress plays inside a four-star hotel venue on the outskirts of Daventry with an on-site restaurant and bar, leisure facilities, and a practical layout for tournament chess across multiple playing areas.
🛎️ Accommodation
You can stay on-site at the Mercure Daventry Court Hotel, which offers hotel rooms alongside the playing venue, making it easy to combine tournament rounds with a short walk back to your room.
🚗 How to Get There
Long Buckby railway station sits closest to Daventry, and it connects to services toward London Euston and Birmingham New Street. You can also use Rugby station for additional rail connections and then continue by local transport or taxi.
Drivers can reach Daventry quickly from the M1 corridor, with straightforward access via nearby motorway junctions and local roads into town.
Bring your best form to Daventry and make every round count across a full Easter weekend of serious classical chess and a bonus blitz challenge.
Additional Details
Prize Fund - £4,200
Organizer
The Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) is a UK-based chess organization that runs major over-the-board competitions across the British Isles. It brings together teams and players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Today, it is best known for high-quality weekend events hosted at hotel venues.
Alongside its flagship team league season, 4NCL also organizes FIDE-rated congresses and festivals. In addition, it runs the 4NCL Easter Congress, including the 6th 4NCL Easter Congress in 2026. Moreover, these events are structured with clear sections, published regulations, and consistent tournament conditions.
Furthermore, 4NCL supports broader chess development through its junior activities and wider tournament calendar. As a result, players can find both elite-level competition and accessible sections for ambitious improvers. At the same time, the organization prioritizes smooth operations and fair-play standards.
Email: mike@truranfamily.co.uk
Email 2: web4ncl@hotmail.co.uk
Website: https://www.4ncl.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4nclChess/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4ncl_chess/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/4NCL
Main contact: Mike Truran
Tournament page: https://www.4ncl.co.uk/fide/information_easter26.htm