The Bushey FIDE Congress 2026 will take place on October 24 and 25, 2026, at St Margaret’s School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. Organized by Chess England Limited, the congress offers competitive Standard chess across four rating sections.

The U2400, U1900 and U1600 sections will be submitted for both FIDE and ECF Standard rating. A separate U1400 section will be rated by the ECF and is intended for developing players below the published rating threshold.

The congress consists of five rounds, with three games on Saturday and two on Sunday. The guaranteed prize fund is £1,260 / approximately $1,680, while the time control is 60 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

All sections will be played over five rounds. Three rounds are scheduled for Saturday, followed by two rounds on Sunday.

Each player receives 60 minutes for the entire game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move one.

Players in the three FIDE-rated sections must provide a valid FIDE ID. They should enter their name, federation and FIDE ID exactly as recorded in the FIDE database.

Participants must also provide their ECF rating information. Any incorrect name, FIDE ID, ECF code, federation or rating should be reported before the first round.

Half-Point Byes

A player may request up to two half-point byes during the congress.

Byes may be requested for any of the first four rounds. However, no half-point bye is available for Round 5.

Bye requests should be submitted through the official registration form. Players requiring a later change should contact the organizer before the relevant pairings are prepared.

Rating Eligibility

The applicable FIDE and ECF Standard ratings will be used to determine section eligibility.

Players in the U2400, U1900 and U1600 sections must remain below the relevant threshold in both the applicable FIDE and ECF rating information.

The organizer may move a player to another section after the latest rating lists become available. Therefore, players close to a section limit should check their ratings again before travelling.

🏆 Prize Fund

The congress offers a guaranteed total prize fund of £1,260 / approximately $1,680.

The U2400 and U1900 sections each offer £350 in prizes. The U1600 and ECF U1400 sections each offer £280.

U2400 Prizes

U1900 Prizes

U1600 Prizes

ECF U1400 Prizes

Prize money will be shared when two or more players finish tied on points for the same award.

Players should confirm any administrative requirements for receiving prize money directly with the organizer.

📂 Sections / Groups

The congress is divided into three FIDE-rated sections and one ECF-only section.

U2400

The U2400 is the highest-rated section. Players must be below 2400 in the relevant rating information applied by the organizer.

The section will be submitted for both FIDE and ECF Standard rating. A valid FIDE ID is required.

U1900

The U1900 is for players below 1900 in the applicable FIDE and ECF Standard rating information.

Players close to the limit should check both databases before entering. The organizer may move an over-limit entrant to the U2400 section.

U1600

The U1600 is for players below 1600 in the applicable FIDE and ECF Standard rating information.

The section will be submitted for both FIDE and ECF rating. Therefore, entrants should provide a valid FIDE ID.

ECF U1400

The U1400 is an ECF-rated section for players below the published threshold.

The official registration form states that a player with a FIDE Standard rating of 1400 or higher should enter the U1600 section instead.

Players without an established rating should provide information about their playing strength in the comments field. This may include a recent online rating or tournament history.

Section Changes

The section selected on the entry form is not necessarily final.

The organizer may move an entrant when:

• A newer rating places the player above the selected limit
• The player has entered an unsuitable section
• A FIDE Standard rating affects U1400 eligibility
• Additional playing-strength information becomes available
• A change is required for the proper administration of the event

Players uncertain about their section should contact the organizer before completing payment.

🗓️ Schedule

Three rounds will be played on Saturday and two rounds on Sunday.

The organizer has published the daily playing windows but has not yet listed every intermediate round time separately.

Players should arrive early enough to enter the campus, park, locate the Main Hall and check the pairings.

The Saturday schedule may continue until approximately 20:30. Participants should plan meals, return travel and accommodation accordingly.

The final finishing time may vary according to the duration of Round 5 and the completion of prize calculations.

📝 Registration

Registration must be submitted through the official Bushey FIDE Congress entry form.

The same form also lists a separate Bushey Congress on November 28–29, 2026. Players entering this event must select the October 24–25, 2026 option.

ECF Membership Supplement

The registration form states that players require ECF Gold or Platinum membership to avoid the additional charge.

Players without the required membership must add the published £17 supplement or upgrade their ECF membership before entering.

The player is responsible for checking that the selected payment correctly reflects their membership status.

Required Registration Information

The official form requests:

• Full name
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Telephone number
• Chess club, county or FIDE federation
• FIDE ID
• FIDE Standard rating
• ECF membership code
• ECF rating code
• ECF Standard rating
• Selected tournament date
• Selected section
• Requested half-point byes
• Payment method
• Comments or additional playing-strength information

Unpaid registrations may not be considered complete.

Players should retain their payment confirmation and check that their entry appears on any participant list published before the congress.

👤 Organizer

The congress is organized by Chess England Limited, which runs FIDE- and ECF-rated Standard, Rapid and Blitz tournaments in London and other parts of England.

International Arbiter Adam Raoof and FIDE Arbiter Rob Hammond are listed as the organizers and arbiters for the Bushey Congress.

Questions concerning section eligibility, FIDE IDs, ECF membership, byes, payment or accessibility should be sent to the organizer before the congress.

📍 Venue

St Margaret’s School – Merry Hill Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 1DT, United Kingdom.

The congress will be played in the Main Hall on the St Margaret’s School campus. The school occupies a large 60-acre site, so participants should review the campus instructions before arriving.

St Margaret’s was established in 1749 and moved to its current Victorian campus in 1897. The historic school buildings provide a distinctive setting for the congress.

Campus Access

Tournament participants must enter through the Visitors Entrance and park in Car Park 18.

The Main Hall and parking area are marked on the campus map. Drivers should not rely solely on the postcode because the school grounds contain several entrances, roads and parking areas.

Players should allow additional time to:

• Find the correct entrance
• Follow the campus signs
• Park in the designated area
• Walk from Car Park 18 to the Main Hall
• Confirm attendance
• Locate their section and board

Players requiring step-free access or other assistance should contact the organizer before the congress.

Accommodation Near the Venue

No official tournament hotel or reserved room block has been announced.

Players may consider hotels in Watford, Bushey or the Watford Junction area.

Official hotel websites:

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/wathnhn-hilton-london-watford/

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/gb/en/watford/lonju/hoteldetail

https://www.leonardo-hotels.com/london/leonardo-hotel-london-watford

https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/hertfordshire/watford/watford-central.html

Room prices vary according to availability and booking conditions. Players should compare live rates for October 23–26, 2026.

When booking accommodation, confirm:

• Breakfast availability before Saturday’s 10:30 start
• Transport to St Margaret’s School
• Parking charges
• Cancellation conditions
• Sunday check-out time
• Return arrangements after the late Saturday session

🚗 How to Get There

St Margaret’s School is situated in Bushey, close to the northwestern edge of London. The venue can be reached by train, taxi, local bus or car.

From Central London

Hatch End and Bushey are served by the London Overground network from London Euston.

Players should check the weekend timetable and any planned engineering work before travelling:

https://tfl.gov.uk/

From Hatch End Station

Hatch End is among the closest railway stations to the school. The final journey may be completed on foot or by taxi.

Players walking should allow sufficient time and check the route before departure, particularly when carrying luggage or arriving in poor weather.

From Watford Junction

Watford Junction has frequent connections with London Euston and other regional destinations.

A pre-booked taxi from Watford Junction may be the simplest option for players unfamiliar with the area.

Rail information:

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

By Local Bus

Local services in Bushey and Watford may operate less frequently on Sundays.

Players should check the current route, nearest stop and return timetable through Hertfordshire Intalink:

https://www.intalink.org.uk/

By Car

Drivers should use:

St Margaret’s School – Merry Hill Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 1DT, United Kingdom.

After reaching the campus:

1. Use the Visitors Entrance.
2. Follow the campus roads and signs.
3. Park only in Car Park 18.
4. Continue to the Main Hall.

Players should save the campus map before travelling in case mobile reception or navigation is limited after entering the grounds.

ℹ️ Other Information

FIDE IDs

Players entering the U2400, U1900 or U1600 section must provide a valid FIDE ID.

Players should check their FIDE profile before registering:

https://ratings.fide.com/

English players who need a new FIDE ID should follow the current English Chess Federation application process.

ECF Rating Information

All four sections will be submitted for ECF Standard rating.

Players should verify their ECF membership, rating code and Standard rating before completing the entry form:

https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/

Unrated Players

An unrated player should provide information that helps the organizer estimate playing strength.

The registration form specifically allows entrants to include an online rating or other relevant information in the comments field.

The organizer may place an unrated participant in the section considered most appropriate.

Prize Sharing

Cash prizes are shared when players finish tied on points.

Players should not assume that additional tie-break criteria will be used to award the entire prize to one participant.

School Campus Rules

The event takes place on an operating school campus. Players, parents and accompanying persons must follow the instructions of the organizer and venue staff.

Participants should:

• Use only the designated visitor entrance
• Park only in the assigned area
• Remain within permitted tournament areas
• Respect safeguarding and security procedures
• Avoid entering unrelated school buildings
• Keep corridors and access routes clear
• Supervise accompanying children

Food and Refreshments

The registration form does not currently provide detailed catering information.

Players should confirm whether refreshments will be sold at the venue. They may wish to bring suitable food and water for the long Saturday schedule, subject to the school’s rules.

Chess-Results

Dedicated Chess-Results links for the October 2026 sections have not yet been published.

The U2400, U1900 and U1600 competitions are already listed as registered FIDE-rated tournaments. Chess-Results links should be added when the organizer publishes the starting lists, pairings and results.

Tournament Updates

Participants should recheck the official registration form and Chess England calendar before travelling for:

• Final participant lists
• Section changes
• Detailed round times
• Pairings and results
• Campus-access updates
• Catering information
• Any changes to the entry conditions