The East London FIDE Congress 2026 takes place from September 19–20, 2026, in London, England. The organizer runs the congress at Collingswood Hall in East London.
The tournament offers three rating sections: U2400, U1900 and U1600. Moreover, each section includes four rounds of standard chess and counts toward both FIDE and ECF ratings.
Players receive 60 minutes for each game, together with a 30-second increment from move one. In addition, the Swiss system determines the pairings throughout the weekend.
📌 Event Details
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Tournament | East London FIDE Congress 2026 |
| 📅 Dates | September 19–20, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | London, England |
| 🏟️ Venue | Collingswood Hall – Barnsley Street, London E1 5RB, England |
| 🏛️ Organizer | Domenico Napolitano |
| ♟️ Format | Standard Swiss tournament |
| 🔢 Rounds | 4 |
| 🧩 Sections | U2400, U1900 and U1600 |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE and ECF rated |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 60 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one |
| ⚖️ Chief Arbiter | Domenico Napolitano |
| 🆔 FIDE Event IDs | U2400: 487249; U1900: 487647; U1600: 487648 |
| 🌐 Official ECF Page | https://www.englishchess.org.uk/event/east-london-fide-congress/ |
| ♟️ Chess-Results – U2400 | https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1451573.aspx?lan=1&art=0&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0 |
| ♟️ Chess-Results – U1900 | https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1451574.aspx?lan=1&art=0&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0 |
| ♟️ Chess-Results – U1600 | https://s2.chess-results.com/tnr1451577.aspx?lan=1&art=0&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The organizer runs each section as a four-round Swiss tournament. Therefore, players compete against opponents with similar scores as the congress progresses.
Each player receives 60 minutes for the game. Moreover, the clock adds 30 seconds after every move from move one.
All three sections count toward the national and international standard rating lists. Meanwhile, Swiss-Manager handles the pairings and tournament administration.
| Tournament Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| ♟️ Pairing System | Swiss system |
| 🔢 Number of Rounds | 4 |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move |
| 🇬🇧 National Rating | ECF standard rating |
| 🌍 International Rating | FIDE standard rating |
| 🧮 Pairing Software | Swiss-Manager |
♟️ Sections / Groups
The congress offers three separate rating sections. Therefore, players can select the group that matches their rating category.
| Section | Rating Category | Rating Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| 🏆 U2400 | Under 2400 | FIDE and ECF |
| ♟️ U1900 | Under 1900 | FIDE and ECF |
| ♟️ U1600 | Under 1600 | FIDE and ECF |
Each section has its own Chess-Results record and FIDE Event ID. Consequently, players should check the correct section when reviewing entries, pairings and results.
📅 Schedule
The congress starts on Saturday afternoon and concludes on Sunday evening. Moreover, the organizer schedules four standard games during the two-day event.
| Schedule Detail | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tournament Begins | Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 14:00 |
| Tournament Concludes | Sunday, September 20, 2026 | 21:00 |
| Total Rounds | September 19–20, 2026 | 4 rounds |
All times follow local time in London. Therefore, international players should consider the time difference when planning their arrival.
📝 Registration
Players can enter the congress through the official online registration form. The same form covers the U2400, U1900 and U1600 sections.
Online Registration:
https://form.jotform.com/261743429698068
Registration Contact
Contact Person: Domenico Napolitano
Email: napolitanodomenico15@gmail.com
Phone: +44 7440 470298
Before entering, players should choose the correct section and provide accurate rating information. In addition, they should use the same name that appears in their FIDE and ECF records.
🏛️ Organizer
| Contact Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏛️ Organizer Name | Domenico Napolitano |
| 👤 Contact Person | Domenico Napolitano |
| ✉️ Email | napolitanodomenico15@gmail.com |
| 📞 Phone Number | +44 7440 470298 |
📍 Venue
Collingswood Hall – Barnsley Street, London E1 5RB, England.
The venue stands in East London, close to the Whitechapel transport hub. Therefore, players can reach the area through the Elizabeth line, London Underground and London Overground.
Whitechapel also offers convenient connections from central London and several major railway stations. In addition, local buses serve the surrounding Whitechapel and Bethnal Green area.
🚇 How to Get There
Whitechapel Station provides the main transport connection for players travelling to the congress. The station serves the Elizabeth, District and Hammersmith & City lines, together with London Overground services.
| Travel Option | Recommended Route |
|---|---|
| 🚇 From Central London | Take the Elizabeth, District or Hammersmith & City line to Whitechapel. Afterwards, continue on foot toward Barnsley Street. |
| 🚆 From Liverpool Street Station | Take the Elizabeth line or Hammersmith & City line to Whitechapel. Then continue to Collingswood Hall on Barnsley Street. |
| 🚆 From Paddington Station | Take the Elizabeth line directly to Whitechapel. Afterwards, complete the journey on foot. |
| 🚆 From King’s Cross St Pancras | Take the Hammersmith & City line eastbound to Whitechapel. Then walk to the venue. |
| ✈️ From Heathrow Airport | Take the Elizabeth line directly from Heathrow to Whitechapel. Afterwards, continue on foot to Barnsley Street. |
| ✈️ From London City Airport | Take the DLR to Canning Town. Then use the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf and transfer to the Elizabeth line for Whitechapel. |
| ✈️ From Gatwick Airport | Take a Thameslink train to Farringdon. Afterwards, transfer to the Elizabeth line and leave the train at Whitechapel. |
| ✈️ From Stansted Airport | Take the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street. Then continue to Whitechapel by the Elizabeth or Hammersmith & City line. |
| 🚕 By Taxi or Rideshare | Ask the driver to travel to Collingswood Hall, Barnsley Street, London E1 5RB. |
| 🚗 By Car | Use postcode E1 5RB for navigation. In addition, check the current local parking and restriction signs before leaving the vehicle. |
Arrival Advice
The congress begins at 14:00 on Saturday. Therefore, players should allow enough time for weekend transport, registration checks and seating.
London transport services may change because of planned engineering work. Consequently, players should review current TfL service information before travelling.
ℹ️ Other Information
Rating Calculation
All three sections count toward both FIDE and ECF standard ratings. Therefore, players should check their name, federation, FIDE ID and ECF code carefully.
FIDE Event IDs
| Section | FIDE Event ID |
|---|---|
| 🏆 U2400 | 487249 |
| ♟️ U1900 | 487647 |
| ♟️ U1600 | 487648 |
Accessibility
The English Chess Federation lists the congress as a disability-friendly event. Therefore, players who need specific arrangements should contact the organizer before registering.
Tournament Officials
Organizer and Chief Arbiter: Domenico Napolitano
Pairings and Results
Chess-Results publishes the entries, pairings, standings and results separately for each section.
U2400:
https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1451573.aspx?lan=1&art=0&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0
U1900:
https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1451574.aspx?lan=1&art=0&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0
U1600:
https://s2.chess-results.com/tnr1451577.aspx?lan=1&art=0&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0
Finally, players should review their section’s Chess-Results page before travelling. The organizer may update the entry lists and tournament information.
Additional Details
Organizer
♟️ About the Organizer
Domenico Napolitano is a London-based chess organizer, coach, player, and licensed FIDE National Arbiter. He is the founder and director of Endgame Strategies Ltd and the Sloane Square Chess Club, where he develops chess programs for children and manages coaching activities across London. He has worked as a full-time chess coach since 2016, providing school chess clubs, holiday camps, private tuition, and online instruction. Endgame Strategies Ltd is an active UK company operating in sports and recreation education.
🏆 Chess Tournaments and Events
Napolitano organizes and directs a growing program of over-the-board chess tournaments in England. His events include classical, rapid, and blitz competitions rated by both FIDE and the English Chess Federation. He has organized tournaments in London, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Oxford, including the Birmingham FIDE Congress, Nottingham Summer Chess Festival, Nottingham FIDE Rapid, Nine Elms FIDE Congress, and several FIDE-rated rapid and blitz events. His competitions commonly offer multiple rating sections, giving experienced players, developing competitors, juniors, and lower-rated participants appropriate tournament opportunities.
🌱 Chess Coaching and Community Development
Alongside tournament organization, Domenico Napolitano focuses strongly on junior chess development. Through Endgame Strategies, he and his coaching team deliver structured chess instruction designed around each child’s individual strengths and development needs. The organization works with beginners as well as ambitious young tournament players, offering school-based programs and private coaching for students in London and internationally. Napolitano’s experience as a tournament organizer, active player, coach, and arbiter allows him to help students understand both the technical and practical sides of competitive chess. His tournaments provide players with regular opportunities to gain FIDE and ECF-rated experience under professionally managed conditions.
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