Milton Keynes ECF/FIDE Chess Congress 2026
Set your sights on the Milton Keynes ECF/FIDE Chess Congress 2026, which runs on March 28-29, 2026 in Milton Keynes, England and delivers a compact, competitive weekend for ambitious club players and experienced tournament regulars. The congress plays a 5-round Swiss over two days and combines FIDE and ECF rating opportunities in a focused church-community venue setting with reliable round times and clear section targets.
The event highlights a £1,160 total cash prize fund and offers four sections that suit a wide rating range, from the Open down to U1400 (ECF). The organizers keep the experience practical and performance-oriented, with a modern 60+30 time control, a 30-minute default time, and a structure that supports strong pairings and serious games from round one.
🗓️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | March 28-29, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Church of the Servant King Church, 33 Dulverton Dr, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1NA, England |
| ♟️ Format | 5-round Swiss over 2 days |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE rated and ECF rated |
| 📂 Sections | Open, U1900, U1600, U1400 (ECF) |
| ⏱️ Time control | 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 |
| 💳 Entry fee | £40 |
| 💰 Prize fund | £1,160 (total cash prizes) |
| 👤 Eligibility | Players should hold ECF Gold membership or above (non-members pay an additional £18 pay-to-play fee) and provide a FIN (FIDE Identification Number). |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | The organizers may merge sections or halve prizes if a section attracts fewer than 12 players. |
🏆 Prize Fund
| Prize item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total cash prize fund | £1,160 |
The organizers share cash prizes between tied players, and no player can win more than one cash prize. The organizers may merge a small section or halve prizes if a section attracts fewer than 12 players.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The congress uses a 5-round Swiss format across two days. The event runs FIDE and ECF rated sections and uses a time control of 60 minutes per player plus 30 seconds increment from move 1, with a 30-minute default time. The organizers consider a player’s ECF or FIDE rating (whichever is higher) for pairing purposes. The event team appoints arbiters including Rob Hammond, Tofan Sahoo, and Poornima Nagesh.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating / target group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Open to all | The event runs this section with FIDE and ECF rating. |
| U1900 | Players under 1900 ECF | The organizers apply section eligibility by rating band. |
| U1600 | Players under 1600 ECF | The organizers apply section eligibility by rating band. |
| U1400 (ECF) | Players under 1400 ECF | The organizers apply section eligibility by rating band. |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 | Round 1 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 13:30 | Round 2 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 17:00 | Round 3 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 10:00 | Round 4 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 13:30 | Round 5 |
📝 Registration
You register online through the official entry form and commit to the published fees when you submit your entry. The congress charges £40 entry, and players without ECF Gold membership (or above) pay an additional £18 pay-to-play fee. The entry form requires a FIN (FIDE Identification Number) and asks ECF members to include their ECF membership number. The organizers accept payment by PayPal or bank transfer.
Online entry: https://form.jotform.com/250375350094353
PayPal payment link: https://paypal.me/miltonkeyneschess
👥 Organizer
MK Bishops Chess organizes and delivers rated chess events in Milton Keynes and supports competitive weekend congress play with clear sections, consistent scheduling, and a practical entry process.
🏨 Venue
The congress plays at the Church of the Servant King Church, a community church and community-centre venue in Furzton that supports accessibility and provides on-site facilities for an all-day weekend event, including on-site parking and accessible access.
Church of the Servant King Church, 33 Dulverton Dr, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1NA, England
🚗 How to Get There
Milton Keynes offers direct rail access through Milton Keynes Central, and you can complete the trip to Furzton by local taxi or bus. Drivers can reach Furzton by road within Milton Keynes, and the venue supports on-site parking for participants who travel by car. International visitors can fly into major London-area airports and continue to Milton Keynes by rail or road.
Bring your best form to Milton Keynes and use five long games to turn a focused weekend into a meaningful rating and prize run.
🧾 Other
The organizers may provide live boards in the Open section and publish participation updates through the entry platform.
Organizer
MK Bishops Chess Club is a community chess club based in Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom. It provides regular over-the-board play for local players and visiting guests. Moreover, the club works as an active tournament organizer in the Milton Keynes area.
In addition, MK Bishops runs club sessions, internal competitions, and public events for a wide range of ratings. It organizes ECF-rated tournament and FIDE-rated tournament weekends, including the Milton Keynes Chess Congress and other open events. Furthermore, its calendar covers classical chess as well as rapid chess and blitz formats, depending on the event.
Furthermore, the club supports developing players through coaching and structured playing opportunities. As a result, it has become a welcoming hub for junior chess and adult competition in the local community.
