The Sixth Lancaster FIDE Rapid Play Congress 2027 takes place on Saturday, January 9, 2027, at The Storey in central Lancaster, England. Organized by Lancaster Chess Club, the event brings together players for a full day of over-the-board rapid chess in a historic cultural venue close to Lancaster railway station.

Players can enter one of four separate competitions—Open, Major, Intermediate, or Minor—with all sections rated by both FIDE and the English Chess Federation. The published format features six Swiss-system rounds with 20 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. The organizer advertises a £1,150 prize fund, including three diversity awards. An online entry page is available for competitors planning their January visit.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Each player has 20 minutes on the clock, with 10 seconds added after each move. The six rounds use the Swiss pairing system, so participants face opponents with similar tournament scores as the event progresses. Both international FIDE Rapid and national ECF Rapid ratings apply in the four competitions. The current Chess-Results event record confirms the time control and round count; the organizer will administer the section pairings and results.

🏆 Prize Fund

The advertised combined prize fund is £1,150 (approximately $1,540 at the November 9, 2026 exchange rate). It includes three diversity prizes in addition to the section prizes. The exact 2027 amounts for individual placings and any prize-sharing conditions should be checked in the organizer’s official entry information before registration; the previous edition’s distribution is not treated as the 2027 prize schedule.

♟️ Sections / Groups

The congress is divided into four separately paired competitions. Choose the appropriate section using the current organizer entry instructions and rating requirements.

📅 Schedule

All play takes place on Saturday, January 9. The English Chess Federation lists the congress window as 9:45 AM to 5:30 PM, UK local time. Players should consult the organizer’s entry page for exact round-by-round start times and any check-in instructions.

📝 Registration

Enter through the Lancaster Chess Club registration page. Select your intended Open, Major, Intermediate, or Minor section, and follow the current organizer instructions for acceptance and payment. The English Chess Federation lists Richard Walsh as the event organizer and provides his contact email for inquiries. Check the organizer’s page for the applicable 2027 entry fee, rating thresholds, and any capacity restrictions before submitting your entry.

🏛️ Organizer

Lancaster Chess Club is a long-established club in the city, with local competitive chess and regular congress activity. Richard Walsh is named as organizer for this edition. The 2027 Chess-Results listing identifies Hambel Willow as Chief Arbiter and Chun Chiu as Deputy Chief Arbiter.

📍 Venue

The Storey, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 1TH, United Kingdom

The Storey is a historic cultural and creative-industries building near Lancaster Castle and the railway station. Use the Meeting House Lane entrance when arriving on foot. Lancaster City Council confirms that this entrance provides lift access to other floors, while the Castle Hill entrance opens directly onto the building’s Printroom Café & Bar. The building has no dedicated on-site parking; accessible arrival guidance is available from Lancaster City Council.

🏨 Accommodation

For a one-day congress, a city-center hotel near Lancaster station and The Storey is convenient, especially for players travelling in the evening before play. The options below are identifiable individual hotel properties; check actual rates and availability for your preferred dates.

🍽️ Nearby Restaurants & Cafés

The Storey itself houses Printroom Café & Bar, which offers coffee, light meals, and cakes. Players looking for alternatives outside the building can use these independently identified city-center options; check Saturday service before visiting.

🚆 How to Get There

The Storey lies close to Lancaster railway station. For international arrivals, Manchester Airport has rail services to Lancaster, including direct trains on some departures. Follow the final approach along Meeting House Lane to the venue entrance; the building also accepts taxi drop-offs at either Meeting House Lane or Castle Hill.

ℹ️ Other Information

The English Chess Federation identifies this congress as a disability-friendly event. For step-free access or assistance, review the building’s accessibility information before travelling and contact the tournament organizer with any competition-specific requirements. Lancaster Chess Club is independent of the venue’s usual operating schedule; participants should follow the organizer’s tournament-day directions for arrival and room allocation.