5th Bournemouth Grand Chess Congress - 28th to 30th March 2025

[MartinSimons]

Entries are now open for the 5th Bournemouth Grand Chess Congress which will be held at the Bournemouth West Cliff Hotel, Durley Chine Road, Bournemouth BH2 5JS on Friday 28th March to Sunday 30th March 2025 and there are some GRAND prizes!

Key Features:

£1,000 1st prize in the Open Section.
£1,000 prize fund in each of the other 3 sections (Major U1900, Intermediate U1700, Minor U1500).
5 rounds - 90 minutes for all moves with 30 second increments for each move.
Disability friendly.
Ample free on street parking.
Separate analysis area.

https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk/5th-bourn ... -congress/

[Martin Clancy]

Good to see the return of this congress and that they have kept the £1000 prize theme.

When it was run previously it very quickly became one of the "top 6" congresses!

[MartinSimons]

In addition to the substantial prizes we are now pleased to advise that our Congress has been awarded the 2025 British Championship qualifying place sponsored by the West of England Chess Union worth up to £300.

This brings the total prize fund up to almost £5,000.

[Ian Thompson]

In addition to the substantial prizes we are now pleased to advise that our Congress has been awarded the 2025 British Championship qualifying place sponsored by the West of England Chess Union worth up to £300.

Are the rules stated what's really intended?

You can only win the West of England Championship if you reside in the WECU; birth in the WECU, previous long-term residence in the WECU, or current attendance at an educational establishment in the WECU, no longer qualify you?

You could win the West of England Championship through residence, but not also get the British Championship qualifying place because you're not a member of a WECU affiliated chess club (e.g. someone who lives in Fleet (in Hampshire) and is a member of Fleet and Farnborough chess club (not affiliated to the WECU))?

You could get the British Championship qualifying place because you're a member of a WECU affiliated chess club, but not also get the West of England Championship title because you don't live in the WECU (e.g. someone who is a member of Chichester chess club (affiliated to the WECU through Hampshire Chess Association) and lives in Chichester (not in a WECU county)?

I'm sure that in the past the qualification criteria for the championship title and the British Championship place were the same, so you were either eligible for both of them or neither of them.

[GrahamStuart]

In addition to the substantial prizes we are now pleased to advise that our Congress has been awarded the 2025 British Championship qualifying place sponsored by the West of England Chess Union worth up to £300.

Are the rules stated what's really intended?

You can only win the West of England Championship if you reside in the WECU; birth in the WECU, previous long-term residence in the WECU, or current attendance at an educational establishment in the WECU, no longer qualify you?

You could win the West of England Championship through residence, but not also get the British Championship qualifying place because you're not a member of a WECU affiliated chess club (e.g. someone who lives in Fleet (in Hampshire) and is a member of Fleet and Farnborough chess club (not affiliated to the WECU))?

You could get the British Championship qualifying place because you're a member of a WECU affiliated chess club, but not also get the West of England Championship title because you don't live in the WECU (e.g. someone who is a member of Chichester chess club (affiliated to the WECU through Hampshire Chess Association) and lives in Chichester (not in a WECU county)?

I'm sure that in the past the qualification criteria for the championship title and the British Championship place were the same, so you were either eligible for both of them or neither of them.

I cannot comment to all the criteria, but it makes sense to clarify my understanding of a couple of the points on Hampshire players eligibility.
All players who are HCA affiliated are eligible for this, as Hampshire is still a fully paid up member of the WECU. Although Hampshire do not currently play in the WECU they have played in the ECF National stages through being a member of the WECU.

If you play in the PDCL or SCL league you are a member of the HCA.
If you are a member of the Fleet and Farnborough chess club you are a member of the HCA as they have paid their HCA fees this year (some of their members have played for Hampshire in the Chiltern League).
If you are a member of Chichester Chess club you qualify as they play in the PDCL

But it makes sense to confirm this all with the WECU Secretary before the tournament.

[Ian Thompson]

If you are a member of the Fleet and Farnborough chess club you are a member of the HCA as they have paid their HCA fees this year

The HCA website needs updating then because they're listed as not affiliated. That doesn't alter my general point though. I could name several players who live in Hampshire but aren't a member of any club in Hampshire.

(some of their members have played for Hampshire in the Chiltern League).

Being an HCA member has not previously been a prerequisite to playing for Hampshire. I, and several other players, spent years playing for Hampshire without being an HCA member. We all lived in the North-East corner of Hampshire, but played club chess for clubs in Berkshire or Surrey. In one of those years, I played in the Hampshire championship, but wasn't eligible to win the title because I wasn't an HCA member.

[GrahamStuart]

If you are a member of the Fleet and Farnborough chess club you are a member of the HCA as they have paid their HCA fees this year

The HCA website needs updating then because they're listed as not affiliated. That doesn't alter my general point though. I could name several players who live in Hampshire but aren't a member of any club in Hampshire.

(some of their members have played for Hampshire in the Chiltern League).

Being an HCA member has not previously been a prerequisite to playing for Hampshire. I, and several other players, spent years playing for Hampshire without being an HCA member. We all lived in the North-East corner of Hampshire, but played club chess for clubs in Berkshire or Surrey. In one of those years, I played in the Hampshire championship, but wasn't eligible to win the title because I wasn't an HCA member.

Re Fleet and Farnborough: Fees were only paid quite recently, but the website will be updated shortly.

Re WECU Place: Does sound like the policy needs to be clarified by the WECU before the event as to who qualifies and who does not.

Re: Playing for Hampshire County Team: Currently we do insist that anyone who plays for Hampshire are a member of the HCA (although I would not be surprised if players slipped through the net, especially if born in Hampshire). This is one of the reasons Fleet and Farnborough pay their affiliation.

AFFILIATION AND MEMBERSHIP: Affiliation and/or Membership may be obtained in the following ways:

a) League Affiliation. A league may become affiliated to the Association by supplying a list of its clubs and the appropriate fee. (The fee shall be 5 x the base rate for each club team which plays in its league.) In this case all the clubs shall be affiliated and all their members shall be members of the Association.

b) Club Affiliation. When a) above does not apply, a club may become affiliated to the Association by supplying a list of all its adult members and the appropriate fee. (The fee shall be the base rate, as set by the AGM, x the number of members.) In this case all the members of the club shall become members of the Association.

c) Individual Membership. When neither a) nor b) above apply, an individual may apply direct to the Association and become a member subject to payment of the appropriate fee. (The fee payable shall be 3 x the base rate.) Juniors are affiliated free-of-charge.

The way this works for Hampshire Individual is if a player is not eligible through playing for a team they would pay the Individual Membership before the tournament started and would then be eligible for the trophies.

I am probably losing the main point here, so apologies and the clarification on the WECU qualifying place is all that needs to be done.

[Roger de Coverly]

I am probably losing the main point here, so apologies and the clarification on the WECU qualifying place is all that needs to be done.

There is the point as to whether the qualifying place at the British Chamionships and the paid for entry is restricted to WECU players, however defined. The other point is as to what happens if the highest placed WECU player is already qualified. An already qualified player may have free entry anyway.

[Derrick Walker]

Last year the WECU place was available from the Bristol Congress. The published criteria was the highest placed WECU affiliated player who was not otherwise qualified.

As it turned out the winner declined the place, second was already qualified and the 3-way tie for third were all on the same score and tie-break. One was already qualified and the remaining two were split by a coin toss.

It would be useful if WECU could publish the criteria, that goes for all CU's that haven't already, to save organisers scrabbling around each year for clarity.

[GrahamStuart]

Last year the WECU place was available from the Bristol Congress. The published criteria was the highest placed WECU affiliated player who was not otherwise qualified.

As it turned out the winner declined the place, second was already qualified and the 3-way tie for third were all on the same score and tie-break. One was already qualified and the remaining two were split by a coin toss.

It would be useful if WECU could publish the criteria, that goes for all CU's that haven't already, to save organisers scrabbling around each year for clarity.

I have raised this with the WECU to clarify the position.

[MartinSimons]

Thank you for all your comments.

The DCCA did take instruction from the WECU but in light of these discussions, we have now gone back to them and asked for further clarification / confirmation.

In the meantime we have removed the WECU Championship and British Chess Championship Qualifying Place criteria from our website pages pending this confirmation.

[MartinSimons]

The WECU has now advised us of its criteria to be met to help determine the WECU champion and also the WECU British Chess Championship Qualifying Place. These have been updated within the Congress Rules and Conditions of Entry on our website.

https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk/5th-bourn ... -congress/

[MartinSimons]

We are pleased to report that, given there are almost £5,000 in cash prizes, we now have well over 100 entries already and there is a good chance that we may hit our maximum number.

The event is being held at a luxurious hotel near the sea, with easy parking, good disabled access and a separate analysis area.

Please note that there will be a late entry fee of £10 after this weekend.

We therefore encourage all those interested to enter soon to avoid the late entry fee, guarantee your entry and to avoid any potential disappointment.

https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk/5th-bourn ... -congress/

[MartinSimons]

We are pleased to report that we reached our full capacity.

However, following a few late withdrawals we now have a small number of spaces left in the tournament.

All prizes are guaranteed and we are also adding an additional rating prize in each of the Open and Major sections. This would bring the total prize fund to over £5,000!

As mentioned previously, the event is being held at an airy, modern and friendly spa hotel near the sea, with easy parking, good disabled access and a separate analysis area.

Today is your last day to enter so please enter now to avoid possible disappointment!

https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk/5th-bourn ... -congress/