The ECF April 2024 grading list will be used for all entries. Players entering before April 2024 should use their current rating and will be contacted if their new rating affects the section they have entered.
If a player is eligible for two cash prizes, he/she will receive the higher value prize only.
Sections
Open – Open to all. The Open section is FIDE rated.
Major – For players with ECF rating 1900 and below
Minor – For players with ECF rating 1675 and below
Prizes
OPEN: 1st £400, 2nd £250, 3rd £100
Grading Prizes: U2000 £50, U1900 £50
MAJOR: 1st £400, 2nd £250, 3rd £100
Grading Prizes: U1750 £50, U1600 £50
MINOR: 1st £400, 2nd £250, 3rd £100
Grading Prizes: U1550 £50, U1400 £50
The Fred Stobbart Trophy will be awarded for the best adult performance (regardless of section) as perceived by the tournament organiser.
The Gary Hewitt Trophy will be awarded for the best junior performance (regardless of section) as perceived by the tournament organiser.
The Tony Mezzo Trophy will be awarded to the best result by a Durham League player in the Major
The Cleveland County Championships are also incorporated into this years congress, with titles being awarded to the highest placed qualified player in each section.
GRADING PRIZES will be subject to tie-break as follows –
- Result of individual game between the tied players
- Sum of opponents scores
- Delete last round and successive results until a winner is realised e.g. a player with 3/4 going into the last round and tying with a player who has 2.5 (going into the last round) will win the tie-break
- The lower rated (as at April 2024) player
- The rules will be applied in the order above to ‘whittle down’ multiple tied players. Only if the tie break rules do not produce an outright winner will a grading prize be shared.
Time Control
All games will be played at a rate of 110 minutes per player with a ten second increment for each move played
Entry Fee
All entry fees are £30.00 with the following exceptions –
- Add £11.00 if you have entered the Open section and are not ECF Gold registered at time of entry
- Add £10.00 if you have entered the Major or Minor section and are not ECF Silver registered or above at time of entry
Timetable
| Round 1 | Friday 7:00pm to 11:00pm |
| Round 2 | Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm |
| Round 3 | Saturday 2:30pm to 6:30pm |
| Round 4 | Sunday 10:00am to 2:00pm |
| Round 5 | Sunday 2:30pm to 6:30pm |