A weekend chess congress is coming to Tunbridge Wells this June, offering local players a welcome opportunity to play rated tournament chess close to home.
The Tunbridge Wells FIDE Congress takes place from Friday 5 June to Sunday 7 June 2026 at Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club, 40 London Road, TN1 1DL.
The event is a 5-round Swiss standardplay tournament, with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one. It will include FIDE and ECF rated sections, making it suitable for players looking for serious classical games over a full weekend.
The sections listed are:
- Open — FIDE and ECF rated
- Major / U1800 — FIDE and ECF rated
- Minor / U1575 — ECF rated
The planned schedule is:
- Round 1: Friday, 6:45pm
- Round 2: Saturday, 10:00am
- Round 3: Saturday, 3:00pm
- Round 4: Sunday, 10:00am
- Round 5: Sunday, 3:00pm
The venue is very conveniently placed, just a short walk from Tunbridge Wells railway station, with limited on-site parking and a large paid car park nearby.
It is always encouraging to see more chess taking place in Tunbridge Wells, and we hope many local players will consider entering or supporting the event.
Full details and online entry are available here:
https://congress.org.uk/congress/750/home
Players should check the official event page for entry fees, membership requirements, rating eligibility, prizes and tournament conditions.