Saturday, 13 September 2025
Wanstead House Community Association, E11 2NT
These are Essex Closed events – open to players who belong to a club or school or were born or are currently resident in Essex or the London Boroughs north of the Thames and east of the River Lea.
Enter by e-mail to organiser Mark Murrell at: tournaments@essexchess.org.uk
Age limits as at 31 August 2025 and any Rating limits per September 2025 ECF original (blue)
Saturday 13 September 2025
Morning
2024-25 Essex Individual Blitz Championship
- 7 Rounds G5+2;
- This is an Essex closed event;
- ECF blitz rated;
- Registration 09:30 closing at 09:55 for Round 1;
- R1 10:00; R2 10:20; R3 10:40; R4 11:00; R5 11:20; R6 11:40; R7 12:00
- Close 12:30;
- Entry Fees:
- Adults £18, or £12 for *ECA Members/Essex League registered;
- Juniors £9, or £6 for *ECA Member/Essex Junior;
*ECA membership can be taken out with entry to qualify for the ECA member discounted rates below: add Adults £5; Juniors £2.50 for ECA membership. If in doubt over your ECA Membership status, please ask.
- Further discounted entry for participation in both the Blitz and Rapid events:
- Adults £30, or £20 (ECA Member/Essex League registered);
- Juniors £15, or £10 (ECA Member/Essex Junior);
- Option for rating-limited section depending on entry;
- Prizes according to entry;
- Controller: Mark Murrell.
Blitz Rules
Essex Individual Blitz Championship, 13 September 2025, Appendix B Blitz, Article B3 shall apply for the entire event and consequently, so do Appendix A Rapid Chess, Articles A2, A3 and A5.
Let’s cut to the chase – the two things players normally ask (click on each for the answers):
Does the ‘touched piece’ rule apply?
Yes. The “touched piece” rule forms part of the FIDE Laws of Chess Article 4 The act of moving the pieces, not the Competition rules (Article 6 onwards) which are suspended for tournaments where there is not one Arbiter per game and the moves are not recorded.
What is the rule for an illegal move?
First offence entitles the opponent to one minute extra time. Second offence by the same player in the same game loses.
Follow this link for full: FIDE Blitz rules
Pairings and Results: 2024-25 ECA Blitz Championship Vega tournament pages
NB: Until the pairings for R1 are published (on the day) only the ‘Players’ page will be live.
Afternoon
2024-25 Essex Individual Rapid Championship
There will be two sections in the Rapid (see third from last bullet point below):
- Rapid Open Championship and
- Rapid Minor Championship,
…rating limit for the Minor to be announced.
- 6 Rounds G15+5;
- ECF rapid rated;
- ECF membership required (minimum bronze or junior bronze);
- Registration 13:00, closing at 13:25 for Round 1;
- R1 13:30; R2 14:15; R3 15:00; <Break 15:45> R4 16:00; R5 16:45: R6 17:30;
- Close 18:15;
- Entry Fees:
- Adults £18, or £12 for *ECA Members/Essex League registered;
- Juniors £9, or £6 for *ECA Member/Essex Junior;
*ECA membership can be taken out with entry to qualify for the ECA member discounted rates below: add Adults £5; Juniors £2.50 for ECA membership. If in doubt over your ECA Membership status, please ask.
- Further discounted entry for participation in both the Blitz and Rapid events:
- Adults £30, or £20 (ECA Member/Essex League registered);
- Juniors £15, or £10 (ECA Member/Essex Junior);
- Option for rating-limited section depending on entry;
- Prizes according to entry;
- Controller: Mark Murrell.
Rapid Rules
Essex Individual Rapid Championship, 13 September 2025, Appendix A Rapid Chess, Article A5 shall apply for the entire event.
The things that players want to know (click on each for the answers):
Does the ‘touched piece’ rule apply?
Yes. The “touched piece” rule forms part of the FIDE Laws of Chess Article 4 The act of moving the pieces, not the Competition rules (Article 6 onwards) which are suspended for tournaments where there is not one Arbiter per game and the moves are not recorded.
Do I have to write the moves down?
No. While recording the moves is optional, this is fast Rapid, so if you start recording the moves you might soon want to stop recording.
What is the rule for an illegal move?
First offence entitles the opponent to one minute extra time. Second offence by the same player in the same game loses.
Follow this link for full: Rapid rules
Pairings and Results:
2024-25 ECA Rapid Championship Vega tournament pages
2024-25 ECA Rapid Minor Championship Vega tournament pages
NB: Until the pairings for R1 are published (on the day) only the ‘Players’ pages will be live.
Payment
Bank details for advance payment will be given by email on receipt of entry.
Those unable to pay electronically may pay cash on the day by agreement.