Northumbria Masters Chess Congress 2025
General Event Information
20-25 August 2025
(Wednesday – Monday)
The 2025 Northumbria Masters Chess Congress will be held at:
The Dolphin Centre
Horse Market
Darlington
DL1 5RP
The Dolphin Centre is 10 minutes’ walk from Darlington railway station.
Darlington is 2.5 hours from London Kings Cross by train on the East Coast Main Line.
Darlington is a friendly market town with several hotels and numerous shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants and car parks in the town centre within easy walking distance of the Dolphin Centre.
The town is close to numerous tourist attractions in the Yorkshire Dales, Teesside and County Durham.
Dolphin Centre’s website:
CLICK HERE
The Northumbria Masters Chess Congress includes 4 FIDE-rated Standard Play tournaments, 1 ECF-rated Junior Rapidplay tournament, 1 FIDE-rated Blitz tournament and 1 unrated Pairs Blitz tournament.
Three FIDE-rated 9-round Swiss tournaments:
1) Masters (Open) – nine-round FIDE-rated Swiss, eligible for title norms
2) Challengers (Under 2000 FIDE or no FIDE rating) – nine-round FIDE-rated Swiss
3) Major (Under 1700 FIDE or no FIDE rating) – nine-round FIDE-rated Swiss
Tournament Byes: A maximum of 3 half-point byes may be taken in Rounds 1-8, if requested on entry.
Registration open to all players via REGISTRATION PORTAL
IM Invitational Tournament
4) IM Round Robin (10 player all-play-all, eligible for title norms)
Interested players should contact NM Chess Congress Director Tim Wall at:
info@northumbriamasters.com
Rapid & Blitz Tournaments
5) ECF-rated Junior Rapidplay (Sunday 24 August) – Five-round Swiss
6) FIDE-rated Blitz (Friday 22 August) – Nine-round Swiss
7) Unrated Pairs Blitz (Saturday 23 August) – Five-round Swiss
Masters (Open):
1st – £1000; 2nd – £600; 3rd – £400
4th – £300; 5th – £200; 6th – £150
Top Junior (Under 18) – £100
Top Senior (Over 50) – £100
Top Female – £100
Top Under 2200 FIDE – £100
Challengers (Under 2000):
1st – £500; 2nd – £250; 3rd – £125
Top Junior (Under 18) – £75
Top Senior (Over 50) – £75
Top Female – £75
Top Under 1850 FIDE – £75
Major (Under 1700):
1st – £400; 2nd – £200; 3rd – £100
Top Junior (Under 18) – £50
Top Senior (Over 50) – £50
Top Female – £50
Top Under 1550 FIDE – £50
ECF-rated Junior Rapidplay, FIDE-rated Blitz, Unrated Pairs Blitz
Entry fees will be returned as prizes.
Players may win only one prize.
Players on the same score share prizes.
MAIN TOURNAMENTS:
(Enter and pay via Registration Form)
Masters (Open):
GMs, IMs, WGMs, WIMs: Free
FMs, WFMs: £40
2000+ FIDE players: £75
<2000 FIDE players: £100
Challengers (Under 2000):
All players: £50
Major (Under 1700):
All players: £45
IM Invitational (Round Robin)
Norm seekers:
2350+ players: £200
2300+ players: £250
2250+ players: £300
To register your interest, please send your enquiry to: info@northumbriamasters.com.
For the above tournaments, players should be Platinum or Gold ECF members, OR members of another national federation.
If you are neither, £15 pay-to-play fee will be added to your entry fee.
SIDE TOURNAMENTS:
(See ‘How to enter‘ information below)
ECF-rated Junior Rapidplay
Entry Fee: £15
FIDE-rated Blitz
Entry Fee: £10 (free entry to GMs, IMs, WGMs, WIMs)
Unrated Pairs Blitz
Entry Fee: £5 per team
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How to enter ECF-rated Junior Rapidplay, FIDE-rated Blitz and Unrated Pairs Blitz:
Please transfer the entry fee(s) to: UK Chess Events Ltd, Sort Code 20-59-43, Account 2344 1954.
(Reference – FIDE Blitz: FB & your surname; Junior Rapidplay: JR & your surname; Pairs Blitz: PB & Your surname)
For FIDE-rated tournaments:
MASTERS (OPEN), CHALLENGERS, MAJOR, and IM INVITATIONAL
All moves in 90 minutes, plus an increment of 30 seconds per move from move 1.
Players must record all the moves throughout the game.
For side tournaments:
See ‘Playing Schedule’ below.
For FIDE-rated tournaments:
OPEN, CHALLENGERS, MAJOR, and IM INVITATIONAL
Round 1: Wednesday 20 August, 6:30pm
Round 2: Thursday 21 August, 10:00am
Round 3: Thursday 21 August, 3:00pm
Round 4: Friday 22 August, 10:00am
Round 5: Friday 22 August, 3:00pm
Round 6: Saturday 23 August, 10:00am
Round 7: Saturday 23 August, 3:00pm
Round 8: Sunday 24 August, 10:00am
Round 9: Monday 25 August, 10:00am
Prizewinners will be contacted by email at the end of the Congress
Other tournaments
ECF-rated Junior Rapidplay (Sunday 24 August)
Start: 10:00am Finish: 2:00pm
5 round Swiss, time control 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move.
FIDE-rated Blitz (Friday 22 August)
Start: 8:00pm Finish: 10:00pm
9 round Swiss, time control 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move.
Unrated Pairs Blitz (Saturday 23 August)
Start: 8:00pm Finish 10:00pm
5 round Swiss, time control 10 minutes for all moves.
Free accommodation is available for a limited number of GMs and IMs.
Expressions of interest for the IM Invitational (Round Robin) are welcome from Norm Seekers.
IM Norm Seekers: players rated 2250+ FIDE.
An accommodation list is available to all entrants on request.
Contact email: info@northumbriamasters.com
1. Players MUST email info@northumbriamasters.com to confirm attendance on Tuesday 19 August 2024 (deadline: 8pm).
This is essential to ensure you are included in the Round 1 draw.
2. Players in all FIDE-rated events should:
a) be Platinum/Gold ECF members, or
b) be members of another national federation, or
c) pay a £15.00 Pay-to-Play fee.
3. Rating Eligibility for Tournaments.
FIDE Standard Play ratings will be used for FIDE-rated events. If no FIDE Standard Play rating available, the ECF Standard Play rating will be used.
To enable players to enter early, players may use their June, July or August 2025 FIDE Standard Rating to enter the Masters Open, Challengers or Major tournaments. If players have no FIDE rating, they may use their June, July or August 2025 ECF Standard Rating.
August 2025 ratings will be used for pairings and to determine rating prizes within sections.
PLEASE NOTE: After entering a tournament, rating-eligible players may be reassigned to a different tournament at their own request.
Players may also be reassigned to a different tournament at the discretion of the Congress Director based on their playing strength or experience.
4. Time controls
All FIDE-rated events: All moves in 90 minutes, plus 30 seconds per move.
5. Prizes
Players normally win only one prize.
The organisers reserve the right to adjust prize money depending on entries.
6. Age categories
Age categories are as of 20 August 2025. If you are aged under 18 on 20/08/2025, you are classed as a Junior participant. If you are 18+ on 20/08/2025, you are classed as an Adult participant.
7. Byes
Up to 3 Half-point byes for Rounds 1-8 may be requested when entering on the registration form.
8. Other regulations
Current FIDE Laws of Chess apply.
No smoking or vaping is permitted anywhere on the premises.