Isle of Wight Ocean Chess Tournament

Isle of Wight Ocean Chess Tournament – Adult Event (16+)

We are very pleased to announce an additional Isle of Wight Chess Tournament, this time aimed at adult players aged 16 and over. All games FIDE and ECF Rated. Unrated players must join the Open section.

Entry Fees

7 Round Weekday £65

5 Round Congress £45

Weekday + Congress £95

Register at the end of this page.

+£15  for non ECF Gold or higher Members - This applies to all international entries also, as this is not a norms event. Please add this to your order if you do not intend to have a Gold or higher membership before the commencement of play. 

All tickets will increase in price by £10 after the first 50 entries have been received.

The tournament will take place from Tuesday 10th November to Sunday 15th November 2026, comprising a weekday tournament followed by a weekend congress. Our goal is to provide a wonderful chess holiday experience for casual players who would like to enjoy FIDE-rated games in a relaxed hotel environment.

As this is a new tournament, we aim to offer a distinctive experience that makes it a worthwhile trip for participants, and on this occasion that includes making the event adult-only. The event takes place during term time so is by default also an adult event. Junior players are very well catered for through our excellent February tournament, and local juniors are welcome to take part in our other events throughout the year. If there is strong interest from local juniors we may include a Junior Rapid Open at the weekend.

Venue & Accommodation

We have secured a welcoming 3-star, ocean-facing hotel in Shanklin, offering excellent room rates from £65 per night including breakfast.

www.oceanviewhoteliow.co.uk

What’s different compared with the February International?

This is a play-and-stay event designed to offer a relaxed holiday experience for players. You can stay at the venue itself at very competitive rates, and the hotel is located on the south coast, directly above the beach and surrounded by cafés, bars, and restaurants.

The tournament playing hall is a large ballroom with ocean views, which opens into an equally spacious adjoining room with seating and a bar. A happy hour will be available during and after rounds, with pints, spirits, and wines from £3.

In the evenings, we plan to host a range of social events, including casual chess sessions, mini pool tournaments, and other light activities, giving players plenty of chances to unwind and enjoy themselves off the board. The venue is a short walk to the beach from bars and restaurants and also a stunning thatched village with several places to eat and drink. It’s also connected by bus to the rest of the island.

The hotel also features an indoor heated swimming pool, available at no extra charge, a games room with pool and darts, and an on-site coffee shop. Dinner can also be added to your booking.

Overall, it’s a relaxed chess holiday for people that want to play, use your byes wisely to see some of the island or just get stuck in and you have up to 12 rounds of FIDE classical to enjoy. 

We are not offering conditions to players for this event, as the purpose is to fund the growth of the February Masters. We do not expect many high rated players in the Open unless the entry based prize pool becomes significant (or Nakamura needs some rating…) 

Weather

Will the weather be nice? Possibly! At the time of writing it’s bright and sunny at around 10°C. However, this is an island in winter. While it’s often one of the warmest parts of the UK, sunshine can’t be guaranteed. Expect a few rainy days, perfect for enjoying the excellent local pubs and restaurants when you’re not playing.

Travel

As with the February event, we strongly recommend travelling by train and ferry, which is usually more economical than bringing a car. You can take the ferry to either Cowes or Ryde, then continue by bus or train to the venue for around £3. Shanklin railway and bus stations are just a 10-minute walk to the hotel.

If you are travelling by car, please note that hotel parking is reserved for playing guests staying at the venue and has approximately 30 spaces. There is also plenty of free on-street parking nearby, and the area will be quiet as it’s the off-season. Paid car parks are also available within a ten-minute walk.

We are confident we will be able to provide travel discounts from local Ferry Operators and are awaiting confirmation. If you are traveling by car the Hotel itself is able to book this for you for around a 30% discount. Ask them when booking your stay. Car travel can take 7 passengers and is around £90 to £120 after the discount.

Cost and recommended travel:

• Train to Portsmouth Harbour Train Station

• Wightlink Fastcat Ferry, hourly departure 22 mins £20 to £30 with discount

• Bus or Train from Ryde Pier head 20/30 mins to Shanklin £3

• Walk to venue 10 mins

For elderly players traveling by foot - Please contact us ahead of booking and we will arrange a local player to car pool you from the Ferry to the venue at the cost of £10. If there are a large number and interest we will organise a minibus to pick up at set times on arrival day.

Local taxis are also available for around £25.

Accommodation

Shanklin Ocean View Hotel – 3 Star

The hotel offers a selection of room types, including sea-view and premium rooms. Please inquire about upgrades when booking. Dinner can also be added to your reservation.

Room Rates (including breakfast):

• £65 per night – Single occupancy

• £90 per night – Two people sharing

  
  

Room types available: Double, Twin, Single, and Family rooms (please request your preference when booking).

To book, call 01983 861 111 or email info@oceanviewhoteliow.co.uk and quote the booking number of your tournament entry ticket.

We currently have the hotel exclusively for the event so you will need a ticket before confirming your room, but feel free to email and get a quote / confirm your room.

Tournament Sections & Schedule

Time control for both the Weekday & Congress

Open 90+30

All other sections 75+30

(Unrated players must play in the Open section unless the tournament can establish a rating by other means, such as Chess.com, Lichess, or a USCF rating. Players with an ECF provisional ‘P’ rating may enter their respective section of their choice.)

Weekday Tournament

Sections:

• Open

• Under 1900

• Under 1600

  
  

Round Times:

We recommend traveling and staying on Monday 9th November or using a bye.. 

• Round 1: 10:00, Tuesday 10th November 2026

• Round 2: 15:00, Tuesday 10th November 2026

• Round 3: 10:00, Wednesday 11th November 2026

• Round 4: 15:00, Wednesday 11th November 2026

• Round 5: 10:00, Thursday 12th November 2026

• Round 6: 15:00, Thursday 12th November 2026

• Round 7: 10:00, Friday 13th November 2026

Weekend Congress

Sections:

• Open

• Under 1900

• Under 1600

  
  

Round Times:

• Round 1: 19:00, Friday 13th November 2026

• Round 2: 10:00, Saturday 14th November 2026

• Round 3: 15:00, Saturday 14th November 2026

• Round 4: 10:00, Sunday 15th November 2026

• Round 5: 15:00, Sunday 15th November 2026

Additional Information

• Players who finish their games within 30 minutes of the next round’s start time will be given at least a 30-minute break before the next round begins.

• Rate of Play: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move in the Open Sections.

• Rate of Play: 75 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move in all other sections.

• Ratings: All games will be ECF and FIDE rated

• Byes: Up to two byes may be taken per event (excluding the final round).

Tournament Rating

For all Standardplay tournaments, the following ratings will be used in sequence until a valid rating is found:

1. ECF Standardplay Rating (October 2026) – A to P categories

2. FIDE Standardplay Rating (October 2026)

3. ECF Rapidplay Rating (October 2026) – A to K categories 

4. FIDE Rapidplay Rating (October 2026)

Prizes:

Prizes are based on paid entries per section. This amount will be published live on the website and updated. It’s our hope that if the tournament becomes popular in future years, the Open section might have quite a significant prize pool. Please note a small number of helpers and invited players may not qualify as a paid entry.

Weekday Open

1st x 25 Entries - (£750 based on 30 entries) or (£1,250 based on 50 entries)

2nd x 6 Entries - (£180 based on 30 entries)

3rd x 4 Entries - (£120 based on 30 entries)

Rating x1 Entries - (£30 based on 30 entries)

Weekday U1900 & U1600 + Congress all Sections

1st x 5 Entries - (£150 based on 30 entries) 

2nd x 3 Entries - (£90 based on 30 entries)

3rd x 1 Entries - (£30 based on 30 entries)

Rating x1 Entries - (£30 based on 30 entries)

Refunds are available with an approx 5-7 % administration deduction up to 1st November 2026. After this point entries will be transferred to a future event of the same value. We will show you the transaction fee so the deduction is transparent.

Please contact us if you have any questions prior to booking hello@iowchess.com

List of Entries

(this will be updated to a detailed table when more entries have been received.)

Weekday Open:

(0) - 1st Place £0

Weekday U1900:

(0) - 1st Place £0

Weekday U1600:

(0) - 1st Place £0

Congress Open:

(0) - 1st Place £0

Congress U1900:

(1) - 1st Place £5

Coles, Rob - TR 1592A ECF

Congress U1600:

(0) - 1st Place £0