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Isle of Wight Chess Ocean Tournament
November 10th - 15th 2026
This relaxed play-and-stay chess event takes place at the Ocean View Hotel in Shanklin, a classic British seaside hotel with fantastic sea views. The event will include a weekday tournament followed by a weekend congress, offering players the chance to enjoy up to 12 rounds of FIDE-rated classical chess in a friendly hotel setting.
The event is aimed at casual and club players looking for a chess holiday rather than a high-level norm event. It takes place during term time and is therefore an adult event for players aged 16 or over. Junior players are very well catered for at our February International and other local events throughout the year.
Entry Fee:
7 Round Weekday £65
5 Round Weekend Congress £45
Weekday + Congress £95
Additionally, local players may enter a 4 round unrated weekend tournament £30
Venue and Accommodation
The Ocean View Hotel is a welcoming 3-star, ocean-facing hotel located directly above the beach, close to cafés, bars, restaurants and Shanklin’s thatched village. The playing hall is a large ballroom with sea views, connected to a spacious adjoining room with seating and a bar.
Please contact the hotel to arrange discounted Ferry travel either by car of foot.
Room rates including breakfast:
£65 per night single occupancy
£90 per night for two people sharing
Room types include single, double, twin and family rooms.
Sea-view and premium upgrades may also be available.
Dinner can be added to your booking.
To book accommodation, call 01983 861 111
or email info@oceanviewhoteliow.co.uk and quote your tournament entry ticket booking number. Website: www.oceanviewhoteliow.co.uk
Register Here:
Tournament Sections & Schedule
Time control for both the Weekday & Congress Open 90+30
Weekday Tournament:
Sections:
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Open
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Under 1900
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Under 1600
Round Times:
We recommend traveling and staying on Monday 9th November or using a bye.
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Round 1: 10:00, Tuesday 10th November 2026
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Round 2: 15:00, Tuesday 10th November 2026
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Round 3: 10:00, Wednesday 11th November 2026
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Round 4: 15:00, Wednesday 11th November 2026
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Round 5: 10:00, Thursday 12th November 2026
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Round 6: 15:00, Thursday 12th November 2026
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Round 7: 10:00, Friday 13th November 2026
Weekend Congress:
Sections:
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Open
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Under 1900
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Under 1600
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First Tournament (Local players only) 4 Rounds. This will follow rounds 2 to 5 of the weekend schedule below. This event is not ECF Rated and does not require an ECF membership.
Round Times:
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Round 1: 19:00, Friday 13th November 2026
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Round 2: 10:00, Saturday 14th November 2026 + First Tournament R1
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Round 3: 15:00, Saturday 14th November 2026 + First Tournament R2
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Round 4: 10:00, Sunday 15th November 2026 + First Tournament R3
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Round 5: 15:00, Sunday 15th November 2026 + First Tournament R4
Additional Information and Regulations
Chief Arbiter: Derrick Walker
Tournament Director: David Lightfoot
With the exception of the local unrated tournament the below rules apply to all events.
All games will be played in accordance with the FIDE Laws of Chess.
The rate of play for all sections is 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. All games will be both ECF and FIDE rated.
Players may take up to two byes per event, excluding the final round.
Where possible, players who finish within 30 minutes of the next round will be given at least a 30-minute break before their next game.
For tournament rating purposes, ratings will be used in the following order until a valid rating is found:
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ECF Standardplay Rating, October 2026, categories A to P
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FIDE Standardplay Rating, October 2026
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ECF Rapidplay Rating, October 2026, categories A to K
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FIDE Rapidplay Rating, October 2026
Where available, a FIDE Standardplay rating will replace an ECF P rating.
Players without a rating shall have one determined for them by the tournament director using reasonable methods such as online rating or any other available chess rating. If this is not possible then the player must play in the Open section.
Weather
The Isle of Wight is often one of the warmer parts of the UK, but this is still November, so sunshine cannot be guaranteed. Expect some bright days, some rain, and plenty of good excuses to enjoy the local pubs, cafés and restaurants when you are not playing.
Travel
We strongly recommend travelling by train and ferry, which is usually cheaper and easier than bringing a car.
Recommended route:
Train to Portsmouth Harbour
Wightlink FastCat ferry to Ryde, around 22 minutes
Train or bus from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin, around £3
Walk from Shanklin station to the hotel, around 10 minutes
We expect to secure ferry discounts from local operators and are awaiting confirmation. If travelling by car, the hotel is be able to book ferry travel for you at around a 30% discount. Please ask them when booking your stay. Car ferry return travel is usually around £90 to £120 after discount and can take up to seven passengers.
Hotel parking is reserved for playing guests staying at the venue and has around 30 spaces. There is also free on-street parking nearby, and paid car parks within a ten-minute walk.
For elderly players travelling on foot, please contact us before booking and we will try to arrange a local player car pool from the ferry to the venue for £10. If there is enough demand, we will look to arrange a minibus at set times on arrival day. Local taxis are also available for around £25.
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.
Prizes will be shared equally based on points. Tie-break will determine x1 Rating prize winner.
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)
There are no prizes currently available for the My First Tournament Unrated section.
Entries to date:
Weekday
Open
(5) - 1st Place £125
FM Dickenson, Neil - TR 2271
Homer, Stephen J - TR 2029
Punnett, Alan K - TR 1960
Westcott, Dale - TR 1825
Marriner, Samson - TR TBC
U1900
(9) - 1st Place £45
Lekoudis, George - TR 1821 ECF
Heatman, Jordan - TR 1797 FIDE
Sturt, Charles A - TR 1761 ECF
Walker, Elmira - TR 1715
McClatchey, Rob - TR 1688 ECF
Singhal, Saket - TR 1666 ECF
Waldock, Adrian DP - TR 1643 ECF
Freund, Michael - TR 1616 ECF
Seymour, Paul - TR 1609 ECF
U1600
(3) - 1st Place £15
Merikallio, Pete - TR 1302 ECF
Richardson, Steve - TR 1400 TBC
Ash, Martin - TR TBC
Weekend Congress
Open
(7) - 1st Place £35
Homer, Stephen J - TR 2029 ECF
Punnett, Alan K - TR 1960
Best, Francis - TR 1893
Westcott, Dale - TR 1825 ECF
Heatman, Jordan - TR 1797 FIDE
Moore, John J - TR 1576 ECF
Ash, Martin - TR TBC
U1900
(5) - 1st Place £25
Lekoudis, George - TR 1821 ECF
Walker, Elmira - TR 1715
Waldock, Adrian DP - TR 1643 ECF
Seymour, Paul - TR 1609 ECF
Coles, Rob - TR 1592 ECF
U1600
(6) - 1st Place £30
Williams, Dave - TR 1412 ECF
Markey, Kevin D - TR 1430 ECF
Shepherd, Robeena - TR 1346 ECF
Richardson, Steve - TR 1400 TBC
Merikallio, Pete - TR 1302 ECF
Johnson, Mark - TR 1050P TBC
My First Tournament
Round 1: 10:00, Saturday 14th November
Round 2: 15:00, Saturday 14th November 2026
Round 3: 10:00, Sunday 15th November 2026
Round 4: 15:00, Sunday 15th November 2026
No entries yet.
Come enjoy your first taste of classical tournament chess!
