Bristol Chess Congress Information

Ratings & ECF Membership

Allocation of Ratings

The latest ratings (March 2025) published by FIDE will be used for the Open and Boniface (U1950) Sections. The latest ratings published by ECF (March 2025) will be used for the Gammon (U1750) and Foundation (U1550) Sections and unrated players in the FIDE rated section.

Players without a current FIDE or ECF rating must give details of estimated playing strength (e.g. evidence of recent results), including any previously held grading, or current grading from another body.

Ungraded or unrated players may not win a grading/rating prize and, apart from the FIDE Open, may only win a third of any other prize.

ECF Membership

In the ALL Sections there is a pay to play fee of £15.00 for players who are not ECF Gold or Platinum members regardless of their FIDE affiliation.

Tournament Rating

The tournament will be submitted to FIDE for international rating and the English Chess Federation (ECF) for national rating. It is a condition of playing in the Bristol Congress that the data submitted at the time of entry will be forwarded to FIDE and the ECF, as required to enable the games to be rated by FIDE and the ECF.

Obtaining a FIDE Identification Number

All Open & Boniface sections entrants must have a FIDE Identification Number at the time of submitting their entry.

If you are a member of the ECF and require a FIDE ID please check information here.