40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, 4-5 February 2017
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:52 pm
You are invited to the 40th annual Kidlington Chess Tournament, which will be held on Saturday & Sunday 4 & 5 February 2017 at our regular venue, Exeter Hall, Kidlington OX5 1AB.
Kidlington is a very well-established event in the English tournament calendar with a seasoned team of experienced controllers and a friendly atmosphere. We also have an excellent bookstall provided by Chess Direct (http://www.chessdirect.co.uk/), and a fine range of refreshments provided by Hackett’s Food & Drink of Witney (http://www.hackettsgroup.co.uk/).
Kidlington is not only an ECF Tradewise Grand Prix event, but is also again in 2017 a British Championship Qualifying Tournament, with the winner of the top section (or, if he/she is already qualified, the next-highest-placed eligible player) qualifying for a place in the 2017 British Chess Championship to be held in Llandudno from 28th July – 6th August 2017.
In this, our landmark 40th year, the congress is again a five-round tournament divided into four sections. But we are making a few changes.
First, although the Under-120, Under-145, and Under-180 sections remain the same as last year, the top section will now be an Open section, rather than having a grading cap of 225. The total prize fund has increased to £1970, with an Under-90 grading prize added in the Under-120 section.
Secondly, we are (at last) in the process of setting up a facility to make online entry to the tournament an option for those who would find that a more convenient way to enter. That option will be ready in the next few weeks, and will be notified on the Kidlington Chess Tournament website. Of course, those who prefer to use the longstanding method of posting their entry form with a cheque are welcome to continue with that!
Another change will be of particular interest to local players. With the approval of the Oxfordshire Chess Association, the Oxfordshire Individual Chess Championship is being revived, with the title and trophy going to the eligible player with the highest combined score in the Open sections of the two weekend congresses held in the county during the season, namely, the Witney Chess Congress (held recently on 22 & 23 October) and the Kidlington Chess Tournament on the first weekend in February.
Finally, for players from the London area, the recent opening of Oxford Parkway Rail Station should enable many chessplayers to travel to the venue more easily. Despite the station name, Oxford Parkway is only just outside Kidlington to the south, and with its fast (about an hour's journey) and frequent service from and to London Marylebone and a good service between the station and the playing venue, Exeter Hall (an approximately 10-minute journey by bus), it should make the journey swifter and more practical, and even avoid the necessity of staying over on Saturday night in the Oxford/Kidlington area.
for further details of the event, we invite you to visit our tournament website at https://www.kidlingtonchess.org.uk, where you can view or download our entry form.
We look forward to welcoming to Kidlington in February not only old friends but also new entrants in this our 40th year. Do come and join us!
Gerard O'Reilly
Kidlington is a very well-established event in the English tournament calendar with a seasoned team of experienced controllers and a friendly atmosphere. We also have an excellent bookstall provided by Chess Direct (http://www.chessdirect.co.uk/), and a fine range of refreshments provided by Hackett’s Food & Drink of Witney (http://www.hackettsgroup.co.uk/).
Kidlington is not only an ECF Tradewise Grand Prix event, but is also again in 2017 a British Championship Qualifying Tournament, with the winner of the top section (or, if he/she is already qualified, the next-highest-placed eligible player) qualifying for a place in the 2017 British Chess Championship to be held in Llandudno from 28th July – 6th August 2017.
In this, our landmark 40th year, the congress is again a five-round tournament divided into four sections. But we are making a few changes.
First, although the Under-120, Under-145, and Under-180 sections remain the same as last year, the top section will now be an Open section, rather than having a grading cap of 225. The total prize fund has increased to £1970, with an Under-90 grading prize added in the Under-120 section.
Secondly, we are (at last) in the process of setting up a facility to make online entry to the tournament an option for those who would find that a more convenient way to enter. That option will be ready in the next few weeks, and will be notified on the Kidlington Chess Tournament website. Of course, those who prefer to use the longstanding method of posting their entry form with a cheque are welcome to continue with that!
Another change will be of particular interest to local players. With the approval of the Oxfordshire Chess Association, the Oxfordshire Individual Chess Championship is being revived, with the title and trophy going to the eligible player with the highest combined score in the Open sections of the two weekend congresses held in the county during the season, namely, the Witney Chess Congress (held recently on 22 & 23 October) and the Kidlington Chess Tournament on the first weekend in February.
Finally, for players from the London area, the recent opening of Oxford Parkway Rail Station should enable many chessplayers to travel to the venue more easily. Despite the station name, Oxford Parkway is only just outside Kidlington to the south, and with its fast (about an hour's journey) and frequent service from and to London Marylebone and a good service between the station and the playing venue, Exeter Hall (an approximately 10-minute journey by bus), it should make the journey swifter and more practical, and even avoid the necessity of staying over on Saturday night in the Oxford/Kidlington area.
for further details of the event, we invite you to visit our tournament website at https://www.kidlingtonchess.org.uk, where you can view or download our entry form.
We look forward to welcoming to Kidlington in February not only old friends but also new entrants in this our 40th year. Do come and join us!
Gerard O'Reilly