2nd Cambridge International Open

[Roger de Coverly]

The ECF have announced details of this.
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/2nd-cam ... ional-open

It's from Monday 19th February to Saturday 24th February 2024, so that's nine rounds in six days. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are single round days. It's back at the University Arms.

There's a minimum rating of 1600, sort of. What it actually says is

Players with a FIDE rating of less than 1600 should not enter until after 15th January 2024, and such entries after this date will be only be accepted if there is space available.

The capacity limit isn't stated. In 2023 they closed the entry some weeks before the event.

[Tim Spanton]

The entry fee is £65, which seems reasonable for an English event (GMs, WGMS and IMs free).
Accommodation at the venue hotel starts at £159 for a "Cosy" room. This is apparently a group rate, reduced from £232 a night (these figures may be approx - while visiting the site the special rate showing near the top of the page increased to £173, but the actual rate seemed to stay at £159).

[Ian Thompson]

Accommodation at the venue hotel starts at £159 for a "Cosy" room. This is apparently a group rate, reduced from £232 a night (these figures may be approx - while visiting the site the special rate showing near the top of the page increased to £173, but the actual rate seemed to stay at £159).

Inadvertent switching between different room types, maybe? I'm seeing group rates of £159 for a Cosy room and £173 for a Classic room.

For those that have them, current points redemption rates are very reasonable compared to the cash price, at only 116,000 points for 6 nights in a Cosy room. They're liable to go up, or become unavailable, if the hotel starts filling up.

[Ian Thompson]

I notice that the Tournament Regulations say "A player who has requested a Half-Point bye may still be given a forced Full Point Bye if they are the lowest scoring player who has not received a Full Point bye previously."

Is that usual? I've never seen it stated before.

[IM Jack Rudd]

It's usual for the current version of the FIDE pairing system, but not for other pairing systems that British players may be used to, so it makes sense to spell it out explicitly.

[ThomasEvans]

Interesting that the rating prize bands are 2000-2200 and 1800-1999 - does that mean the only prizes that U1800 players can win are the overall top 5 places (and the women's for female players)?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Looks like it. The London Chess Classic has used the same demand management tool.

[Ian Jamieson]

Looks like it. The London Chess Classic has used the same demand management tool.

Given this wouldn’t it be more consistent if players with FIDE ratings below 1800 (not 1600) can not enter until later and only if there is space?

[Roger de Coverly]

The London Chess Classic has used the same demand management tool.

The 2023 Cambridge had a capacity limit of 120 so a rating restriction for next year would be understandable. There was criticism of this year's event for advertising Norm opportunities but then failing to ensure enough non-ENG players and players with high enough ratings to make Norms feasible.

I suppose they will be doing rating prizes on W-We. If so an exclusion of players under 1800 lowers the bar for players between 1800 and 1999.

[Roger de Coverly]

Given this wouldn’t it be more consistent if players with FIDE ratings below 1800 (not 1600) can not enter until later and only if there is space?

The Sonas reforms may have taken place by then, but perhaps it's so that juniors with FIDE ratings in the 1600s, but ECF ratings in the 1800s to 2000s can enter.

The English championship by contrast used the higher of ECF and FIDE ratings but applied a minimum of 2000 until shortly before the event when they cut it to 1900.

[Roger de Coverly]

The ECF announcement uses slightly confusing terminology.

It says in the regulations.

Registration Required Yes, (see Section E: Entering for more detail

If you go to Section E it says

Section E: Entering
Players must enter in advance of the Cambridge International Open. This can be done by completing the entry form
on the English Chess Federation website -

Registration is usually used to mean that you are expected to confirm your intention to play to the arbiters in advance of the first round. Whilst common elsewhere it's never really been a part of the British tournament scene. Entering beforehand, rather than on the day is now completely normal.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Registration is usually used to mean that you are expected to confirm your intention to play to the arbiters in advance of the first round."

Yes - when I played in Krakow, they explained (in good English) that you had to go to the venue the day before, or on the day but several hours before the tournament started, to say, "I am here". Over here, we seem to assume that if people enter, they will turn up, which is why round 1 is frequently chaotic.

There should be a clear distinction between "entry" and "registration".

[Roger de Coverly]

Just noticed on chess-results, that it's got 40 entries already. Top seeds so far are Adams and Fernandez.

[Tim Spanton]

Just noticed on chess-results, that it's got 40 entries already. Top seeds so far are Adams and Fernandez.

Thanks Roger - I've been checking the website for entries; should've gone straight to chess-results.com

[Mick Norris]

chess results

Ameet Ghasi & Shreyas Royal playing