61st Southend Congress
61st Southend Congress
Play started this morning in the 61st Southend Congress, at Southend Adult Community College, Ambleside Drive.
Entries are one up on last year at 124, with 67 competing in the FIDE Open, supported by four ECF graded sections. For the first time, all sections are now 7 rounds, but players who would prefer five rounds as of old for the grading-limited sections (the "Weekenders"), may take up to two half point byes before the last round.
Another new departure is Live Games on the website, the top three boards in the Open being broadcast on the Congress website - find the link below.
Top seed in the Open is GM Timur Gareyev, who recently broke the world record for simultaneous blindfold chess.