Ulster Championships 2026

Dates & Times:

3 day bank holiday weekend event

Saturday August 29

Sunday August 30

Monday August 31

Check-in / Entry fee payments:

9:15am to 9:45am

Round 1: 10am

Round 2:  3pm

Round 3: 10am

Round 4:  3pm

Round 5: 10am

Round 6:  3pm

Sections: subject to change and to be confirmed at the start of the tournament.

Senior (Over 1800)

Intermediate (1800>)

90 minutes + 30 second increment. Recording of moves is compulsory for entire duration of game.

Rules:

Mobile phones must be switched off and placed beside you on the table in the playing hall. If a phone makes a noise you will be warned and your opponent will be awarded 2 mins. If it happens a second time, you will lose the game.

Default time for absent players is 30 minutes.  For each round, all players should be seated 5 minutes before start time to listen to announcements.

Tie Break order: Buchholz, Progressive, TPR Mixed.

To win a perpetual cup in any of the sections, the player must have lived in one of the 9 counties of Ulster for at least 12 months.

Entry Fees:

Late entry fee is £30 on the day + annual UCU fee for the 2026/2027 season

The combined entry fees for early entrants:

£55 for adults

(30 tournament fee + 25 UCU membership)

£45 for adults with ICU membership

(30 tournament fee + 15 UCU membership)

£40 for Under 18s

(30 tournament fee + 10 UCU membership)

The UCU fees that each player pays at check-in will cover players to 31 August 2027.

Please note all players living in Northern Ireland must pay their UCU fee on top of entry fee on the morning of the tournament. The option to defer UCU annual payment (to be collected by the local clubs later in the season) is no longer permissible.

Fees can be payable in advance or in cash on the day.

Organiser and Arbiter: Chris Dorrian

Registration deadline:

12 noon on Wednesday 26 August 2026