54th Glasgow Chess Congress

 27th-29th March 2026 

WOODSIDE HALLS
36 Glenfarg Street, Glasgow, G20 7QE 

The Glasgow Chess League is delighted to announce that this year’s congress will be held at the Woodside Halls, on 27th-29th March 2026. 

Alistair Maxwell is the Tournament Director and Chief Arbiter. Enquiries regarding the Congress and event entries should be made directly to Alistair Maxwell email: alistair.maxwell34@gmail.com or mobile 07790 021618

Entries are limited to 200 players maximum. 
NB - grading eligibility for entry to the Major and Minor will be based on CS Live Grades.

Time Controls

All moves in 90 minutes, with 30 second increments from move 1. 
 

Prizegiving will be held immediately after round 5 has concluded. 
Half point Byes are available in rounds 1 to 4 only. Please request when entering. 
 

Entry Fees

CS Member Please claim the "CS member discount £3" by selecting the "Yes" option in the entry form. You can join Chess Scotland or renew membership here.
Junior A Junior discount of £5 is available to players aged under 17 at the start date of the congress. Please click the "Junior" option in the entry form. 
Refund Policy Players withdrawing prior to the opening day of the congress may do so with a refund, less a £10 administration fee. 
 

Prizes

The Glasgow Congress Organising Committee reserves the right to alter prize money if less than 100 players enter the congress. In the previous year we were able to enhance the prize fund by 30% due to the strength of entries.
 

FIDE Identification Number (FIN)

The Ken Stewart Open is a FIDE rated event so all players must already have a FIDE ID (FIN = Fide Identification Number) or make an application to be FIDE registered in time for the event. Chess Scotland can register players who are eligible for a Scotland (SCO) listing – eligibility rules here. Search FIDE player database here.

Please read the notes on eligibility at the above link, complete the application form on the Chess Scotland website and send to the Chess Scotland Rating Officer. 
 

Ratings/Gradings

Entry section: based on 1st March 2026 lists, or current list after this date. 
Initial ranking: based on lists at the start of the tournament
For players who do not appear in the standard list, other lists may be used at the discretion of the organisers. Ungraded players must provide evidence for the organisers to assess their playing strength and any previous known grade must be declared. 
Seedings for the Open and Major will be determined by CS Live ratings. Where a player does not have a CS rating their FIDE rating will be used.
 

Conditions of entry

The organisers reserve the right to:
• Increase or decrease prize money.
• Transfer entrants between events.
• Split or merge events depending on numbers.
• Withhold prizes from ungraded players if they play in events below their known strength.
• Distribute the prize fund as they deem appropriate.
• The organisers reserve the right to refuse entry without assigning a reason.
• Take any other measures deemed necessary to ensure the smooth running of the congress.
• Spectators, and players who have finished their game, are not allowed in the playing hall and may asked to leave the playing hall. 
 

Parking/Getting to the venue

Bus 

The nearest bus stops are located on Windsor Terrace, just a 2-minute walk from Woodside Hall, serving the M3 route. Additionally, the Clarendon Street bus stop, also a 2-minute walk away, serves the 60, 60A, 61, and N60 routes.

Subway

The closest subway station is St George's Cross situated on Great Western Road (G4 9AH), approximately 4 minutes’ walk from Woodside Hall. This station is not step-free or wheelchair accessible. It has two flights of stairs or escalators and no lift. The journey from the station is step-free but can be steep and windy in places.

Drive 
There is on-street parking directly outside the venue on Glenfarg St.