ILFORD CONGRESS

The first Congress was organised by Ilford Chess Club in May 1950 to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary. Taken over by the Essex Chess Association in 1951, our annual event has continued without a break ever since.

Having had a stable location in Ilford for its first 28 years, the Congress moved around the County for the next 19 years, before returning to its roots. Here are the dates and locations:

1950-1977  Ilford County High School for Girls, Gants Hill (28 years) *
1978-1982  Wanstead Sports Centre (5)
1983-1992   Coopers School, Upminster (10)
1993-1995   Barking Abbey School, Barking (3)
1996-1999   Woodlands School, Basildon (4)
2000-2001   Valentines High School, Gants Hill (2) *
2002-date    Redbridge Institute, Gants Hill (8 and counting)

* same building even if the school has changed in some ways.

For many years, when the Congress was held at the Ilford County High School for Girls, Gants Hill, the congress was organised in all-play-all sections of six players. The top section, the Premier, was an invitation event and was always played in a roped-off area in the centre of the main playing hall. Below that, there would be the 'Premier Reserves' sections, perhaps A and B, and the Major sections, at least seven of those - the Webmaster has record of having played in Major 'G' in 1966 - and Junior sections. All were groups of six, all-play-all. The first round was played on the Friday evening, two rounds on Saturday, followed by Round 4 on Sunday and Round 5 on Bank Holiday Monday.

From 1968 the Swiss pairing system was adopted with fewer, larger, tournaments and six rounds instead of five, as we know it today.