Junior Tournament Choice
There are some parts of the UK where tournaments occur so rarely that choice is not really a factor: if you want to play, take any opportunity that presents itself. In other parts, there is much more competition.
For parents of juniors entering a UK chess tournament for the first time, they will probably be looking for a junior tournament with an appropriate age category.
Fortunately, there is a range around the year: from January and into the spring, EJCOA begins its "zonals" - qualifying tournaments for entry to the final in Nottingham in July. These are generally appropriate tournaments for kids who are new to the chess scene. The organisation and arbitration are very diverse so experiences can vary depending on who has organised and/or run the event.
From late spring through to October, the various stages of the UK Chess Challenge take place. With a greater number of stages and a final taking place at Blenheim Palace, this is a prestigious competition and the earliest stages (Megafinals) can be very competitive although regional differences mean the chances of qualification (to a Gigafinal) for a relative newcomer vary widely.
The other main junior tournament is the London Junior Chess Competition. Qualifying tournaments for this prestigious event are held well beyond the capital itself. Qualification is very possible and the finals are held in London (generally at the Harrow campus of the University of Westminster) in mid to late December.
As well as these three big national tournaments, there is the British Chess Championships in the summer. While not really recommended for kids just starting out, the British does offer sectioned tournaments (organised by rating, rather than age) so there is the opportunity for those with some experience under their belt to do well in a lower section.
Beyond these four big nationwide individual events, for primary-age children, there is the opportunity to take part in an EPSCA team event. One route is through your school in the National Primary Schools' Championships, and the other through your county in the Inter-Association Championships. At the secondary level, there are team events such as the National Youth Chess Association Championships.
There will be many other junior events that are not related to any of the above competitions, many organised by schools or local chess clubs. Additionally, there will be many mixed (adult and junior) rapid-play events around the country which have sections organised by rating, rather than age. These are a great way to gauge a child's ability (many children are underrated so playing adults helps indicate current potential better).
As the child grows into chess, they may want to take part in longer-format games and there are around 75 weekend tournaments per year in the UK which offer standard-play chess. See our map for the location, time of year and details of these congresses.
The best chess experience is probably achieved by mixing up the types of chess events and the locations so that kids can get a sense of how much the UK chess scene has to offer.
