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2026 Coast Open Chess Championship

July 3 - July 5

Registration and Payments.

  • All players wishing to participate are required to register no later than 8pm on the Wednesday 1st July 2026
    (registration deadline). The deadline will be adhered to and no extension to the same will be done.
  • The registrations must be done by all players/ coaches/ Institutions/ clubs/ teams through the
    Lighthouse Chess Club events portal.
  •  Link: Link will be provided on the website http://www.lighthousechesclub.com\
  • Enquires can be done through email: mailto:info@lighthousechessclub.com
  • Where registrations are emailed, they must include the players surname/s, first name/s, FIDE ID number, FIDE rating, FIDE title of each player in a team.
  • Payment of the registration fees should be done through Mpesa Buy Goods and Services till number 970198 and fill in registration on website portal
  • Players will not be paired until their full payment obligations have been fulfilled.

Entry Fee

  • Corporates – Ksh 3,000/- per player
  • 3.1.2 Open & Ladies – Ksh 2,000/- per player
  • 3.1.3 Juniors – Ksh 1,000/- per player.

Travel and accommodation

Participating institutions are responsible for their own travel arrangements and accommodation.

Playing Schedule

Date Activity Time
Friday, 3rd July 2026 Opening Ceremony 09:00 Hrs
Friday, 3rd July 2026 Round 1 09:30 Hrs
Friday, 3rd July 2026 Lunch 13:30 Hrs
Friday, 3rd July 2026 Round 2 14:30 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 3 08:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Lunch 12:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 4 13:00 Hrs
Sunday, 5th July 2026 Round 5 08:00 Hrs
Sunday, 5th July 2026 Round 6 13:00 Hrs
Sunday, 5th July 2026 Lunch 12:00 Hrs
Sunday, 5th July 2026 Prize Giving 17:00 Hrs

The Junior tournament is scheduled to be played over a period of 1 days

Date Activity Time
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Opening Ceremony 08:30 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 1 09:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 2 10:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 3 11:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 4 12:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Lunch 13:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 5 14:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Round 6 15:00 Hrs
Saturday, 4th July 2026 Prize Giving 16:00 Hrs

 

Rules and Regulations

  • The tournament is open to all chess players and it will be FIDE rated.
  • It will be run according to the Swiss Pairing System over a total of 6 rounds. The tournament will be played according to rating sections.
  • The Open section will be the category that all players can play.
  • Under 1700 section will be the category for players with 1700 FIDE rating and below.
  • The Junior section will be the category for players who are 18 years or younger (players born on or after 2008).
  • The time control for the Open and U1700 games is 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move.
  • The time control for the Junior games is 25 minutes per player.
  • No draw offers will be allowed before Black has completed his 30th move.
  • Default time will be 30 minutes.
  • FIDE regulations will apply as per the FIDE Handbook.
  • Except with the permission of the Chief Arbiter, only the players, the captains, the principals and stewards (-ess) are allowed in the playing area.
  • The players and the captains are not permitted to bring into a playing area telephone, technical and other equipment extraneous to play, which may in any way disturb or upset their opponents. The Chief Arbiter decides what constitutes extraneous equipment liable to offend the opponent.
  • During the playing session, a player may leave a playing area only with the permission of the Chief Arbiter.

Prizes and awards

  • The Top 3 Players in the Junior category will be awarded Trophies.
  • Individual prizes will be awarded to the Top 5 players in Open and U1700 categories. There will be special prizes.
Position Open Prizes (KES) Ladies Prizes (KES)
Winner 50,000.00 50,000.00
1st Runner Up 30,000.00 30,000.00
2nd Runner Up 20,000.00 20,000.00
3rd Runner Up 10,000.00 10,000.00
4th Runner Up 5,000.00 5,000.00
Best Veteran 5,000.00 –

 

U1700 CATEGORY PRIZES
Position Prize (KES)
Winner 30,000.00
1st Runner Up 15,000.00
2nd Runner Up 10,000.00
3rd Runner Up 5,000.00
4th Runner Up 3,000.00
Best Lady 5,000.00
Best University Player 5,000.00
Best PWD 5,000.00
Best U1600 5,000.00
Best Junior 5,000.00
Best Unrated 10,000.00

Conditions of Victory

  • The player with the most points in the final standings of the Open, U1800, U1600 and Junior categories is declared the 2026 Coast Open Chess Champion.
  • If two (2) or more players score the same number of points, the tie is broken as follows:
    • Direct encounter (the results of the players in the same point group).
    • Greater number of victories.
    • Buchholz.
    • Sonneborn-Berger.

Chief Arbiter

The Chief Arbiter of the event will be International Arbiter and FIDE Instructor:
IA/FI James Kang’aru Mwangi (FIDE ID:10806245).

Appeals

  • Any protest regarding a decision taken by the Chief Arbiter or any of his assistants must be submitted in written form to the Chairman of the Appeals Committee within 30 minutes after the completion of the respective game.
  • A written protest must be accompanied with the sum of Ksh 2,000/= as a deposit from the signatory. The deposit must be handed to the Chairman of the Appeals Committee. If the appeal is granted, the sum shall be returned immediately. If the appeal is found to be baseless by the Appeals Committee, the deposit will be forfeited to the Tournament kitty.
  • The members of the Appeals Committee will be announced before the start of the first round.

Consent for Photography/Videography during the Chess Tournament.

The organizing committee is committed to ensure privacy and data protection rights of individuals in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act 2019, particularly Regulation 20 and 21 concerning the processing of personal data for visual and audio purposes.

During the chess tournament i n Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa, we may engage in photography and videography activities to capture the chess games and promote scholastic achievements. This documentation may include images and footage of participants, audience and other individuals at the event.

By participating in the tournament, you acknowledge and consent to the following:

Consent for Photography/Videography: You consent to capturing of your image and/or voice during the event.

Purpose of Capture: The captured visual and audio will be used for promotional and educational purposes, showcasing the event’s success and fostering chess enthusiasm within the school and broader community.

No Commercial Use: The captured materials will not be used for any commercial purpose, nor will be sold or transferred to third parties for monetary gain.

Withdrawal of Consent: You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by notifying the event organizers in writing on: info@lighthousechessclub.com

Your participation in the chess tournament implies your understanding and acceptance of the terms outlined in this consent statement. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the use of visual and audio materials, please contact the organizer prior to the event.

Tournament Information Source:2026 Coast Open Chess Championship

Details

  • Start: July 3
  • End: July 5

Organizer

Venue

  • Bliss Resort, Nyali – Mombasa
  • Mombasa, Kenya + Google Map