The 53rd Irish National Club Championship 2026 and The Queen Maeve Cup 2026 will be hosted by Knights of Éanna Chess Club and will take place on the 24th - 26th April 2026 in Coláiste Éanna.
General Information
For questions regarding eligibility, team submissions, or tournament administration, contact: - Tournament Organiser: Sarah Scott - Email: [email protected]
- Analysis Room: A dedicated analysis room will be available for players to review games between rounds.
- Quiet Work Room: A separate quiet area with WIFI is provided for parents, guardians, or accompanying adults who wish to work or read during the event.
- Complimentary Refreshments: Free for all players during play, tea, coffee, and snacks will be available on-site throughout the event.
- Parking: Free on-site parking is available for all participants and visitors.
- Accessibility: Venue is wheelchair accessible and fully compliant with local accessibility regulations.
Accommodation
- Arus Mhuire BnB: 10 Min walk from venue.
- No 9. Rathgar: 10 Min by car/15 Min by Bus
Venue is reachable by 15/15B/15D/74/S8 Dublin Bus routes.
Local Ammentities
- Nearby Restaurants: Buglers Ballyboden House, The Window Box
- Cafés / Quick Bites: The Chatty Fox, Pizza Hut
- Supermarket: SuperValu
53rd Irish National Club Championship
The full rules of the National Club Championship can be found in Appendix A of the constitution of the Irish Chess Union. Found here. The rules as written in this document supersede any information contained within this article. In the case of a discrepency the rules as written in Appendix A take priority. This article serves as general information about the event.
Enter Here.
Dates: Friday 24th April - Sunday 26th April 2026.
Rounds: 5, Swiss Pairings
Time Control: 90+30
Entry Fee: €120 Per Team
Team Composition: Teams are composed of 6 players and 2 substitutes.
Chief Arbiter: FA Ivan Baburin
Entry for the National Club Championship will close at 11:59pm Thursday April 16th. No Refunds after 11:59pm Thursday April 9th.
Round Schedule
| Round | Date | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friday, 24th April | 18:30 |
| 2 | Saturday, 25th April | 11:00 |
| 3 | Saturday, 25th April | 16:00 |
| 4 | Sunday, 26th April | 11:00 |
| 5 | Sunday, 26th April | 16:00 |
Eligibility
As set out in Appendix A, the following eligibility rules apply to entering the National Club Championship. These rules will be strictly enforced. The rules as written in Appendix A take precedence in all cases.
Club Eligibility
- 3. Any Club in Ireland (all 32 counties) which has entered at least one team in an ICU rated provincial league and, prior to the start of the INCC competition, has played at least 3 matches in that league during the year in which the INCC competition is held is entitled to enter a team in the INCC.
Where a club has not participated in a provincial league, the team captain of that club’s team must provide satisfactory evidence to the Tournament Director that the team members in question are members of a “bona fide” chess club in order to be eligible to play in the INCC. In this case, the following applies:
- 3.3 Each of the selected players must have played at least 5 ICU rated games in Ireland in the current season.
3.4 Clubs can draft in up to two players who are rated under 1800 ICU that would not normally qualify under rule 3.1, 3.2. If a player is unrated on the ICU rating list, then their FIDE rating must not exceed 1800.
4. A club may enter only one team in the competition.
Player Eligibility
- 3.1 Each of the players selected to play for the club must have played at least 3 ICU rated games for their club in the provincial league in the last 365 days.
- 3.2 Each of the players selected to play for the club must not have played any games for another club in the same division of the same league in the current season.
Rating Requirement
- 15. On the deadline for receipt of entries, the average rating of the top six players on each team must be at least 1750 based on the latest ICU published rating list. There is no restriction as to the strength of the substitutes.
Clubs are responsible for ensuring all players meet eligibility requirements prior to submission.
Submission of Teams
As set out in Appendix A, team captains must submit their full team before entries close at 11:59pm Thursday April 16th.
Late submissions will incur a €20 late fee.
- 16. Each team captain must submit his or her team before the deadline set for receipt of entries by the Tournament Director and must declare a board order including the order of the substitutes. There is no restriction on how the board order is decided. When entering a team, the captain must also furnish both the ICU code and FIDE ID of each of his or her players. This deadline must be at least 7 days prior to the commencement of the Tournament.
Teams must be submitted by email to the tournament organizer, , and must include:
- Full team list (6 players + up to 2 substitutes)
- Declared board order (Boards 1–6)
- Substitute order
- ICU code for each player
- FIDE ID for each player
- Confirmation that all players are current ICU members
Board Order & Substitutions
- The declared board order is fixed for the duration of the tournament.
- Players must always play in board order.
- Substitutes must play on the lowest available boards.
- Remaining top-six players may not move down the board order if a substitute is used.
- Any additional substitute requires approval from the Tournament Director.
Rating Requirement
- The average rating of the top six players must be at least 1750 based on the latest ICU published rating list at the entry deadline.
- There is no rating restriction on substitutes.
Ineligible Players
- If a club fields an ineligible player, any points scored by that player will be forfeited.
- Any points scored on lower boards in that match will also be forfeited.
Scoring
- Primary scoring is by match points (2 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss).
- In the event of a tie on match points, the following tie-breaks are applied in order:
- Total board points scored
- Sonneborn-Berger for Team Tournaments (sum of the products of the scores made by each opposing team and the score made against that team)
- Sum of opponents’ board points
- The title of National Club Champion cannot be shared.
European Club Cup Qualification
- The top placed teams qualify for the European Club Cup in accordance with ECC regulations.
- If a team declines their place, the next highest placed team is offered the spot.
- Qualifying teams must pay a refundable €300 deposit to secure their place, due 2 months prior to the ECC.
- Deposits are refunded upon return from the ECC.
- Any team failing to pay the deposit in time may have their spot allocated to the next team in order of finish.
Queen Maeve Cup 2026
The Queen Maeve Cup is a side event held alongside the Irish National Club Championship and will take place at the same venue and on the same dates.
This event follows the same tournament structure and playing schedule as the National Club Championship but is operated as a separate competition.
Enter Here.
Dates: Friday 24th April – Sunday 26th April 2026.
Rounds: 5, Swiss Pairings
Time Control: 90+30
Team Composition: Teams are composed of 4 players and up to 1 substitutes.
Chief Arbiter: NA Henry Williams
Entry for the Queen Maeve Cup will close at 11:59pm Thursday April 16th. No refunds after 11:59pm Thursday April 9th.
Eligibility
The eligibility rules of the Irish National Club Championship do not apply to the Queen Maeve Cup.
- Teams are not required to meet National Club Championship qualification criteria.
- Players are not required to have participated in provincial leagues.
- There is no minimum team average rating requirement.
- Players cannot be registered for both the Queen Maeve and the National Club Championship.
All players must: - Be registered members of the Irish Chess Union. - Appear on the ICU rating list valid for the event.
Each club may enter as many teams as they wish.
Round Schedule
| Round | Date | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friday, 24th April | 18:30 |
| 2 | Saturday, 25th April | 11:00 |
| 3 | Saturday, 25th April | 16:00 |
| 4 | Sunday, 26th April | 11:00 |
| 5 | Sunday, 26th April | 16:00 |
Tournament Format
- 5-round Swiss team tournament
- Same schedule and playing conditions as the National Club Championship
- Teams seeded using the latest ICU published ratings
- Event submitted for ICU and FIDE rating
Scoring
- Primary scoring is by match points.
- Tie-breaks will be applied in the following order:
- Board points
- Sonneborn-Berger (Team)
- Sum of opponents’ board points
Submission of Teams
Teams must be submitted before 11:59pm Thursday April 16th via email to:
Submissions must include:
- Full team list (4 players + up to 1 substitutes)
- Declared board order
- Substitute order
- ICU code for each player
- FIDE ID for each player
The declared board order is fixed for the duration of the tournament. Substitutes will always play on the lowest available boards.