National youth chess finals with five age categories, the culmination of the English Chess Olympiad qualifying tour.
The EJCOA National Youth Finals are coming to Nottingham High School on Friday 2 July 2027, and if you've been following the youth chess scene this year, this is the one you've been waiting for. It's the culmination of the English Chess Olympiad qualifying tour, so it's where the season's run of qualifiers finally comes together in one place.
There are five age categories to keep track of: under-8, under-10, under-12, under-14, and a combined under-16 to under-20 section. That means there are five different titles up for grabs on the same day, with the youngest players and the older teens all competing for their respective championships. If you've got kids playing in the qualifiers, this is the business end of the whole thing.
The format is a five-round Swiss, which is standard for this kind of tournament: you're paired against players with similar scores as the day goes on, so the top boards start to separate themselves by the final round. The time control is 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move, which keeps the games moving and puts a bit of a clock on the decision-making. It's fast enough that things can get tense, but with enough of a buffer to let the better players work through their lines.
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It's all taking place at Nottingham High School on Waverley Mount, so it's right here in the city. If you're heading in, just keep in mind it's a single-day event on 2 July, with five rounds to get through, so it'll be a full day of chess from start to finish.
