49th Blackpool Chess Conference 13-15 February 2026 - Major
Open SwissStandard
70 players participated in this 5-round tournament, held from 13 Feb 2026 to 15 Feb 2026 in Blackpool, England. 7 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 2020, and top seed was Jack Erskine-Pereira (🇬🇧 ENG, 2040).
Charlie Pearson (🇬🇧 ENG, 1829) won with 4.5/5, ahead of John P Wareing (4.0) and Edouardos Ter Gevorkian (4.0). Pearson clinched sole first place in the final round.
The biggest upset came in round 2: Henry Burton (1526) beat Neil Irving (1926), a +400-point gap.
Location
🇬🇧Blackpool, England
Dates
13 Feb 2026 → 15 Feb 2026
Time control
Standard: 110 minutes for game with 10 sec increment from move 1
System
Swiss · 5 rounds
Federations · 7 represented
🇬🇧England×58
🇬🇧Scotland×5
🇮🇲Unknown (IOM)×2
🇬🇷Greece×2
🇭🇰Hong Kong China×1
🇬🇧Wales×1
🇺🇿Uzbekistan×1
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 5 roundsCharlie Pearson led from R5; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.
Co-leaders
23
8
3
1
1
Pearson4.5Ter Gevorkian4McKiernan4Erskine-Pereira4Wareing4Sosinski3.5— ex-leaders:Wareingled R4, #7Pearsonled R5, #11
R5 · LEADER CHANGE15 Feb
Charlie Pearson takes the sole lead (4.5/5).
WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers
Charlie Pearson 4 wins (R2–R5)Edouardos Ter Gevorkian 3 wins (R1–R3)James McKiernan 3 wins (R1–R3)
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pearson, Charlie | 1829 | ENG | =25B | +20N | +22B | +43N | +6B | 4.5 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 12.75 | 2730 | +82.8 |
| 2 | Wareing, John P | 2005 | ENG | +13N | +41B | +12N | +3B | −5N | 4.0 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 12.00 | 2064 | +14.2 |
| 3 | Ter Gevorkian, Edouardos | 2038 | GRE | +68B | +29N | +11B | −2N | +19B | 4.0 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 9.00 | 2143 | +33.4 |
| 4 | McKiernan, James | 1931 | ENG | +40B | +42N | +24B | −6N | +14B | 4.0 | 11.0 | 13.0 | 9.50 | 2074 | +46.4 |
| 5 | Erskine-Pereira, Jack | 2040 | ENG | F | +52N | +18B | +35N | +2B | 4.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.00 | 2692 | +30.8 |
| 6 | Fyson, Max | 2007 | ENG | +54N | +7B | =26N | +4B | −1N | 3.5 | 14.5 | 16.0 | 10.25 | 2012 | +22.0 |
| 7 | Jelfs, Alan | 1913 | SCO | +64N | −6N | =16B | +50B | +25N | 3.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 6.50 | 1818 | -6.6 |
| 8 | Sosinski, Jakub | 1863 | ENG | −27N | +53B | +49N | +28B | =9N | 3.5 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 7.25 | 1876 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Rothwell, James P | 1891 | ENG | +62B | −26N | +63B | +24N | =8B | 3.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 6.25 | 2562 | +50.4 |
| 10 | Shaw, Kevin F | 1874 | ENG | +70B | −11N | +51B | =27N | +43B | 3.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 4.75 | 1959 | +31.2 |
| 11 | Newton, Robert A | 1947 | ENG | +65N | +10B | −3N | =13B | =12N | 3.0 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 7.50 | 1837 | -2.8 |
| 12 | Parker, Michael L | 1825 | ENG | +21N | +31B | −2B | =29N | =11B | 3.0 | 12.5 | 15.0 | 8.25 | 1931 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Millar, Greg F | 1858 | ENG | −2B | +45N | +37B | =11N | =35B | 3.0 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 7.25 | 1935 | +31.2 |
| 14 | Cukovs, Oleg | 1887 | ENG | +51N | =28B | +32N | =15B | −4N | 3.0 | 12.0 | 13.5 | 6.75 | 1900 | +4.8 |
| 15 | Wilson, Kevin J | 1950 | ENG | +16B | =30N | =27B | =14N | =17B | 3.0 | 11.5 | 14.0 | 8.50 | 1959 | +10.8 |
| 16 | Maheshwari, Shlok | 1819 | ENG | −15N | +61B | =7N | +47B | =18B | 3.0 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 6.25 | 1865 | +32.8 |
| 17 | Green, Tom D A | 1856 | ENG | −26B | +62N | +31N | =32B | =15N | 3.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 6.25 | 1957 | +5.6 |
| 18 | Bahtiyorova, Nodirabegim | 1927 | UZB | +33N | =60B | −5N | +67B | =16N | 3.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 5.50 | 1893 | +9.2 |
| 19 | Ofeni, Joel | 1861 | ENG | +57B | F | +25N | +26B | −3N | 3.0 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 6.50 | 1849 | +0.8 |
| 20 | Hymer, Barry | 2007 | ENG | F | −1B | +44N | +60B | +29N | 3.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 5.50 | 2052 | +7.4 |
| 21 | Zabrocki, Philip | 1969 | ENG | −12B | =33N | +59B | +46N | =41B | 3.0 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 5.25 | 1982 | +1.0 |
| 22 | Evans, Paul | 1969 | ENG | F | +66B | −1N | +54B | +30N | 3.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 5.00 | 1743 | 0.0 |
| 23 | McMenamin, Danny | 1913 | ENG | +59B | −24N | +65B | =30N | =27B | 3.0 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 4.50 | 1883 | +5.6 |
| 24 | Batchelor, Francis | 2031 | ENG | +38N | +23B | −4N | −9B | =31N | 2.5 | 13.0 | 15.5 | 6.75 | 1851 | -9.2 |
| 25 | Gaskell, Stephen | 1984 | ENG | =1N | +44B | −19B | +42N | −7B | 2.5 | 13.0 | 15.0 | 6.25 | 1817 | 0.0 |
| 26 | Smith, Jonathan M | 1990 | ENG | +17N | +9B | =6B | −19N | F | 2.5 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 8.25 | 1892 | 0.0 |
| 27 | Patel, Devan | 2024 | ENG | +8B | F | =15N | =10B | =23N | 2.5 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 8.25 | 1840 | -7.4 |
| 28 | Jaszkiwskyj, Peter | 1996 | ENG | +48B | =14N | =30B | −8N | =36B | 2.5 | 11.5 | 13.5 | 6.00 | 1938 | +2.0 |
| 29 | Boumphrey, Luke S | 1899 | ENG | +53N | −3B | +55N | =12B | −20B | 2.5 | 11.5 | 13.0 | 4.50 | 1818 | -13.8 |
| 30 | Taylor, Philip | 1884 | ENG | +61N | =15B | =28N | =23B | −22B | 2.5 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 5.25 | 1823 | 0.0 |
| 31 | Vout, Tom | 1926 | ENG | +69B | −12N | −17B | +45N | =24B | 2.5 | 10.5 | 11.0 | 3.75 | 1848 | 0.0 |
| 32 | Fabri, Henrik | 2024 | IOM | F | +36N | −14B | =17N | +40B | 2.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 6.00 | 1945 | +0.4 |
| 33 | Nield, Christopher | 1803 | SCO | −18B | =21B | −34N | +68N | +52B | 2.5 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 3.50 | 1913 | +20.2 |
| 34 | Siu, Kam Wa | 2008 | HKG | −42B | =40N | +33B | =36N | =39B | 2.5 | 9.5 | 11.5 | 6.00 | 1817 | -14.6 |
| 35 | McCarthy, Damian | 1965 | ENG | F | +67B | +50N | −5B | =13N | 2.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 4.00 | 1858 | -2.4 |
| 36 | Taylor, John Paul | 1839 | ENG | =49N | −32B | +58N | =34B | =28N | 2.5 | 9.0 | 10.5 | 4.75 | 1843 | -4.2 |
| 37 | Ter-gevorkian, Aram | 1952 | GRE | =44N | =55B | −13N | +64B | =38N | 2.5 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 4.00 | 1783 | -16.2 |
| 38 | Wheeler, James M | 1855 | ENG | −24B | =59N | =40B | +63N | =37B | 2.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 3.75 | 1811 | -4.8 |
| 39 | Irving, Neil | 1926 | SCO | =56N | −50B | =64N | +66B | =34N | 2.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 3.50 | 1718 | -24.4 |
| 40 | Rutlidge, Clifford | 1814 | ENG | −4N | =34B | =38N | +61B | −32N | 2.0 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 3.50 | 1765 | +6.4 |
| 41 | Adam, Michael | 1902 | SCO | +45B | −2N | =46B | F | =21N | 2.0 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 4.50 | 1843 | +4.0 |
| 42 | Lambton, David | 1858 | ENG | +34N | −4B | =47N | −25B | =55N | 2.0 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 4.25 | 1834 | +10.8 |
| 43 | Bolt, Graham | 1977 | ENG | F | +56B | +60N | −1B | −10N | 2.0 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 2.50 | 1815 | -9.8 |
| 44 | Williams, David | 1821 | ENG | =37B | −25N | −20B | +59N | =49B | 2.0 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 3.00 | 1892 | +24.0 |
| 45 | Walentowicz, Stefan | 1736 | ENG | −41N | −13B | +53N | −31B | +61N | 2.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 2.50 | 1717 | -0.4 |
| 46 | Reaney, Conor | 1802 | ENG | =47N | =49B | =41N | −21B | =60N | 2.0 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 3.25 | 1790 | +6.4 |
| 47 | Grimley, Matthew | 1903 | ENG | =46B | =63N | =42B | −16N | =65B | 2.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 3.00 | 1660 | -23.2 |
| 48 | Saxena, Samidh | 1858 | ENG | −28N | −51B | =56N | +58B | =62N | 2.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 2.75 | 1734 | +7.2 |
| 49 | Hilditch-Love, Daniel | 1986 | ENG | =36B | =46N | −8B | F | =44N | 1.5 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 3.25 | 1809 | -8.4 |
| 50 | Burton, Henry | 1526 | WLS | F | +39N | −35B | −7N | =53B | 1.5 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 3.25 | 1754 | +33.6 |
| 51 | Lloyd, Derek | 1624 | ENG | −14B | +48N | −10N | =56B | F | 1.5 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 2.75 | 1692 | 0.0 |
| 52 | Darwen, David | 1893 | ENG | =58N | −5B | =66N | =55B | −33N | 1.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 2.00 | 1600 | -73.6 |
| 53 | Marsh, Aram | 1742 | ENG | −29B | −8N | −45B | +69N | =50N | 1.5 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 1.25 | 1662 | -1.2 |
| 54 | McLoughlin, Finbar | 1875 | ENG | −6B | +69N | =57B | −22N | F | 1.5 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 1.25 | 1833 | +19.6 |
| 55 | Bowman, Richard L | 1739 | ENG | F | =37N | −29B | =52N | =42B | 1.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 3.00 | 1796 | +2.6 |
| 56 | Leigh, Dominic | 1780 | ENG | =39B | −43N | =48B | =51N | F | 1.5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 3.00 | 1717 | -2.6 |
| 57 | Bartlett, Joel | 2020 | ENG | −19N | +58B | =54N | F | F | 1.5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 2.25 | 1708 | -16.8 |
| 58 | Roychowdhury, Aashita | 1719 | ENG | =52B | −57N | −36B | −48N | +68B | 1.5 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 1.25 | 1692 | +23.2 |
| 59 | Miah, Zahed | 1783 | IOM | −23N | =38B | −21N | −44B | =69N | 1.0 | 10.5 | 11.0 | 1.50 | 1605 | -27.6 |
| 60 | Seery, Philip T | 1876 | ENG | F | =18N | −43B | −20N | =46B | 1.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 2.50 | 1684 | -47.6 |
| 61 | Skurko, Victor | 1564 | ENG | −30B | −16N | +69B | −40N | −45B | 1.0 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 0.50 | 1551 | -6.4 |
| 62 | Simpson, Derek | 1642 | ENG | −9N | −17B | F | =65N | =48B | 1.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 1.50 | 1541 | -10.8 |
| 63 | Banerjee, Sanjoy K | 1692 | ENG | F | =47B | −9N | −38B | =66N | 1.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 1.50 | 1583 | -11.6 |
| 64 | Bhaduri, Aviraj | 1758 | ENG | −7B | =68N | =39B | −37N | F | 1.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 1.50 | 1718 | +2.8 |
| 65 | Westfield, Francis | 1815 | ENG | −11B | F | −23N | =62B | =47N | 1.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 1.50 | 1603 | 0.0 |
| 66 | Sinclair, Colin | 1772 | ENG | F | −22N | =52B | −39N | =63B | 1.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 1.25 | 1709 | +4.8 |
| 67 | Hanlon, Shay | 1766 | ENG | F | −35N | +68B | −18N | F | 1.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 0.50 | 1768 | +8.4 |
| 68 | Furness, Robert M | 1860 | ENG | −3N | =64B | −67N | −33B | −58N | 0.5 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 0.50 | 1359 | -64.2 |
| 69 | Tarr, Steve F | 1788 | ENG | −31N | −54B | −61N | −53B | =59B | 0.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 0.50 | 1372 | -38.8 |
| 70 | Galbraith, David | 1613 | SCO | −10N | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.00 | 1011 | -16.4 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Pearson, CharlieENG+82.84.5 pts · #11
- 2Rothwell, James PENG+50.43.5 pts · #6
- 3McKiernan, JamesENG+46.44.0 pts · #2
Top rating losers
- 1Darwen, DavidENG-73.61.5 pts · #53
- 2Furness, Robert MENG-64.20.5 pts · #69
- 3Seery, Philip TENG-47.61.0 pts · #62
Biggest upsets
- R2+400 Elo gap
- R2+234 Elo gap
- R3+224 Elo gap