Check online for Bunratty Chess tournament

The Bunratty International Chess Festival will be held online again this year as its host venue is undergoing refurbishments.

The festival has been held every February since 1994 in the county Clare village and attracts hundreds of players each year from over a dozen countries.

Organsiers says it has become the strongest weekend chess tournament in the world, attracting more grandmasters and top-level chess players than any other comparable tournament.

Covid restrictions in 2021 meant that Bunratty moved online. Chess.com – the world’s no.1 chess website – hosted the 2021 tournament as a speed chess competition on its platform enabling thousands of players to enjoy a taste of the Bunratty experience while still in lockdown.

This year’s Bunratty will once again take place online on chess.com on Saturday February 19, in advance of the full return of the in-person competition next year.

Entry is free, but given the enormous demand last year, is being restricted to players who either participated online in 2021 or played in person at a previous Bunratty International Chess Festival. Entries are via the tournament website bunrattychess.com and close on Friday evening at 9pm.

The tournament organisers however will return to Bunratty and will be commenting on the tournament live from 5pm on Saturday on the Bunratty Chess YouTube channel.

For more details see bunrattychess.com, chess.com or on Twitter @bunrattychess1