2026 Best in the West
About this event
The flagship chess weekend in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs returns!
The Hobsons Bay Best in the West is back for 2026 — a premier classical weekend tournament attracting strong players from across Victoria and beyond.
📅 Dates
Saturday 29 August – Sunday 30 August 2026
📍 Venue
Finnish Hall, 119 Pier St, Altona
🏆 Tournament Details
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Format: 5-Round Swiss (no tiebreaks)
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Pairing: We will be using Baku accelerated pairing if we exceed 100 players.
- Time Control: 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
(Scoresheet required) - Rating: FIDE & ACF Rated
- Maximum Entries: 120 players
- Recommended Rating: ≥ 1000 ACF or FIDE
Schedule
Saturday – 29 August 2026
- Registration & Player Briefing: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
- Round 1: 9:30 AM
- Lunch Break: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
- Round 2: 1:30 PM
- Round 3: 5:30 PM
Sunday – 30 August 2026
- Round 4: 9:30 AM
- Lunch Break: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
- Round 5: 1:30 PM
💰 Entry Fees
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Early Bird: $80 (Entries must be received by 14th August 2026)
- Early Bird Concession (Pensioners & Juniors): $60 (Entries must be received by 14th August 2026)
- Free Entry for GM / WGM / IM / WIM / FM / WFM / CM / WCM (Entries must be received by 14th August 2026)
- Late Entry Fee: +$15 for entries received after Friday 14th August 2026
🏅 Prize Pool –Guaranteed
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1st Place: $1,200 (Guaranteed)
- 2nd Place: $600
- 3rd Place: $300
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Best Juniors (Guaranteed): $1,000 -Proudly sponsored by Bendigo Community Bank, Laverton and Altona - tie breaker will be used to decide the prize
- Best Ladies: $300 (female may win more than 1 prize, ACF by-law (Open or rating group and female)
- Rating Group 1 Winner: $200
- Rating Group 2 Winner: $200
- Best Unrated Player: $200
- Biggest Upset: $100
📜 Prize Rules
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No tiebreaks — prizes are shared equally between players on the same score (except Best Junior $1000 sponsored by Bendigo Community Bank- Laverton and Altona)
- Players may win one prize only (highest value prize applies). Female players may win more than one prize, as per ACF by-law (Open or rating group and female)
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Players with an ACF Classical rating will be divided into three equal rating groups:
- Top group: not eligible for rating prizes
- Middle group: Rating Group 1
- Bottom group: Rating Group 2
- Players without an ACF rating but with a FIDE Classical rating will be placed at the Chief Arbiter’s discretion.
- Best Unrated prize is only for players without ACF or FIDE ratings.
- Biggest Upset is awarded for the largest upward rating differential win.
- Rating groups will be published by Round 2.
➕ Byes & Withdraws
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One ½-point bye available in Rounds 1–3
- Round 1 bye must be requested in advance of tournament commencement
- Any Withdraw/ refund request must be received latest by 25th August 2026. No withdraw/ refund would be entertained after this date.
📩 Enquiries
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FA/ CM Tony Davis – Tournament Director
📞 0408 306 063 - IA Casey Goh- Chief Organiser major_tournaments@hobsonsbaychess.com
