10th EFE Metz Festival – Tournament A will take place on July 22-26, 2026 in Metz, France. This summer event brings together strong club players and experienced competitors for five days of serious classical chess in a compact round-robin format.

This is a chess tournament in Metz, France, in 2026. The event uses a 10-player all-play-all format, a classical time control, and a confirmed cash prize fund. Therefore, it offers a focused and competitive setting for players who want meaningful games against closely matched opposition.

In addition, the tournament is part of a broader festival structure in which players are grouped by Elo in closed sections of ten. As a result, 10th EFE Metz Festival – Tournament A serves as the top group of the festival and gives stronger players a clear competitive target across nine rounds.

🏁 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament uses a classical chess time control of 90 minutes for the full game with a 30-second increment from move one. Because the section is played as an all-play-all group, each player faces every other participant once. Consequently, the event creates a very clear and balanced competitive structure.

The festival organizes its closed groups by Elo order. Therefore, Tournament A works as the leading section of the event. This format also helps keep pairings consistent and easy to follow from the first round to the last.

🏆 Prize Fund

10th EFE Metz Festival – Tournament A offers a confirmed cash prize fund of EUR 600. The prize structure is simple and direct, which suits the compact round-robin format very well.

The wider festival also awards prizes in the lower groups. However, Tournament A carries the highest published prize list. As a result, the top section provides the strongest financial reward inside the festival structure.

♟️ Sections / Groups

The festival does not follow a single large open format. Instead, it splits the field into closed groups of ten players. Therefore, players compete against opponents placed in a similar rating band, which creates a more controlled and competitive environment.

📅 Schedule

The schedule gives players a steady rhythm with double rounds from Wednesday through Saturday and a final single round on Sunday. Therefore, the event feels compact, intense, and easy to plan.

📝 Registration

The organizers handle entries online only. In addition, the earlier fee stage gives players a clear saving, so early registration is the better option for most participants.

👤 Organizer

EFE Metz organizes this festival as a structured summer event built around closed 10-player groups. The format is simple, the schedule is clear, and the top section gives stronger players a focused competitive setting across five days.

• Phone: +33 6 33 75 11 24
• Email: efemetz57@gmail.com

📍 Venue

Foyer Culturel de Metz Queuleu, 53 rue des 3 Évêchés, 57000 Metz, France

The tournament takes place at the Foyer Culturel de Metz Queuleu. The playing hall is air-conditioned, which is a practical advantage for a summer event with several double-round days.

🚗 How to Get There

The venue is located in the Queuleu area of Metz, so players can use the full address for direct navigation before check-in. Because the event begins with morning attendance confirmation on the first day, it is wise to plan arrival with enough time to settle in before Round 1.

10th EFE Metz Festival – Tournament A offers a clear classical format, a strong top group, and a compact five-day schedule for players who want serious summer chess in Metz.