♟️ About ASD Scuola Popolare di Scacchi

ASD Scuola Popolare di Scacchi is a major chess club and training organization based in Rome, Italy. Active for more than 18 years, the school promotes chess as a competitive sport, educational tool, and means of social inclusion. Its headquarters are located at Viale Irpinia 34 in Rome, where children, adults, beginners, and experienced players can take part in lessons, free play, tournaments, and competitive preparation.

The organization combines a strong grassroots identity with serious competitive chess. More than 800 young players have followed continuous chess programs through the school during the last several years, while its teaching staff includes instructors recognized by the Italian Chess Federation and other national sports bodies. The club also works extensively with schools throughout Rome through curricular and extracurricular chess projects.

Massimo Carconi is the current President and principal organizer. He has played a central role in the development of the club and created the Roma Città Aperta International Chess Festival in 2016. Today, the association is one of the most active chess organizations in Rome, with a large membership, several teams in the Italian Team Championship, regular tournaments, and a substantial educational program.

🎓 Chess School and Training

Teaching is at the heart of Scuola Popolare di Scacchi. The club offers courses for children and adults at several levels, ranging from complete beginners to competitive players. Classes are normally kept relatively small to provide more individual attention. The current teaching structure includes Paolo Andreozzi as Educational Director, while Ivano Pedrinzani coordinates adult courses. The school also works with qualified instructors and has collaborated with titled players including Grandmasters, International Masters, and FIDE Masters.

In addition to club-based lessons, the organization runs chess projects in schools across Rome. These programs use chess to develop concentration, creativity, problem-solving, strategic thinking, and social interaction.

♜ Competitive Team Chess

Scuola Popolare di Scacchi maintains an extensive competitive team program within the Campionato Italiano a Squadre. For the 2026 season, its leading team Scuola Popolare Roma competes in Serie A2. The organization also fields two teams in Serie B, additional teams in Serie C, and further squads at regional and promotion level. This multi-team structure allows developing players to enter official competition while stronger members can represent the organization in Italy’s higher divisions.

The club has worked with strong players including GM Luca Shytaj, alongside experienced Masters and younger talents developed within the organization.

🏆 Italian U14 Team Champions

Youth team chess has produced one of the organization’s most important recent sporting achievements. In 2024, Scuola Popolare di Scacchi won the Italian U14 Team Championship. The title represented a major success for the club’s youth-development program and demonstrated the progression available from regular lessons into high-level national competition. The organization continues to support promising juniors by accompanying them to individual and team championships throughout Italy.

🌍 Roma Città Aperta International Chess Festival

The International Chess Festival Roma Città Aperta is the flagship tournament created and organized by Scuola Popolare di Scacchi. Massimo Carconi conceived the festival in 2016 and has organized every edition since its launch. The event was created to bring a major international chess festival to Rome while maintaining the community-oriented character of the organizing club. Over successive editions, it has attracted players from many countries and developed into one of the most visible chess tournaments in the Italian capital.

The festival combines classical competition with additional chess activities and provides sections for different player strengths and age groups.

🏆 Roma Città Aperta 2026

The 7th International Chess Festival Roma Città Aperta takes place from December 6–13, 2026 at the Eurostars Roma Aeterna hotel in Rome. The 2026 festival includes several FIDE-rated classical competitions:

• Master – for the strongest field
• Open A – primarily for players between 1700 and 2100
• Open B – for players below 1800
• Senior competitions – for players aged 50+ and 65+

The main tournaments are played over nine rounds, with classical time controls and FIDE rating. The festival is designed to accommodate up to approximately 300 participants and again brings together international players, Italian competitors, juniors, seniors, and titled players in one week-long chess event.

🤝 Community and Club Life

Scuola Popolare di Scacchi maintains an active weekly program throughout the season. Regular activities at Viale Irpinia include free-play sessions, junior chess, adult courses, competitive youth training, and weekly tournaments. The club welcomes players who simply want to enjoy casual chess as well as those preparing for official competition. Therefore, members can progress naturally from learning the rules to joining rated tournaments and team championships.

This combination of education, competitive chess, school programs, international tournament organization, and community activity has made Scuola Popolare di Scacchi an important part of the chess scene in Rome.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

Massimo Carconi is the current President of ASD Scuola Popolare di Scacchi and remains the organization’s principal public and tournament contact. The current club leadership also includes Paolo Pellegrini and Ivano Pedrinzani as board members, while Paolo Andreozzi serves as Educational Director. Carconi also leads the organization of the Roma Città Aperta International Chess Festival and remains directly involved in the club’s Italian Team Championship program.