Open Noël Plaza Futuroscope 2026 takes place from December 26 – 30, 2026, at Hotel Plaza Futuroscope in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France. The tournament offers a 9-round Swiss open during the Christmas holiday period.
This is a chess tournament in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France, in 2026. Players will compete in one classical open with FIDE rating calculation for the February 2027 list.
The event offers a listed first prize of €800 / approx. $930. In addition, the hotel-based venue gives players a practical playing site close to Futuroscope and the Poitiers area.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Tournament | Open Noël Plaza Futuroscope 2026 |
| 📅 Dates | December 26 – 30, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France |
| 🏛️ Venue | Hotel Plaza Futuroscope – Téléport 1, Avenue du Futuroscope, 86960 Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France |
| ♟️ Format | 9-round Swiss open |
| 🧩 Sections | One open section |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE-rated and FFE-approved |
| 📊 FIDE Rating List | February 2027 |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes per player + 30 seconds per move |
| 👨⚖️ Arbiter | Joël Picard |
| 🥇 Listed 1st Prize | €800 / approx. $930 |
| 📝 Adult Entry Fee | €55; €60 from December 19, 2026 |
| 🧒 Youth Entry Fee | €28; €30 from December 19, 2026 |
| 👤 Organizer | Inès Leriche |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Players receive 90 minutes for the game, plus a 30-second increment from move one. This time control gives the tournament a full classical format across five playing days.
The event uses a 9-round Swiss system. Moreover, the tournament counts for FIDE rating, so players should check their federation and license status before entering.
All players compete in one open field. Therefore, pairings will match players by score during the tournament, while the final ranking will follow the event’s published Swiss-system rules.
💰 Prize Fund
The tournament lists a €800 / approx. $930 first prize.
| Prize Information | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listed 1st prize | €800 / approx. $930 |
The available tournament information confirms the first prize. Players should check final prize details with the organizer before travel if they need the complete prize table.
🧩 Sections / Groups
The tournament has one open section. All eligible players compete in the same 9-round Swiss event.
This format gives players a direct classical tournament experience. In addition, it suits club players, improving juniors, and rated competitors who want a post-Christmas event near Poitiers.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Saturday, December 26 | Tournament begins |
| December 26–30 | Nine Swiss-system rounds |
| Wednesday, December 30 | Final rounds and prize awards |
Players should confirm the detailed round timetable with the organizer before travel. Since the event runs during the Christmas holiday period, early planning will help with transport and accommodation.
📝 Registration
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration Method | Direct registration with the organizer |
| Adult Entry Fee | €55 |
| Adult Late Entry Fee | €60 from December 19, 2026 |
| Youth Entry Fee | €28 |
| Youth Late Entry Fee | €30 from December 19, 2026 |
| Contact Phone | +33 6 67 81 51 69 |
Players should register early to keep the lower entry fee. Moreover, they should confirm their participation before making travel plans, because the tournament takes place during a busy holiday period near Futuroscope.
👥 Organizer
Inès Leriche organizes Open Noël Plaza Futuroscope 2026. The event brings a FIDE-rated Christmas open to the Futuroscope hotel area and gives players a practical classical tournament option near Poitiers.
Phone: +33 6 67 81 51 69
🏛️ Venue
Hotel Plaza Futuroscope – Téléport 1, Avenue du Futuroscope, 86960 Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France
The tournament takes place at Hotel Plaza Futuroscope. The hotel venue gives players a convenient setting for games, accommodation, meals, and rest during the five-day event.
The venue is located close to the Futuroscope site and the Poitiers Congress Centre. As a result, players can use a well-known local landmark when planning travel.
🛏️ Accommodation
Players can contact Hotel Plaza Futuroscope directly for accommodation options.
Hotel Phone: +33 5 49 49 07 07
Hotel Email: info@plaza-futuroscope.com
Since the event runs just after Christmas, players should book early. In addition, staying at or near the venue can make the 9-round schedule easier to manage.
🚆 How to Get There
Players should travel to Hotel Plaza Futuroscope – Téléport 1, Avenue du Futuroscope, 86960 Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France.
The venue is near the Futuroscope area in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou. Players arriving by train can use Futuroscope station or Poitiers station and then continue by local transport, taxi, or rideshare.
Drivers should use the full hotel address for navigation. Since the tournament starts during the holiday period, they should allow extra time for road traffic and hotel check-in.
Open Noël Plaza Futuroscope 2026 offers a practical FIDE-rated Christmas chess event near Poitiers, with classical games, a hotel venue, and a clear 9-round Swiss format.
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $930
Organizer
♟️ About the Organizer
Inès Leriche is a French chess organizer, educator, arbiter, and player connected with Poitiers-Migné Échecs in Poitiers, France. She serves as director of the association and plays an active role in one of the most dynamic chess clubs in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Her work combines over-the-board chess, educational projects, women’s chess, tournament activity, and community outreach.
Inès Leriche has been a Poitiers-Migné Échecs player since 2013. Her playing background includes a French women’s rapid runner-up result in 2022, youth championship podiums, French youth team experience, and international youth events. This gives her organizer profile a strong practical foundation, because she understands tournament chess from the player’s side as well as from the organizational side.
She is also active in chess education and outreach through Social Chess and school-based chess projects. These initiatives bring chess to schools, institutions, and local communities across Grand Poitiers and the Vienne area. Therefore, Inès Leriche offers a modern organizer profile built around competition, learning, inclusion, and wider access to chess.
🏆 Chess Events and Activities
Inès Leriche contributes to the development of Poitiers-Migné Échecs as a club with broad sporting and social activity. The club runs youth training, adult chess, women’s chess, interclub teams, internal events, and public chess initiatives. It also competes at a high national level, including Top 16 and Top 12 Féminin activity.
Her work also connects with event organization in the Poitiers area. Poitiers-Migné Échecs promotes tournaments, camps, rapid events, educational chess programs, and public chess activities. Inès Leriche appears as an organizer contact for Grand Poitiers chess events and Social Chess projects, which strengthens her role beyond regular club administration.
The club’s wider program includes school chess, activities for young players, women-focused development, and outreach in different social settings. As a result, Inès Leriche supports a chess model that links competitive play with education and community impact.
🌍 Player Experience and Community
Players who connect with Inès Leriche can expect a structured and welcoming chess environment. Her work supports children, beginners, improving players, women players, club competitors, and participants in educational chess projects.
Her coaching profile focuses on helping players build better habits, analyze games, and apply practical chess principles. This makes her especially relevant for children, young players, and intermediate players who need steady guidance. In addition, her own tournament experience helps create a realistic and player-friendly approach to improvement.
For players searching for chess in Poitiers, chess education in France, or a strong organizer connected with Poitiers-Migné Échecs, Inès Leriche offers a reliable and active profile. Her mix of club leadership, training, arbitration, outreach, and competitive background gives her a clear role in the French chess community.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
