♟️ About the Organizer

László Nagy is a Hungarian International Organizer and the founder of the First Saturday Chess Tournament Series in Budapest. He has organized the tournaments since 1992 and is widely known in the international chess community as “Mr. First Saturday.”

FIDE awarded him the International Organizer title in 2004. Since then, he has continued to organize FIDE-rated classical tournaments for ambitious players from Hungary and abroad. His work focuses mainly on creating reliable opportunities to earn Grandmaster, International Master, Woman Grandmaster, and Woman International Master norms.

Before becoming a professional chess organizer, László studied chemistry at the University of Debrecen. He later worked as a teacher at a military college. The planning and management experience from this period helped him develop the disciplined organizational approach required to run international tournaments every month.

Over the years, First Saturday events have welcomed players from many national federations. Several leading grandmasters competed in the series during the earlier stages of their careers, including Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Péter Lékó.

🏆 First Saturday Chess Tournaments

The First Saturday Chess Tournament Series is one of the longest-running monthly norm-tournament programs in international chess. As its name suggests, events traditionally begin on the first Saturday of the month.

The program normally includes closed GM and IM round-robin tournaments. It also offers lower-rated sections and U2250 competitions for players who want to improve their international rating. The organizer prepares each field carefully so that the closed sections meet the applicable FIDE requirements for title norms.

Most norm tournaments consist of nine rounds. Players compete at a classical time control and face opponents from several national federations. Therefore, the events provide both the competitive conditions and international representation required for possible norm performances.

The series attracts young talents, titled players, experienced professionals, and ambitious club competitors. In addition, the regular schedule allows participants to plan another attempt later in the year when they do not achieve their target during their first visit.

The 2026 tournament program includes events in February, April, June, July, August, October, and December. László Nagy continues to serve as the chief organizer and tournament director.

🌍 Supporting International Chess Development

László Nagy has built the First Saturday series around practical opportunities for player development. Many talented competitors need access to suitable opponents and correctly structured tournaments before they can earn an international title. First Saturday helps meet this need through frequent events in a major European city.

The tournaments also connect players from different chess cultures. Participants regularly travel to Budapest from Europe, Asia, North America, and other regions. As a result, they gain international experience while competing against a diverse field.

László remains directly involved in communication with participants. He provides information about applications, tournament groups, accommodation, schedules, and entry conditions. Moreover, the official website publishes annual programs and application details for upcoming competitions.

Through more than three decades of continuous organization, László Nagy has made First Saturday an established part of the international chess tournament circuit. His work continues to support players who aim to improve their ratings, earn FIDE norms, and progress toward international titles.