Scacchi Nichelino

♟️ About A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino

A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino is a chess club based in Nichelino, in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy. The club operates from Via Damiano Chiesa 12, 10042 Nichelino and affiliates with the Federazione Scacchistica Italiana (FSI). Its activities cover classical, rapid, and blitz tournaments, team competition, junior chess, training courses, and regular club play. The association was founded in 1974. Therefore, it has supported organized chess in Nichelino for more than five decades. The club celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2004 and its 50th anniversary in 2024. Over the years, it has developed several recurring competitions while also hosting regional championships and youth events. Enrico Ferrario currently serves as President. The club’s current board also includes Vice President Aldo Mantica, Secretary Alberto Petrini, and several councillors. Among them is Gianmarco Florio, who serves as a principal tournament contact for the club’s major 2026 events, including the XXV Festival Internazionale Città di Nichelino.

🏆 Tournaments and Competitive Activity

A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino maintains a substantial annual tournament calendar. Its flagship event is the Festival Internazionale Città di Nichelino, which reaches its 25th edition in 2026. The XXV Festival Internazionale Città di Nichelino takes place from October 9–11, 2026, at Centro Polivalente Nicola Grosa. The tournament offers Open A, Open B, and Open C sections and carries FSI/FIDE rating. Moreover, the 2026 edition provides a total prize fund of €3,300, while games from leading boards in the A and B sections are scheduled for live transmission. The festival has attracted strong international players during its history. Its roll of honor includes GM Igor Naumkin, GM Francisco Vallejo Pons, IM Mark Paragua, GM Vladimir Petkov, GM Solomon Kenny, and other titled players. The first recorded edition in the current roll of honor dates to 2000. In addition, the club organizes the long-running Torneo di San Matteo. The competition reaches its 51st edition in 2026. Another recurring event, the Torneo Rapid Città di Nichelino, reaches its 29th edition in October 2026. Consequently, the club offers both traditional classical tournaments and faster competitive formats.

♜ Team Chess and Regional Championships

Team competition forms another important part of the club’s program. A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino participates in the Campionato Italiano a Squadre (CIS) and fields teams at different competitive levels. In the 2026 season, Nichelino competed in Serie A2 and successfully retained its place in the division. The first team included established competitors alongside younger developing players. Moreover, the club also maintained activity at lower team levels, creating opportunities for a wider group of members to participate in national league chess. Nichelino also hosted the 2026 Campionato Regionale Assoluto del Piemonte from April 30 to May 3. The event attracted 73 players, more than twice the participation recorded at the previous edition in Turin. Therefore, the club contributes not only through its own recurring tournaments but also by providing infrastructure for major competitions within the Piedmont chess calendar.

🎓 Junior Chess and Player Development

Youth development represents a significant part of A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino’s work. The club runs chess courses at its Via Damiano Chiesa headquarters and provides separate opportunities for beginners and more advanced players. The association’s beginner program includes structured lessons conducted by FSI-recognized instructors. In addition, its 2026 membership program includes reduced fees for junior players and a dedicated annual training structure. The club also organizes qualifying competitions for the Italian Youth Championships. In February 2026, Nichelino hosted the opening tournament of the Piedmont junior season. The event attracted 96 participants across the U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18 categories. Furthermore, the club hosted the 2026 Piedmont Regional Youth Team Championship. Thirty-six teams from across the region competed at Centro Grosa. Nichelino won the regional U8 team title, while its U12 team finished on the category podium.

🤝 Club Life and Chess in Nichelino

A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino combines major tournament organization with regular local activity. Its headquarters at Via Damiano Chiesa provide space for lessons, club tournaments, training, and casual play. The annual calendar includes rapid tournaments, youth competitions, memorial events, championship qualifiers, team matches, and traditional competitions such as San Matteo. Moreover, the association maintains an archive of games, results, photographs, lessons, and historical tournament records on its website. The club also uses Centro Polivalente Nicola Grosa for larger events that require greater playing capacity. Consequently, A.S.D. Scacchi Nichelino can support both everyday club activity and regional or international competitions with substantially larger fields.