♟️ About A.C.S.D. La Mongolfiera Circolo Scacchi

A.C.S.D. La Mongolfiera Circolo Scacchi is a chess club based in Vimercate, Lombardy, Italy. It forms the chess section of Associazione Culturale e Sportiva Dilettantistica La Mongolfiera and is affiliated with the Federazione Scacchistica Italiana (FSI) under ID 9117. The club combines competitive chess, tournament organization, chess education, junior development, team competition, and community activities across Vimercate and nearby municipalities.

The association was established in 2005, although organized chess activity in Vimercate predates La Mongolfiera. Local chess organizer Ercole Battistini had already developed a chess circle in the area before joining the newly created association. Since then, La Mongolfiera has expanded its activities through sections and projects in Vimercate, Montevecchia, and Vedano al Lambro. Moreover, it has built a substantial calendar of FIDE-rated classical, rapid, and blitz tournaments.

Samuele Stucchi currently serves as President of A.C.S.D. La Mongolfiera Circolo Scacchi and remains closely involved in its tournament and educational activities. The FSI’s 2026 register also lists Alberto Vittorio Altieri, Henry Robert Bottura, Alessandro Di Gregorio, and Marco Malacrida on the current council. Stucchi is the club’s principal public contact and therefore the most appropriate Contact Person for MyChess.Events.

🎓 Chess School and Player Development

Chess education represents one of La Mongolfiera’s most established activities. The FSI recognizes A.C.S.D. La Mongolfiera Vimercate as a federal chess school covering Levels 1, 2, and 3. Therefore, the club can support players from introductory instruction through increasingly advanced stages of development.

The school operates from the club’s base at Villa Volontieri in Vimercate and also supports chess activity in neighboring communities. Samuele Stucchi and Riccardo Puricelli appear as the current FSI-listed school contacts.

In addition, the association organizes courses for different age groups and experience levels. Its program includes chess for children and teenagers, adult courses, introductory activities, and more advanced instruction. The club also provides opportunities for students to progress from lessons into official tournaments and team competition.

School chess forms another part of this development pathway. La Mongolfiera supports young players who compete through the Trofeo Scacchi Scuola and other scholastic events. Consequently, its educational work connects club instruction with school competition and the wider Italian youth championship structure.

🧒 Junior Chess and Youth Competition

Junior chess has played a significant role in La Mongolfiera’s development. The club organizes youth events, qualification tournaments, and beginner-friendly competitions while supporting its young members at provincial, regional, and national level.

Its youth record includes Christian Pirrello’s 2016 Lombardy U16 championship, which he won while representing La Mongolfiera. More recently, players registered with the association have competed in national school-chess finals and other major youth competitions.

The club also organizes events that qualify players for the Campionato Italiano Giovanile U18. Meanwhile, initiatives such as the Primavera Scacchi youth tournament have provided recurring competition for developing players.

In 2026, La Mongolfiera continued to support teams of school-age players at national level. This combination of instruction, local competition, school chess, and federation events gives young members several routes for continued development.

♜ Team Chess and Competitive Activity

A.C.S.D. La Mongolfiera participates actively in the Campionato Italiano a Squadre (CIS). Its team program has developed over many years and now extends beyond a single Vimercate squad.

For the 2026 CIS season, La Mongolfiera entered five teams across different divisions. Moreover, the association directly hosted national-team championship groups at two of its playing centers. Villa Volontieri in Vimercate hosted the Serie A2 Group 3 gathering, while the Montevecchia section hosted Serie C Group 14.

This team structure reflects a longer competitive history. In 2015, the club’s principal squad reached Serie B after progressing from the Promozione division. Since then, La Mongolfiera has continued to maintain teams representing Vimercate, Montevecchia, other local sections, and developing players.

The club also competes in rapid team chess. In 2025, La Mongolfiera Vimercate finished second in the Lombardy Campionato Regionale Semilampo a Squadre. Therefore, its competitive activity spans both classical national leagues and faster regional formats.

🏆 Tournament Organization in Lombardy

Tournament organization is one of La Mongolfiera’s most visible activities. The FSI calendar regularly lists events run by the association in Vimercate, Vedano al Lambro, Montevecchia, and other Lombardy locations.

The club organizes both major weekend competitions and frequent FIDE-rated rapid events. Its recurring Rapid@Mente series, for example, gives players regular opportunities to compete for FIDE Rapid rating at Villa Volontieri.

Another established event is the Trofeo degli Scudi. The tournament reaches its 16th edition in 2026, when La Mongolfiera organizes the event from November 27–29 in Vimercate under FSI regulations and with the patronage of the Municipality of Vimercate. The festival contains several FIDE-rateable sections.

La Mongolfiera also organizes the Monza e Brianza Provincial Championship and has developed international tournament activity in Montevecchia. In addition, the club works with municipalities, Pro Loco organizations, schools, and community associations to bring chess events to different venues across the area.

Consequently, the association functions as both a local chess club and a regional tournament organizer with a broad annual schedule.

🌟 Chess Pyramid 2026

La Mongolfiera organizes Chess Pyramid 2026 from October 9–11, 2026 at Villa Volontieri in Vimercate. The Italian Chess Federation officially lists La Mongolfiera as the organizer.

The event uses an unusual direct-elimination knockout format rather than a conventional Swiss system. Entry is limited to 32 players rated below 2400, creating a fixed tournament bracket.

Players receive 60 minutes with a 30-second delay on each move. A drawn main game leads to an Armageddon playoff, so every match ultimately produces a player who advances to the next stage.

The tournament consists of five rounds and carries a published prize fund of €480. Moreover, results from the principal games can qualify for FIDE and Italian rating under the published regulations.

Chess Pyramid adds a distinctive competition format to La Mongolfiera’s established program of Swiss tournaments, rapid events, team championships, and youth competitions. Therefore, it demonstrates the club’s willingness to experiment with tournament structures while keeping the event within the official FSI framework.

🤝 Community Chess Across the Brianza Area

La Mongolfiera’s chess activities extend beyond its principal Vimercate base. The association has established a continuing presence in Montevecchia and Vedano al Lambro, where it organizes training, team chess, and tournaments.

The Montevecchia section developed through cooperation with the local municipality and community organizations. It has subsequently hosted FIDE tournaments and Italian Team Championship matches. Meanwhile, Vedano al Lambro has hosted chess courses, FIDE-rated competitions, and public sporting events involving La Mongolfiera.

The association also works with Pro Loco Mezzago during the Sagra dell’Asparago Rosa. There, La Mongolfiera has organized both youth and open rapid tournaments as part of the local community program.

In Vimercate itself, the club participates in public chess initiatives and uses Villa Volontieri as a regular center for lessons, tournaments, team matches, and club activity. As a result, A.C.S.D. La Mongolfiera combines its federation program with a broader network of community chess across Monza e Brianza and neighboring areas.