Perpignan les Rois de la Têt

♟️ About Perpignan les Rois de la Têt

Perpignan les Rois de la Têt is a chess club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales, in southern France. The club organizes competitive tournaments, team chess, junior development, school programs, training, and community chess activities. It operates several playing locations in Perpignan and welcomes both established competitors and players who are learning the game. The club affiliates with the Fédération Française des Échecs (FFE) under number N66047. In addition, it belongs to the Comité Départemental du Jeu d’Échecs des Pyrénées-Orientales (CDJE66) and the Ligue des Échecs d’Occitanie. The FFE recognizes Perpignan les Rois de la Têt as a Club Formateur. Moreover, the federation’s current club profile lists 159 Licence A members and 331 Licence B members. Stéphane Laborde serves as President of Perpignan les Rois de la Têt. The current executive board also includes Treasurer Nathalie Pélican and Secretary Fatima Sahla. Laborde combines club leadership with extensive tournament activity as an organizer and arbiter. The FFE currently recognizes him as an Arbitre Elite 1 and FIDE Arbiter, as well as an accredited chess initiator and instructor.

🏆 Festival International de Perpignan and Tournament Activity

Perpignan les Rois de la Têt organizes a substantial calendar of FFE- and FIDE-rated tournaments. Its flagship competition is the Festival International de Perpignan, which began in 2018 and reaches its 9th edition in 2026. The 9ème Festival International de Perpignan runs from October 17–23, 2026. Its program combines blitz, rapid, and classical chess. The rapid program includes a principal FIDE-rated tournament and a rating-limited section, while the classical program includes an invitational closed event and open sections. Therefore, players can choose between several formats and competitive levels during the festival. The Open Rapide FIDE takes place on October 18, 2026, at the Couvent des Minimes in Perpignan. It uses a nine-round Swiss system with a time control of 15 minutes plus a five-second increment. Stéphane Laborde serves as both organizer and arbiter. The club also runs FIDE-rated rapid events throughout the season. In May 2026, GM Yuri Solodovnichenko won the club’s Perpignan rapid tournament. In addition, further rapid competitions form part of the wider Circuit du Roussillon.

♜ Team Chess and Competitive Development

Team competition represents another important part of the club’s activity. Perpignan les Rois de la Têt enters teams in adult, youth, and women’s competition within the French federation structure. The club achieved a major team result during the 2025/26 season. Its first team won its Ligue 1 group with seven victories from seven matches. Consequently, Perpignan earned promotion to Nationale 4 for the first time. The championship team included David Rano, Stéphane Laborde, Albert Negre, and Lilian Libert, with Martina Ribo Irla and Naël Mimouni also contributing during the season. Meanwhile, Perpignan’s second team finished fourth in the same campaign. The FFE also lists the club in Nationale 2 Jeunes and Nationale 2 Féminine competition. Thus, the team structure gives adult players, juniors, and female competitors opportunities to represent the club beyond individual tournaments.

🎓 Junior Chess and Player Development

Youth development forms a major part of the club’s program. Perpignan sent a record 27 players to the 2026 Occitanie Youth Championship in Espalion. The delegation achieved several notable results. Emma Vandewalle finished as vice-champion of Occitanie in the U8 girls category. Furthermore, Hadrien Kollen, Pau Baroukh, Océane Bader, and Yassine Rhighi qualified for the 2026 French Youth Championship in Albi. Perpignan subsequently competed at the French Youth Championship, where several club juniors played their first national final. Therefore, the club provides a clear competitive route from regional youth chess to France’s national championship structure. Training also extends beyond tournament preparation. Membership provides access to club sessions, teams, and internal tournaments, while the club’s FFE Club Formateur designation reflects its structured role in chess education.

🧒 School Chess and Educational Programs

Perpignan les Rois de la Têt maintains an extensive school chess program. The club works with primary schools and secondary schools across Perpignan to provide chess initiation, workshops, and preparation for USEP, UNSS, and FFE competitions. Its school partners have included Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Jeanne d’Arc, Anatole France, Louis Pasteur, Simon Boussiron, Hyacinthe Rigaud, Jules Ferry, Victor Duruy, Jordi Barre, Collège Pons, La Garrigole, and several other educational institutions. Moreover, the club has worked with the Académie, CDJE66, the City of Perpignan, and educational programs on projects connecting chess with mathematics and scientific learning. It has also participated in training initiatives for teachers. These programs have produced competitive results. For example, Jean-Jacques Rousseau school became Pyrénées-Orientales champion and Académie de Montpellier champion before finishing 7th in the French Schools Championship in 2024.

🤝 Community Chess and Public Activities

The club also takes chess into public spaces across Perpignan. Its activities include giant chess sets, simultaneous exhibitions, introductory workshops, public playing tables, outdoor events, and live game presentation. For example, the club has organized simultaneous exhibitions during the Jeudis de Perpignan and has used giant demonstration boards and video screens for public chess events. In addition, instructors offer introductory activities where visitors can learn the rules, use a chess clock, or simply play a game. Perpignan les Rois de la Têt currently uses two principal club locations: Salle Béranger in the Gare district and Salle Barande in the Vernet district. Consequently, the organization combines regular neighborhood chess activity with larger citywide and international tournaments.