6th IPCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026
6th IPCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026 takes place from October 10 to October 21, 2026 in Dolný Kubín, Slovakia. The championship is organized by the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) and Kremnica Kings, with Hotel PARK serving as both the playing venue and official accommodation.
The programme combines three separate championships: Standard, Rapid and Blitz. Each competition consists of nine Swiss-system rounds and is submitted for both international and national rating calculation.
The official championship categories include Men, Women, Wheelchair Players and Juniors Under 20. Under the published regulations, participants must also provide the required medical certificate of disability to the IPCA Medical Commission.
♟️ Event Details
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Overall Dates | October 10–21, 2026 |
| 🎯 Competition Dates | October 11–20, 2026 |
| 🌍 City / Country | Dolný Kubín, Slovakia |
| 📍 Venue | Hotel PARK – Radlinského 21, 026 01 Dolný Kubín, Slovakia |
| ♟️ Formats | Standard, Rapid and Blitz |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 rounds in each format |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating | International and national rating calculation |
| 👥 Categories | Men, Women, Wheelchair Players and Juniors U20 |
| 👤 Tournament Director | Norbert Boldiš |
| 👨⚖️ Chief Arbiter | IA Karol Pekár |
| 👨⚖️ Deputy Arbiters | FA Ladislav Šipeky; IA Rastislav Diviak |
| 👨⚖️ Arbiters | NA Jakub Homolka; NA Peter Kučerík |
| 👥 Organizer | IPCA & Kremnica Kings |
| 📝 Registration Deadline | August 1, 2026 |
| 💰 Minimum Prize Fund | €6,000 – approximately $6,980 |
| 🏆 Chess-Results – Standard | https://chess-results.com/tnr1453061.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🏆 Chess-Results – Rapid | https://chess-results.com/tnr1453062.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🏆 Chess-Results – Blitz | https://chess-results.com/tnr1453063.aspx?lan=1 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
All three championships use the Swiss system and consist of nine rounds.
♟️ Standard Championship
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
| 📊 Rating | International + national |
| 📅 Playing Dates | October 11–19 |
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453061.aspx?lan=1
⚡ Rapid Championship
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Time Control | 15 minutes + 10 seconds per move |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
| 📊 Rating | International + national |
| 📅 Date | October 13 |
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453062.aspx?lan=1
🔥 Blitz Championship
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Time Control | 5 minutes + 3 seconds per move |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
| 📊 Rating | International + national |
| 📅 Date | October 20 |
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453063.aspx?lan=1
The tournaments are managed with Swiss-Manager. Starting lists, pairings, standings and results are published separately for Standard, Rapid and Blitz.
🏆 Prize Fund
The official regulations guarantee a minimum prize fund of €6,000 – approximately $6,980.
The public English regulations do not provide a detailed place-by-place distribution. Therefore, individual prize amounts should not be assumed until the organizer publishes or communicates the final allocation.
The championship recognizes the following official categories:
- Men
- Women
- Wheelchair Players
- Juniors Under 20
👥 Sections / Groups
The championship programme contains three separate competitions.
Standard
October 11–19, 2026
Nine rounds of classical chess at 90+30.
Rapid
October 13, 2026
Nine rapid rounds at 15+10, played during a break in the Standard Championship schedule.
Blitz
October 20, 2026
Nine blitz rounds at 5+3, followed by the championship Closing Ceremony.
Championship Categories
The regulations list four participant classifications:
| Category | Classification |
|---|---|
| Men | Men’s Championship category |
| Women | Women’s Championship category |
| Wheelchair Players | Wheelchair classification |
| Juniors | Under 20 |
All players are subject to FIDE and IPCA rules.
The regulations require participants to submit a medical certificate of disability to the IPCA Medical Commission.
📅 Schedule
Saturday, October 10
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| During the day | Arrival of participants and organizational instructions |
| 21:00 | Technical Meeting |
Sunday, October 11
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 14:30 | Opening Ceremony |
| 15:00 | Standard Round 1 |
Monday, October 12
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Standard Round 2 |
| 16:00 | Standard Round 3 |
Tuesday, October 13 – Rapid Championship
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Rapid Rounds 1–5 |
| 16:00 | Rapid Rounds 6–9 |
Wednesday, October 14
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Standard Round 4 |
| Afternoon | Day Off |
Thursday, October 15
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Morning | Day Off |
| 16:00 | Standard Round 5 |
Friday, October 16
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Standard Round 6 |
| Afternoon | Day Off |
Saturday, October 17
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Morning | Day Off |
| 16:00 | Standard Round 7 |
Sunday, October 18
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Standard Round 8 |
| Afternoon | Day Off |
Monday, October 19
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Morning | Day Off |
| 16:00 | Standard Round 9 |
Tuesday, October 20 – Blitz Championship
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Blitz Rounds 1–9 |
| 17:00 | Closing Ceremony |
Wednesday, October 21
Departure of participants
📝 Registration
The official registration deadline was:
August 1, 2026
Entry Fee
| Registration Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tournament Entry Fee | €150 – approx. $180 |
| IPCA Fee | €50 – approx. $60 |
| Total Entry Fee | €200 – approx. $240 |
The official regulations and registration form are available in the Download Files section of the Chess-Results tournament record:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453061.aspx?lan=1
Because the published deadline has passed, late participation should not be assumed. Any request after August 1 should be discussed directly with the Tournament Director.
Payment
The regulations publish the following account for accommodation and entry-fee payments:
IBAN: SK23 7500 0000 0040 3522 6307
SWIFT: CEKOSKBX
The payment reference should include the country and, where applicable, the names of the persons covered by the payment.
👥 Organizer
| Organizer Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 👥 Organizer | IPCA & Kremnica Kings |
| 👤 Contact Person | Norbert Boldiš |
| ✉️ Email | boldisaspol@gmail.com |
| 📞 Phone | +421 904 906 930 |
📍 Venue
Hotel PARK – Radlinského 21, 026 01 Dolný Kubín, Slovakia
Hotel PARK is both the official playing venue and mandatory championship accommodation for national delegations.
The four-star hotel is located near the centre of Dolný Kubín and directly beside the city park and Orava River area. The official hotel confirms the same Radlinského 21 address and GPS coordinates 49.209584, 19.2931384.
Hotel facilities include a restaurant, conference/event spaces and wellness facilities. The tournament regulations specifically mention a swimming pool and massages, available for separate individual payment.
🚆 How to Get There
Hotel PARK is centrally located in Dolný Kubín and can be reached by road, regional rail and bus.
🚗 By Car
Venue address: Hotel PARK – Radlinského 21, 026 01 Dolný Kubín, Slovakia
For navigation, use the complete Radlinského 21 address or the official hotel coordinates:
49.209584, 19.2931384
Parking at the official championship hotel costs €6 per day – approximately $10 according to the tournament regulations.
Delegations travelling with players who require additional mobility assistance should confirm parking and arrival arrangements with the organizer or hotel before departure.
🚆 By Train
Dolný Kubín has its own railway station on the regional Slovak rail network.
The official ZSSK timetable includes Dolný Kubín and Dolný Kubín zastávka as railway stops serving the town.
Hotel PARK is approximately a 12-minute walk from Dolný Kubín railway station.
Players travelling from other parts of Slovakia will normally need a regional connection depending on their starting point. Current train times should be checked with ZSSK before travel.
🚌 By Bus
Dolný Kubín has regional and local bus services, while the city operates several municipal bus routes through the central Alej slobody corridor.
Because Hotel PARK is close to the town centre, delegates arriving at the main transport area can complete the final journey by local bus, taxi or a short road transfer.
Travellers should check the current Slovak bus timetable shortly before departure, especially for weekend arrival on October 10.
✈️ By Air
There is no major international airport in Dolný Kubín itself.
For international delegations, the practical airport depends on the origin and available flights. Kraków Airport in Poland is one of the larger international gateways within reasonable road distance, while Poprad-Tatry Airport is geographically closer but has a more limited flight network.
Delegations flying to Slovakia or southern Poland should plan the full onward road, rail or bus journey before purchasing flights.
Because the official programme begins with participant arrival and the 21:00 Technical Meeting on October 10, same-day air arrivals should leave a generous connection margin.
♿ Accessible Travel
Since this is an IPCA championship, delegations should coordinate any accessibility and mobility requirements before travel.
ZSSK publishes accessibility information for Slovak railway stations, including Dolný Kubín. Participants who require assistance should arrange the appropriate service with the transport operator in advance rather than relying on an unconfirmed on-the-day connection.
ℹ️ Other Information
🏨 Mandatory Official Accommodation
For safety and organizational reasons, the regulations require all national delegations to stay at Hotel PARK, the accommodation designated by the organizing committee.
The published championship accommodation package is:
| Accommodation | Price | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Official Hotel Package | €950 per person | $1,110 |
| Parking | €6 per day | $10 |
The €950 package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Participants with food intolerances must indicate them on the accommodation registration form.
🏨 Accommodation Contact
Ivana Leváková – Hotel PARK Business Manager
Email: levakova@kubinska.sk
Phone: +421 907 913 594
Hotel PARK’s current official contact information also confirms Ivana Leváková as the hotel’s sales/business contact.
♟️ Organizing Partners
The official regulations list the following co-organizers:
- Žilina Regional Chess Federation
- Žilina Self-Governing Region
- City of Dolný Kubín
- Municipality of Bziny
- Bziny Sports Club
⭐ Championship Ambassador
GM Ľubomír Ftáčnik serves as Championship Ambassador.
👤 IPCA Representative
Andrej Gurbanov – President of IPCA
👨⚖️ Arbiter Team
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Chief Arbiter | IA Karol Pekár |
| Deputy Arbiter | FA Ladislav Šipeky |
| Deputy Arbiter | IA Rastislav Diviak |
| Arbiter | NA Jakub Homolka |
| Arbiter | NA Peter Kučerík |
🔗 Official Links
Chess-Results – Standard:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453061.aspx?lan=1
Chess-Results – Rapid:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453062.aspx?lan=1
Chess-Results – Blitz:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1453063.aspx?lan=1
Hotel PARK:
https://www.cityhotelpark.sk/
Additional Details
Organizer
♟️ About International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA)
International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) is the international chess organization representing players with physical disabilities and is affiliated with the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Founded in 1992 in the Czech Republic, IPCA developed a dedicated international competition structure for players with significant physical and musculoskeletal disabilities. The organization is now based in Torrevieja, Alicante, Spain, while its members include national organizations and individual chess players from countries around the world.
IPCA organizes World Individual Championships, European Individual Championships, chess Olympiads, rapid and blitz competitions, and other international events for physically disabled players. Its championship structure includes open, women’s, junior, and wheelchair classifications where applicable. In addition, IPCA supports participation by physically disabled players in broader FIDE competitions and has fielded teams in FIDE Chess Olympiads since 2002.
IM Andrei Gurbanov serves as President of IPCA and is also a member of the FIDE Disabilities Commission. The organization maintained an active international program in 2026, including the 25th IPCA World Individual Chess Championship in Spain and the upcoming 6th IPCA European Individual Chess Championship in Dolný Kubín, Slovakia. The European championship is organized by IPCA together with local co-organizer Kremnica Kings.
📜 History and Development
IPCA was founded in June 1992 through the initiative of physically disabled chess players led by Jiri Ulmann of the Czech Republic and the Polish Bieluczyk brothers, Bogdan and Tadeus. The organization was originally registered in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
A major milestone followed in 1996, when IPCA became affiliated with FIDE. This recognition created a stronger international pathway for physically disabled players and allowed IPCA teams to participate in major FIDE competitions.
IPCA teams began competing in the FIDE Chess Olympiad in 2002 at Bled, Slovenia. Subsequent appearances extended the organization’s presence within mainstream international chess while its own championship program continued to grow across Europe and other regions.
🏆 World and European Championships
The IPCA World Individual Chess Championship is one of the organization’s principal recurring competitions. IPCA also stages European Individual Championships, creating a continental championship pathway alongside its world events.
The 5th IPCA European Individual Chess Championship 2025 took place in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Its nine-round Classical Championship brought together players from several European federations. IM Marcin Molenda of Poland won the Open classification with 7/9, ahead of FM Mykola Mukha on tie-break. IPCA President IM Andrei Gurbanov finished third with 6.5 points.
The championship program also included Rapid competition. Ukrainian player Artom Andriienko won the 2025 Rapid Open with 7.5/9, demonstrating the multi-format structure that has become an important part of IPCA’s continental events.
🌍 2026 International Activity
In June 2026, the 25th IPCA World Individual Standard Chess Championship was held in Guardamar, Spain. The nine-round competition ran from June 2–12, 2026 and was registered for FIDE rating.
IM Marcin Molenda won the championship with 7.5/9, finishing ahead of Armenia’s FM Sargis Sargissyan, who also scored 7.5 points. IM Aleksander Czerwonski of Poland took third place with 6.5 points.
The event continued IPCA’s long-running World Individual Championship tradition while bringing together players representing European and non-European federations.
🌟 6th IPCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026
The next major event on IPCA’s 2026 program is the 6th IPCA European Individual Chess Championship, hosted in Dolný Kubín, Slovakia, at Hotel PARK.
The Classical Championship is scheduled for October 11–19, 2026 and will be played over nine rounds using a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. The festival also includes a nine-round Rapid Championship on October 13 with a 15+10 time control and a nine-round Blitz Championship on October 20 with a 5+3 time control.
The official tournament listing names IPCA and Kremnica Kings as organizers. Norbert Boldis serves as Tournament Director, while IA Karol Pekar is Chief Arbiter. The organizing and arbiting team also includes FA Ladislav Sipeky, IA Rastislav Diviak, NA Jakub Homolka, and NA Peter Kucerik.
🏛️ Organization and Leadership
IPCA is governed through its Presidential Council. The current official leadership lists IM Andrei Gurbanov as President. He was elected to the presidency in 2022 and has represented IPCA both organizationally and competitively.
The leadership structure also includes WFM Svetlana Gerasimova as First Vice-President. Both Gurbanov and Gerasimova are involved with the FIDE Disabilities Commission, strengthening the connection between IPCA and FIDE’s broader work in chess for players with disabilities.
IPCA’s statutes define organization of international championships and support for physically disabled chess players in FIDE competition as central parts of its mission.
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