Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026
Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026 takes place from October 13 to October 25, 2026 at the Belvedere Resort in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece.
Organized by the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA), the championship is specifically for blind and visually impaired chess players representing eligible European IBCA member countries. The festival combines a nine-round Classical European Championship with a nine-round Rapid European Championship.
Both competitions are played under IBCA and FIDE rules. Delegation registration, accommodation and airport transfers are coordinated centrally by the organizing committee.
♟️ Event Details
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Overall Dates | October 13–25, 2026 |
| 🌍 City / Country | Hersonissos, Crete, Greece |
| 📍 Venue | Royal Belvedere Resort – Hersonissos, Crete 70014, Greece |
| ♟️ Formats | Classical and Rapid |
| 🔢 Rounds | Classical: 9; Rapid: 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating | International FIDE rating |
| 👥 Eligibility | Blind and visually impaired players representing European IBCA member countries |
| 👤 Tournament Director | IO Nikolaos Kalesis |
| 👨⚖️ Chief Arbiter | To be announced |
| 👥 Organizer | International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) |
| 🏨 Official Hotel | Belvedere Resort / Royal Belvedere Resort |
| ✈️ Official Arrival Airport | Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER) |
Official IBCA Invitation:
2026 IBCA European Championship Invitation
Chess-Results – Classical:
Classic IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026
Chess-Results – Rapid:
Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Classical Championship
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ♟️ Format | Classical |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 2 hours + 30 seconds per move |
| ➕ Increment | 30 seconds from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating | International rating |
| 📅 Playing Dates | October 14–22, 2026 |
The Classical Championship consists of nine rounds, with one game scheduled per playing day.
Rapid Championship
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ♟️ Format | Rapid |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 25 minutes + 15 seconds per move |
| ➕ Increment | 15 seconds from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating | International rating |
| 📅 Playing Dates | October 23–24, 2026 |
The Rapid Championship is played over two competition days.
♿ Playing Equipment
All championship games must be played on Braille chess boards.
The organizer will provide 30 Echo DGT clocks for tournament use.
Both championships are conducted according to official IBCA and FIDE rules.
🏆 Prize Fund
The official invitation does not publish a cash prize fund.
Instead, the championships award European titles and trophies.
Classical Championship
| Place | Award |
|---|---|
| 🥇 1st Place | 2026 Classic IBCA European Individual Chess Champion + Trophy |
| 🥈 2nd Place | Trophy |
| 🥉 3rd Place | Trophy |
Rapid Championship
| Place | Award |
|---|---|
| 🥇 1st Place | 2026 Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Champion + Trophy |
| 🥈 2nd Place | Trophy |
| 🥉 3rd Place | Trophy |
🧩 Sections / Groups
The festival consists of two separate European Individual Championships.
♟️ Classic IBCA European Individual Chess Championship
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Arrival | October 13 |
| 🎯 Playing Period | October 14–22 |
| 🚪 Departure | October 23 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 120+30 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
⚡ Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Arrival | October 22 |
| 🎯 Playing Period | October 23–24 |
| 🚪 Departure | October 25 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 25+15 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
✅ Eligibility
The championship is open to European IBCA member countries.
Each eligible national IBCA member organization may register any number of players of any gender.
Registration is delegation-based, not a normal individual open entry.
Only an authorized representative of the national chess organization that is an IBCA member may register a delegation.
All players, officials, coaches and accompanying persons from the same country must be registered together as one national delegation.
The championship is specifically organized for blind and visually impaired chess players under IBCA regulations.
📅 Schedule
The organizer publishes the overall programme rather than exact starting times for every individual round.
Classical Programme
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| October 13 | Arrival of Classical Championship delegations |
| October 14–22 | Nine Classical rounds – one round per playing day |
| October 22 | Final Classical playing day |
| October 23 | Classical delegation departure |
Rapid Programme
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| October 22 | Arrival of Rapid Championship delegations |
| October 23–24 | Nine Rapid rounds |
| October 25 | Rapid delegation departure |
A half-day excursion is also included in the official programme.
The organizer has not published a detailed round-by-round timetable with exact starting hours in the official invitation. Players should therefore follow information supplied directly to their delegation.
📝 Registration
Registration must be handled through an authorized representative of the relevant IBCA member organization.
Individual players should therefore coordinate with their national organization rather than submit an independent entry.
Registration Fees
| Competition | Fee / Player | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Championship | €80 | approx. $100 |
| Rapid Championship | €20 | approx. $30 |
The Classical fee consists of:
- €40 Organizer Fee
- €40 IBCA Entry Fee
The Rapid fee consists of:
- €10 Organizer Fee
- €10 IBCA Entry Fee
Registration fees and advance accommodation deposits are non-refundable.
📅 Official Deadlines
| Requirement | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Confirmation of intention to participate | July 12, 2026 |
| Registration of participants | August 12, 2026 |
| Registration fee + 50% accommodation deposit | September 1, 2026 |
| Submission of flight details | September 1, 2026 |
| Visa-related organizer contact | Before August 12, 2026 |
⚠️ Final Accommodation Payment
The official invitation lists the deadline for the remaining 50% accommodation payment as November 10, 2026.
Because this date falls after the championship has finished, delegations should confirm the correct final-payment deadline directly with the organizer before making travel arrangements.
Visa Requirements
Delegation members who require a visa to enter Greece should contact the organizer before August 12, 2026.
👥 Organizer
| Organizer Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 👥 Organizer | International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) |
| 👤 Contact Person | Nikolaos Kalesis |
| 👨💼 Role | International Organizer / Tournament Director |
| ✉️ Tournament Email | chess.at.holidays@gmail.com |
| ✉️ IBCA General Email | info@ibca-info.org |
IBCA Event Calendar:
International Braille Chess Association Event Calendar
📍 Venue
Royal Belvedere Resort – Hersonissos, Crete 70014, Greece
The championships are held at the Belvedere Resort complex in Hersonissos. Chess-Results specifically identifies the tournament venue as Hotel Royal Belvedere.
The resort is located on the outskirts of Hersonissos. According to the hotel, Star Beach is approximately 400 metres away, while central Hersonissos is around a 10-minute walk from the resort.
Because tournament accommodation is compulsory for delegation members, most players will stay and compete within the same resort complex.
🚆 How to Get There
The official arrival airport for the championship is Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER).
✈️ Official Airport Transfer
The organizer states that transportation will be provided from and to Heraklion International Airport for tournament participants.
To use the organizer-arranged transfer, each delegation must submit:
- Arrival date
- Arrival time
- Flight number
- Departure date
- Departure time
- Departure flight number
Flight information must be submitted to the organizing committee no later than September 1, 2026.
This is the recommended arrival arrangement for registered delegations.
🚗 By Car
Venue address: Royal Belvedere Resort – Hersonissos, Crete 70014, Greece
The resort is located in Hersonissos on the northern coast of Crete, east of Heraklion.
Drivers should navigate directly to Royal Belvedere Resort, Hersonissos rather than using only the general destination “Crete” or “Heraklion”.
The official hotel identifies its location as Hersonissos, Crete, PC 70014, Greece.
🚌 By Public Bus
KTEL Heraklion–Lasithi operates regular public bus services between Heraklion and Hersonissos.
The current published journey between Heraklion and Hersonissos is approximately 35 minutes, although actual travel time depends on the particular service and traffic.
Independent travellers should note that the organizer already provides an official airport-transfer arrangement for registered delegations, so public transport should mainly be considered when that transfer has not been arranged.
♿ Accessible Travel Planning
Delegations that require assistance during airport transfer or hotel arrival should communicate those requirements to the organizer before travel.
Because this is a championship for blind and visually impaired players, delegation leaders should make sure that:
- Flight details are submitted correctly
- Guide or accompanying-person arrangements are clear
- Hotel room requirements are confirmed
- Necessary personal adaptive equipment is prepared
- Medical insurance documents are available
ℹ️ Other Information
🏨 Mandatory Official Accommodation
All delegation members — including:
- Players
- Coaches
- Officials
- Accompanying persons
— are required to stay at the official Belvedere Resort hotel.
The organizing committee states that it will not accept participants who do not book accommodation through the official hotel arrangement.
All accommodation requests must therefore be processed through the organizing committee.
Accommodation Rates
Prices include full board with three meals per day.
| Room Type | Price / Person / Day | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Double room | €94 | approx. $110 |
| Single room | €114 | approx. $140 |
A deposit equal to 50% of the total accommodation cost, together with the full registration fee, must be paid by September 1, 2026.
🍽️ Full Board
The official accommodation price includes:
Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Players and accompanying persons should therefore coordinate dietary or accessibility requirements with the organizing committee and hotel before arrival where necessary.
🩺 Medical Insurance
Every person included in a participating delegation must have medical insurance.
The organizer explicitly states that it will not cover expenses arising from a participant’s medical problem.
♿ Chess Equipment
All games must be played using Braille chess boards.
The organizer will provide 30 Echo DGT electronic chess clocks.
Delegations should still confirm any personal equipment or assistance requirements before departure.
🚌 Half-Day Excursion
The official programme includes a half-day excursion.
The exact date and itinerary are not specified in the public invitation and should be confirmed through the delegation or organizing committee.
🔗 Official Links
IBCA Event Calendar:
IBCA Event Calendar
Official Invitation:
2026 Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Championship Invitation
Chess-Results – Classical:
Classical Championship Results & Pairings
Chess-Results – Rapid:
Rapid Championship Results & Pairings
Royal Belvedere Resort:
Official Belvedere Resort Website
Additional Details
Organizer
♟️ About International Braille Chess Association (IBCA)
The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) is the international governing body for chess for blind and visually impaired players. Founded in 1958 in Germany, IBCA is recognized by FIDE as the international chess federation responsible for this field of competitive chess. The organization promotes accessible chess worldwide and currently brings together approximately 60 member countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
IBCA has exclusive responsibility within its structure for major international championships for blind and visually impaired players. Its program includes the IBCA Chess Olympiad, World Individual Championship, World Team Championship, continental individual and team championships, World Junior Championship, and World Women’s Championship. IBCA also participates within the wider FIDE chess system and works to ensure that visually impaired players can compete under adapted rules and equipment while maintaining the essential competitive structure of standard chess.
The organization entered an important leadership transition in 2026 following the death of President Dr. Jörgen Magnusson on April 15, 2026. The current elected leadership includes Piotr Dukaczewski – First Vice President, Nikos Kalesis – Second Vice President, Olivier Deville – Secretary General, and Thorsten Müller – Treasurer. IBCA has scheduled an Extraordinary Congress in Crete on October 15, 2026, while its international tournament program continues without interruption. Nikos Kalesis is also Tournament Director of the 2026 European Individual Championships and is the most relevant operational contact for this event.
📜 International Braille Chess Since 1958
IBCA developed from international chess activity for blind players that began during the early 1950s. Its formal international structure was established in 1958, creating a unified organization for national associations representing blind and visually impaired chess players.
Its official statutes define IBCA as the supreme international body for Braille chess and give it responsibility for organizing world, continental, individual, and team championships.
Accessible chess uses the normal principles of competitive chess with specific adaptations. Players may use specially designed tactile boards, secured pieces, Braille notation, or voice-recording equipment. Moves can also be announced aloud when required.
These adaptations allow blind and visually impaired players to participate in serious international chess on competitive terms while following the relevant FIDE and IBCA regulations.
🌍 World and Continental Championships
IBCA maintains an extensive international championship calendar.
The 17th IBCA Chess Olympiad for the Blind and Visually Impaired took place in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, in June 2025. Poland won the championship with 15 match points, followed by Venezuela and Spain.
Poland continued its success at the IBCA World Team Chess Championship 2026, held in Petrovac, Montenegro, from April 17–28. The Polish team finished undefeated with eight wins and one draw, scoring 17 match points. Ukraine placed second and Serbia third.
The 2026 calendar also includes the World Junior and Women Championships in Greece, Pan-American Individual Championship in São Paulo, Asian Individual Championship in Karachi, and numerous international tournaments for blind and visually impaired players.
🏆 European Individual Championships
The IBCA European Individual Championship is one of the organization’s principal continental competitions.
The 2026 Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championships will take place at the Royal Belvedere Hotel in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece. Delegations representing IBCA member countries participate through their authorized national organizations.
The classical championship consists of nine Swiss-system rounds. Competition games are scheduled from October 14–22, 2026, with the wider championship program running from October 13–23.
Players receive two hours plus a 30-second increment per move, a time control specifically used for this IBCA championship.
The separate Rapid European Championship follows on October 23–24, with the complete rapid program extending through October 25. It also consists of nine rounds.
♿ Accessible International Competition
IBCA’s work extends beyond tournament organization. Its statutes and commissions address arbiter standards, technology, accessibility, ethics, tournament rules, and international development.
The organization works with national blind-sports associations and chess federations to create appropriate tournament conditions. This includes accessible playing equipment, additional time and practical assistance when required, suitable accommodation, transportation arrangements, and procedures for accompanying persons.
Only authorized representatives of national organizations affiliated with IBCA may register official delegations for its principal championships.
This structure gives players a clear pathway from national competition into European Championships, World Championships, World Team Championships, and the IBCA Chess Olympiad.
🏛️ Leadership and Current Development
At the IBCA Congress in Rzeszów, Poland, on August 23, 2025, Dr. Jörgen Magnusson was elected President. The Congress also elected Piotr Dukaczewski as First Vice President, Nikos Kalesis as Second Vice President, Olivier Deville as Secretary General, and Thorsten Müller as Treasurer.
Dr. Magnusson passed away on April 15, 2026 after a long illness. IBCA subsequently began a presidential nomination process and scheduled an Extraordinary Congress for October 15, 2026 in Crete.
IBCA continues to operate through its Presidential Board, Executive Board, continental representatives, and specialist commissions. Its current commissions include Arbiter, Technology, Nomination and Electoral, and Ethics bodies.
Despite the leadership transition, the organization has maintained a particularly extensive 2026 international calendar, with championships in Montenegro, Greece, Brazil, Pakistan, Germany, and Serbia.
📞 Contact Details
Organizer Country: International
Contact Person: Nikos Kalesis – Second Vice President / Tournament Director
Email: info@ibca-info.org
Email 2: chess.at.holidays@gmail.com
Website: https://ibca-info.org/
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