Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026 takes place from December 24 to December 29, 2026 at EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Organized by 8×8 Chess Academy, the festival combines three separate FIDE-rated competitions: Classical, Blitz and Rapid.
Each format consists of nine Swiss-system rounds and has its own FIDE Event ID and Chess-Results record. The Classical tournament runs from December 24–28, the Blitz takes place on December 27, and the Rapid tournament concludes the festival on December 29.
The organizer advertises a combined ₹800,000 prize fund and a special package of ₹3,700 for all three formats.
♟️ Event Details
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | December 24–29, 2026 |
| 🌍 City / Country | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| 📍 Venue | EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) – Survey No. 81 (Part), Wakad Marunji Road, Wakad, Pune 411057, Maharashtra, India |
| ♟️ Formats | Classical, Blitz and Rapid |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 rounds in each format |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating | FIDE Standard, FIDE Blitz and FIDE Rapid |
| 💰 Published Prize Fund | ₹800,000 – approximately $8,420 |
| 👥 Organizer | 8×8 Chess Academy |
| 👤 Tournament Director | FI Maktedar Shashikant – FIDE ID 5031001 |
| 👨⚖️ Chief Arbiter | IA Godbole Atharva – FIDE ID 5059550 |
| 📝 Registration | CircleChess |
| 🏆 Chess-Results – Classical | https://chess-results.com/tnr1475481.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🏆 Chess-Results – Blitz | https://chess-results.com/tnr1475495.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🏆 Chess-Results – Rapid | https://chess-results.com/tnr1475486.aspx?lan=1 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The festival contains three separate nine-round FIDE-rated tournaments.
♟️ Classical
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move |
| ➕ Increment | 30 seconds from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
| 📊 Rating | FIDE Standard |
| 🆔 FIDE Event ID | 484584 |
| 📅 Dates | December 24–28, 2026 |
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1475481.aspx?lan=1
⚡ Blitz
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Time Control | 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move |
| ➕ Increment | 2 seconds from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
| 📊 Rating | FIDE Blitz |
| 🆔 FIDE Event ID | 484587 |
| 📅 Date | December 27, 2026 |
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1475495.aspx?lan=1
🚀 Rapid
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Time Control | 15 minutes + 5 seconds per move |
| ➕ Increment | 5 seconds from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss |
| 📊 Rating | FIDE Rapid |
| 🆔 FIDE Event ID | 484586 |
| 📅 Date | December 29, 2026 |
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1475486.aspx?lan=1
Swiss-Manager is used for pairings in all three competitions.
Starting lists, pairings, standings and results are published separately for each format through Chess-Results.
🏆 Prize Fund
The organizer advertises a total festival prize fund of:
₹800,000 – approximately $8,420
This amount applies to the Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival as a whole, covering the Classical, Blitz and Rapid programme.
The detailed allocation by place, rating category, age category or individual format has not yet been published in the currently accessible official tournament information.
Players should therefore check the registration page or any later organizer announcement before relying on a specific individual prize amount.
🧩 Sections / Groups
The festival combines three separate FIDE-rated competitions under one event.
Classical Tournament
December 24–28, 2026
Nine rounds of FIDE-rated classical chess using a 90+30 time control.
Blitz Tournament
December 27, 2026
Nine rounds of FIDE-rated blitz using a 3+2 time control.
The Blitz takes place during the Classical tournament period. Players entering both events should therefore follow the organizer’s final daily timetable carefully.
Rapid Tournament
December 29, 2026
Nine rounds of FIDE-rated rapid chess using a 15+5 time control.
The Rapid tournament is held after the Classical competition concludes.
📅 Schedule
The verified competition dates are:
| Date | Competition |
|---|---|
| December 24 | Classical Tournament begins |
| December 24–26 | Classical Tournament |
| December 27 | Classical Tournament + Blitz Tournament |
| December 28 | Final day of Classical Tournament |
| December 29 | Rapid Tournament |
The three tournaments contain 27 rounds in total: nine Classical, nine Blitz and nine Rapid.
The currently available AICF and Chess-Results records confirm the tournament dates and number of rounds but do not publish a complete hour-by-hour schedule.
Therefore, players should use the official registration channel and organizer announcements for exact reporting times and individual round starting times.
📝 Registration
Official registration is available through CircleChess:
https://circlechess.com/registration?id=51182
The organizer advertises the following combined offer:
All Three Formats
| Registration Package | Fee |
|---|---|
| Classical + Blitz + Rapid | ₹3,700 |
| Approx. USD | $40 |
This is the published combined package for players entering all three formats.
Individual Classical, Blitz or Rapid entry fees are not shown in the currently accessible Chess-Results information. Players entering only one or two events should verify the applicable amount on the CircleChess registration page before payment.
Registration Contacts
For tournament and registration questions, the organizer publishes the following numbers:
- +91 98903 22231
- +91 91587 22230
- +91 84212 14874
- +91 93265 93309
Because Classical, Blitz and Rapid have separate FIDE Event IDs and separate starting lists, players entering multiple formats should verify that their name appears in each selected competition.
👥 Organizer
| Organizer Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 👥 Organizer | 8×8 Chess Academy |
| 👤 Tournament Director | FI Maktedar Shashikant |
| 📞 Phone 1 | +91 98903 22231 |
| 📞 Phone 2 | +91 91587 22230 |
Additional tournament contacts:
+91 84212 14874 / +91 93265 93309
📍 Venue
EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) – Survey No. 81 (Part), Wakad Marunji Road, Wakad, Pune 411057, Maharashtra, India
The tournament is played at the CBSE campus of EuroSchool Wakad, not the separate EuroSchool Wakad ICSE campus.
This distinction is important because EuroSchool operates more than one campus in the Wakad area.
The official EuroSchool address identifies Bhumkar Chowk as the landmark for the CBSE campus.
🚆 How to Get There
EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) is located on the Wakad–Marunji Road near Bhumkar Chowk in western Pune.
🚗 By Car
Venue address: EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) – Survey No. 81 (Part), Wakad Marunji Road, Wakad, Pune 411057, Maharashtra, India
When using Google Maps or another navigation service, make sure to select EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) rather than EuroSchool Wakad (ICSE).
Use Bhumkar Chowk as the main landmark.
Wakad and Bhumkar Chowk are busy parts of the Pune metropolitan area, particularly around commuter periods. Players should leave a reasonable traffic buffer before the start of each session.
🚌 By PMPML Bus
Bhumkar Chowk is a major local public-transport stop close to the tournament area.
Current PMPML services serving Bhumkar Chowk include routes such as:
- 115
- 355A
- 372
- 43
Route 115 provides a connection involving Pune Station, which can be useful for players arriving in Pune by train.
Because Pune bus routes and timetables can change, players should check the current PMPML or journey-planning information shortly before travelling.
🚆 From Pune Junction Railway Station
Pune Junction is the main long-distance railway station for Pune.
Players arriving there can continue toward Wakad and Bhumkar Chowk by:
- App-based taxi
- Taxi
- PMPML bus connection
- Private car
The venue is in western Pune, while Pune Junction is closer to the central/eastern part of the city. Travel time can therefore vary substantially with traffic.
Players travelling with luggage or chess equipment may find a direct taxi or app-based ride the simplest option.
✈️ From Pune International Airport
Pune International Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
The airport and Wakad are on different sides of the metropolitan area, so road travel is required to reach EuroSchool Wakad.
The most straightforward options are:
- Taxi
- App-based ride
- Pre-arranged private transfer
Players arriving on December 24 should allow extra time for cross-city traffic before the opening-day activities.
📍 Bhumkar Chowk
Bhumkar Chowk is the key local landmark for reaching the school.
The official EuroSchool website specifically identifies:
Landmark: Bhumkar Chowk
When asking a taxi or local driver for the venue, mentioning EuroSchool Wakad CBSE near Bhumkar Chowk can help distinguish it from other EuroSchool campuses.
⏰ Arrival Advice
The Classical tournament begins on December 24, during the year-end holiday travel period.
Players arriving from outside Pune should avoid planning a tight connection immediately before their first game.
Those participating in the Blitz on December 27 while also playing Classical should also check the final organizer timetable because both competitions take place on the same day.
ℹ️ Other Information
⭐ Three FIDE-Rated Formats
The festival gives players an opportunity to obtain or change ratings in all three major FIDE time-control categories:
- Standard
- Rapid
- Blitz
Each tournament has its own FIDE Event ID and Chess-Results database.
🆔 FIDE Event IDs
| Format | FIDE Event ID |
|---|---|
| Classical | 484584 |
| Blitz | 484587 |
| Rapid | 484586 |
💰 Combined Entry Package
The organizer specifically promotes participation in the complete festival with a ₹3,700 package covering all three formats.
Players should still confirm successful registration in each separate starting list.
🏫 Correct EuroSchool Campus
EuroSchool officially lists two Wakad campuses.
The tournament venue is:
EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE) – Survey No. 81 (Part), Wakad Marunji Road, Landmark: Bhumkar Chowk
It is not the EuroSchool Wakad ICSE campus near Dutta Mandir.
🔗 Official Links
All India Chess Federation – Events:
https://aicf.in/all-events/
Registration:
https://circlechess.com/registration?id=51182
Chess-Results – Classical:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1475481.aspx?lan=1
Chess-Results – Blitz:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1475495.aspx?lan=1
Chess-Results – Rapid:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1475486.aspx?lan=1
EuroSchool Wakad (CBSE):
https://www.euroschoolindia.com/best-schools-in-pune/cbse-wakad/
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $8,420
Organizer
♟️ About 8×8 Chess Academy
8×8 Chess Academy is a chess training and tournament organization based in Pune, Maharashtra, India. The academy operates from its head office in Bavdhan and has developed a wider presence across Pune through activity in areas including Baner, Dhanori, Khadki, and Wakad. Its work combines structured chess education with the organization of competitive over-the-board events, including tournaments submitted for national and international rating.
The academy provides chess coaching for developing players through group, individual, offline, and online formats. Its programs cover players at different stages, from beginners learning fundamental principles to stronger juniors preparing for tournament competition. Alongside training, 8×8 Chess Academy regularly creates competitive opportunities in Pune and has organized rapid, blitz, and classical events, including large FIDE-rated tournaments.
The academy was founded by FI Shashikant Maktedar, who remains a central figure in its tournament activity and serves as Tournament Director for the Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026. The festival is scheduled for December 24–29, 2026 at EuroSchool Wakad and brings together separate FIDE-rated Classical, Blitz, and Rapid tournaments. It represents the academy’s most ambitious published event for 2026, with a combined advertised prize fund of ₹800,000.
🎓 Chess Training and Player Development
8×8 Chess Academy places player development at the center of its work. Its coaching structure is designed to help young players progress from basic chess knowledge toward competitive play, while individual instruction provides a more focused route for students who require personalized preparation.
The academy also uses online training alongside its physical centers. This allows players outside a single Pune neighborhood to participate in coaching while maintaining the academy’s strong local presence across the city.
Tournament participation forms an important part of this development model. Players are encouraged to move from training into competitive chess, giving them practical experience with tournament preparation, time management, and rated competition.
🏆 Tournament Activity
The academy has established itself as an active tournament organizer in Pune. Its events include local competitions as well as larger tournaments conducted within the Indian chess federation structure and submitted for FIDE rating where applicable.
A major step in this activity was the 1st Pune International Speed Chess Festival 2025, held on December 6–7, 2025 at SNBP Wakad Learning Center. The festival featured separate FIDE-rated Rapid and Blitz tournaments.
The Rapid tournament attracted 593 players, while the Blitz tournament had 391 players. The event therefore demonstrated the academy’s capacity to manage tournaments involving several hundred competitors, a substantial organizing team, arbiters, registration staff, and venue coordination.
⚡ Pune International Speed Chess Festival 2025
The 2025 festival combined a nine-round Rapid tournament with an eleven-round Blitz competition. CM Prathamesh Sherla won the Rapid event on tie-break after scoring 8/9, while CM Shlok Sharnarthi won the Blitz tournament with 9.5/11.
The event was directed by FI Shashikant Maktedar, with IA Atharva Godbole serving as Chief Arbiter. The published tournament organization also included dedicated teams for registration, technical matters, venue coordination, accommodation, and arbiting support.
🌟 Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026
The academy’s principal announced tournament for 2026 is the Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026, scheduled at EuroSchool Wakad in Pune.
The festival consists of three separate FIDE-rated competitions. The Classical tournament runs December 24–28, the Blitz tournament is scheduled for December 27, and the Rapid tournament for December 29. Each event is a nine-round Swiss tournament.
The published time controls are 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move for Classical, 3+2 for Blitz, and 15+5 for Rapid. FI Shashikant Maktedar is Tournament Director, while IA Atharva Godbole is Chief Arbiter.
The organizer advertises a combined prize fund of ₹800,000, making the festival a significant expansion from the academy’s 2025 speed-chess event.
🏛️ Organization and Leadership
FI Shashikant Maktedar is the founder of 8×8 Chess Academy and serves as its principal tournament organizer and Tournament Director for major academy events. He is also a FIDE Instructor.
The academy’s tournament operations are supported by a broader organizational team. For the 2025 International Speed Chess Festival, Shweta Maktedar served as Organizing Chairman, while additional officials handled registration, technical matters, arbiting, venue coordination, and player services.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
