The Lambardar Gya Prasad Memorial FIDE-Rated Open Rapid & Blitz Chess Tournaments 2026 will take place on October 31–November 1, 2026, at Global School of Science in Bah, Agra District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Global School of Science organizes the memorial event under the aegis of the Uttar Pradesh Chess Sports Association (UPCSA) and the All India Chess Federation (AICF). Across the two competitions, players will compete for a combined published prize fund of ₹240,000, approximately $2,500.

The weekend contains two independent FIDE-rated tournaments. The Rapid features 9 Swiss rounds at 25 minutes + 10 seconds per move and carries ₹160,000 in prizes. Meanwhile, the Blitz consists of 9 Swiss rounds at 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move, with another ₹80,000 in prizes. Each format has its own FIDE event registration, standings, ratings and Chess-Results page. In addition, both tournaments offer a wide range of women’s, junior, rating and local-player category prizes.

Registration remains separate for each format. The current fee is ₹1,000 for Rapid through October 29 and ₹600 for Blitz through October 30. A valid AICF registration for 2026–27 is mandatory, while players from Uttar Pradesh must also hold an active UPCSA ID. Therefore, participants should complete federation renewals before the organizer finalizes the starting lists.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Both tournaments follow the FIDE Laws of Chess and use the Swiss system. Moreover, each competition is submitted separately for FIDE rating.

The published tiebreak order is Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, Sonneborn-Berger, direct encounter, greater number of wins including forfeits, and finally greater number of wins with Black.

🏆 Prize Fund

The two tournaments offer a combined published cash prize fund of ₹240,000, approximately $2,500. The Rapid accounts for ₹160,000, while the Blitz distributes ₹80,000.

Prizes are not shared. Furthermore, a player who qualifies for more than one cash award receives only the higher-value prize.

Rapid – Main Prizes

The Rapid main prizes total ₹88,000.

Rapid – Category Prizes

The same five-place prize structure applies to Best Female, Best U-9, Best U-11, Best U-14, Best U-17, Best Unrated, Best U-1600, Best U-1800 and Best Bah Player.

These category awards contribute ₹72,000, bringing the Rapid total to ₹160,000. In addition, trophies will be awarded to the top three School / Academy teams.

Blitz – Main Prizes

The Blitz main prizes total ₹42,750.

Blitz – Category Prizes

The Blitz also recognizes Best Female, Best U-9, Best U-11, Best U-14, Best U-17, Best Unrated, Best U-1600, Best U-1800 and Best Bah Player.

A fifth-place award of ₹500 + Medal also applies to Best Female, U-11, U-14, U-17, Unrated, U-1600 and U-1800. However, the official flyer does not list a fifth-place cash prize for Best U-9 or Best Bah Player.

The Blitz category prizes total ₹37,250, bringing the full Blitz prize fund to ₹80,000.

👥 Sections / Groups

The memorial weekend contains two separate Open tournaments, rather than one event divided into conventional sections.

The Female, U-9, U-11, U-14, U-17, Unrated, U-1600, U-1800 and Bah Player classifications are prize categories within the Open tournaments. They are not separate playing sections.

📅 Schedule

Rapid

Blitz

📝 Registration

Registration is handled through the official CircleChess entry system.

Official Registration:
https://circlechess.com/registration?id=51244

All participants must have a valid AICF registration for the 2026–27 season. Players who still need to register or renew can use:

https://prs.aicf.in/new-register

In addition, Uttar Pradesh players must hold an active UPCSA ID:

https://www.upchess.org/register.php

The tournament information specifically warns players to complete any pending AICF or UPCSA renewal. Otherwise, the organizer may remove them from the tournament list.

👤 Organizer

Organizer Name: Global School of Science, Bah
Tournament Director: Dr. Abhishek Pathak
Phone: +91 93137 60471

Chief Arbiter: FA Rana Pratap Singh
Phone: +91 96433 14764

Deputy Chief Arbiter: SNA Dr. Manish Kumar
Phone: +91 70607 13435

Registration Help: Mr. Prabindra Mani Verma – +91 97171 30205
Local Assistance: Mr. Vinayak Bharadwaj – +91 74650 80548

📍 Venue

Global School of Science – RS Science Park, Vikrampur Road, Bah, Agra District, Uttar Pradesh 283104, India.

The school campus is located in Bah, outside central Agra. Therefore, players arriving through Agra should plan a separate final road or rail transfer to Bah rather than treating the tournament as an Agra city-center event.

🏨 Accommodation

The official tournament flyer lists several accommodation options close to the venue. Room rates are not published, so players should contact each property directly to confirm current prices, availability and check-in conditions for the tournament weekend.

Players seeking higher-category accommodation can also check options in Bateshwar, Shikohabad or Etawah, although these require a longer daily transfer to the tournament hall.

🚆 How to Get There

Global School of Science is in Bah, Agra District, on the Vikrampur Road side of the town. The official tournament information places Bah on State Highway 62 and approximately 15 km from the Agra–Lucknow Expressway, making road travel practical from several directions.

By Train

Bah Railway Station (HAB) is the closest railway station and is listed by the organizer at approximately 3 km from the venue. It is therefore the most convenient rail arrival point when a suitable train is available. Because Bah has a more limited service than the larger regional stations, players should verify their exact train on Indian Railways / NTES close to the travel date. No official tournament shuttle has been announced, so arrange a short local taxi, auto-rickshaw or pickup for the final trip to RS Science Park.

The organizer also lists several larger railway stations as alternatives:

Agra Cantt is the most useful major rail hub for many long-distance travelers. The road journey from Agra Cantt to Bah is roughly 70 km and normally takes around 1¼ hours by car, although traffic and road conditions can increase the journey time. Players arriving in Agra should therefore leave a comfortable buffer before the first reporting time.

By Air

Agra Airport / Kheria Airport (AGR) is the nearest practical scheduled airport for the tournament. Bah is roughly 75 km by road from the airport, so an onward car transfer is required.

Players flying into Agra should arrange their transfer in advance rather than relying on an airport taxi counter. Ground-transport services can change, and the airport’s current official transport information does not list regular general taxi, prepaid taxi or car-rental facilities. A pre-booked car, hotel pickup or locally arranged driver is therefore the safer option.

For flight schedules, participants should also recheck directly with their airline shortly before travel because airport schedules can change.

By Bus and Road

The official flyer states that direct bus services connect Bah with Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Delhi, Noida, Chandigarh, Bhind, Dhaulpur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.

Drivers coming via the Agra–Lucknow Expressway should continue toward Bah and SH62, then proceed to RS Science Park, Vikrampur Road. Since the tournament hall is outside central Agra, navigation should be set specifically to Global School of Science in Bah rather than simply to Agra.

Arrival Planning

The Rapid Technical Meeting begins at 09:00 on October 31, followed by the inauguration at 09:30 and Round 1 at 10:00. Players coming from Agra or another regional station on the same morning should therefore allow extra time for the final road transfer. For anyone travelling a long distance, arriving in Bah on the previous evening is the safer option.

For last-mile assistance, the official local contact is Mr. Vinayak Bharadwaj: +91 74650 80548.

ℹ️ Other Information

Players may not bring mobile phones, wristwatches of any type or other prohibited electronic devices into the playing hall. Possession of such a device during play can result in loss of the game.

The organizers will form a five-member Appeals Committee before the start of play. A protest must be submitted in writing together with a ₹1,500 fee. The deadline is 10 minutes after the disputed incident in Rapid and 5 minutes in Blitz. The organizer refunds the fee when the appeal succeeds.

The tournament provides food, snacks and tea at the venue on a paid basis. Participants should also note that the organizer reserves the right to reject an entry in accordance with the published tournament conditions.

Finally, players should recheck their name, FIDE ID, federation registration and tournament entry before travelling. The Rapid and Blitz have separate starting lists and separate Chess-Results pages, so participants entering both formats should verify both records.