The Digisigns International FIDE Rated Open Chess Tournament 2027 takes place on Sunday, January 17, 2027, at Nexus Koramangala Mall in Bengaluru, India.

Organized by DIGISIGNS under the aegis of the Karnataka State Chess Association and All India Chess Federation, the tournament is a nine-round FIDE-rated Rapid Open played entirely in one day.

Players compete with a 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move time control. The tournament offers a substantial cash prize structure extending to 30th place, separate unrated and rating-category prizes, special awards, and junior trophies and medals.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament consists of nine rounds played under the latest FIDE Laws of Chess and the Swiss pairing system.

Time Control: 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move from move 1

Default Time

The official regulations establish a very short three-minute default time.

Players must therefore be at their boards within three minutes of the scheduled start of each round.

Because rounds are scheduled only one hour apart throughout much of the day, competitors should remain close to the playing area and carefully monitor tournament announcements.

Tie-Breaks

The regulations specify the Buchholz system as the published tie-break method.

In the event of tied scores, cash prizes are not shared. Final prize allocation is determined according to the applicable tie-break standings.

🏆 Prize Fund

The tournament publishes a total cash prize fund of:

₹300,000

Cash prizes are spread across overall standings, unrated players, three rating groups, and special categories.

Main Prizes

Unrated Player Prizes

Rating Prizes

Three separate rating categories use the same prize structure:

• 1400–1500
• 1501–1600
• 1601–1700

For each of these three rating groups:

Special Prizes

The tournament also has three special award categories:

• Best Female – age 16 and above
• Best Veteran – age 60 and above
• Physically Challenged

For each category:

Junior Category Awards

The official prospectus also advertises age-category awards for:

The prospectus does not provide separate cash prizes for these junior categories.

Prize Collection

Prize winners must collect their awards personally at the venue during the Prize Distribution Function.

The organizer specifically states that:

• prizes will not be distributed the following day;
• a substitute or third party cannot collect a prize;
• the winning player must personally receive the award.

🧩 Sections / Groups

This is one Open tournament, not a multi-section event.

All competitors play in the same nine-round Swiss competition.

The various rating, unrated, junior, female, veteran, and physically challenged classifications are prize categories within the Open, rather than separate playing sections.

This means players remain part of the same overall pairings and standings while potentially qualifying for one of the additional prize categories.

📅 Schedule

The entire tournament takes place on Sunday, January 17, 2027.

The schedule is intensive, with most rounds starting one hour apart.

Players should therefore plan to remain at Nexus Koramangala throughout the tournament day.

📝 Registration

The standard tournament entry fee is:

₹1,500

Early-Bird Entry

Players registering by October 10, 2026 receive the reduced early-bird rate:

₹1,250

Free Entry for Titled Players

The tournament offers free entry to:

• Grandmasters (GM)
• International Masters (IM)
• Woman Grandmasters (WGM)
• Woman International Masters (WIM)

Registration Deadline

Entries close at:

6:00 PM on January 14, 2027

Official online registration:

https://circlechess.com/registration?id=53539

AICF Registration

The prospectus states that AICF player registration is compulsory for all Indian players.

The published registration fee for the 2026–2027 season is:

₹300

Players should complete or renew their AICF registration well before the tournament.

KSCA Registration

Karnataka players must also have current Karnataka State Chess Association registration.

The prospectus publishes the 2026–2027 KSCA registration fee as:

₹150

Players should ensure that required registrations are completed before tournament day rather than attempting to resolve membership issues during reporting.

👤 Organizer

Tournament Contacts

For further tournament information, the official prospectus also lists:

Sri Srinidhi: +91 99164 05251
Sri Prajwal: +91 90365 53077

Arbiter Team

Chief Arbiter: IA Shripad K V – FIDE ID 5075033
Deputy Chief Arbiter: IA Murugasundaram

The Chief Arbiter appointment is also confirmed in FIDE’s official tournament registration.

📍 Venue

Nexus Koramangala Mall – 21 Hosur Road, Chikku Lakshmaiah Layout, Koramangala, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560095, India.

The venue is the well-known Nexus Koramangala, formerly known as Forum Mall, on Hosur Road.

Coordinates: 12.9346691, 77.6111143

The venue is directly linked from the official Chess-Results tournament record.

Nexus Koramangala is a major retail and entertainment centre with restaurants, cafés, a large food court, shops, cinema facilities, and extensive managed parking.

Important Early-Morning Access Note

The tournament requires players to report at 8:00 AM, with the players meeting at 8:30 AM and Round 1 at 9:00 AM.

Normal public mall opening hours are generally listed from approximately 10:00 AM.

Tournament participants should therefore follow any organizer instructions concerning the designated early-morning entrance and access route rather than relying on normal public mall entry procedures.

Parking

Nexus Koramangala has substantial on-site managed parking for cars and two-wheelers.

Published mall information also identifies:

• disabled parking;
• EV charging;
• dedicated motorcycle parking;
• parking facilities for women and other designated users.

Players driving to the tournament should nevertheless arrive early because Sunday traffic and a large tournament field can increase demand around the venue.

🏨 Accommodation

No official tournament hotel or accommodation package is published.

However, Koramangala has numerous hotels within a short distance of Nexus Mall.

Comfy Business Hotel

7 Hosur Main Road, opposite Nexus Koramangala Mall, Bengaluru

This is the most convenient option for players who want to stay immediately beside the tournament venue.

The hotel’s own published rates currently range from approximately ₹3,000 + GST for a Studio Single Room to ₹4,500 + GST for a Deluxe Double Room.

Facilities include:

• complimentary buffet breakfast;
• free Wi-Fi;
• 24-hour reception;
• round-the-clock security.

Because the hotel is directly opposite the mall, players can avoid a longer road transfer on tournament morning.

BluPetal Hotel

60 Jyoti Nivas College Road, 5th Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru 560095

BluPetal is another established hotel in central Koramangala.

Current public rates generally fall around ₹3,500–₹5,000 per night, depending on room type, booking conditions, and whether breakfast is included.

The property has restaurants and fitness facilities and is surrounded by Koramangala’s large selection of cafés and dining options.

Bloom Hotel – Koramangala

68 1st Main Road, KHB Colony, 7th Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru 560095

Bloom Hotel provides a modern three-star option in the same general Koramangala area.

Typical public rates currently begin around ₹3,400–₹4,500 per night, depending on room type and booking conditions.

The hotel provides Wi-Fi, modern rooms, breakfast options, and convenient access to the restaurants and services of Koramangala.

Accommodation prices above are indicative current public rates rather than official tournament rates. January 2027 prices may differ according to availability, room type, taxes, and booking conditions.

🚆 How to Get There

Nexus Koramangala is located on Hosur Road, south of central Bengaluru.

✈️ From Kempegowda International Airport

Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) is approximately 38 km from Nexus Koramangala.

Road travel time varies considerably depending on Bengaluru traffic.

Players arriving by air should leave a generous margin, especially when travelling during busy periods.

The most straightforward options are:

• airport taxi;
• app-based taxi;
• pre-arranged transfer;
• airport bus followed by a local taxi or auto-rickshaw.

Because tournament reporting begins at 8:00 AM on Sunday, players flying into Bengaluru from another city may prefer to arrive on Saturday and stay near Koramangala.

🚇 By Metro

The nearest metro option is BTM Layout Metro Station on Bengaluru’s Yellow Line.

The station is approximately 1.5 km from Nexus Koramangala.

From the station, players can continue to the mall by:

• auto-rickshaw;
• taxi;
• app-based cab;
• or on foot if practical.

Central Silk Board Metro Station is another nearby Yellow Line option.

🚆 By Train

Bengaluru’s principal long-distance railway hub, KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station, is roughly 10 km from the Koramangala area.

A taxi, app-based cab, or auto-rickshaw is normally the simplest connection from the railway station to Nexus Koramangala.

Travel time varies significantly with traffic.

🚗 By Car

For navigation use:

Nexus Koramangala Mall
21 Hosur Road
Chikku Lakshmaiah Layout
Koramangala
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560095
India

Coordinates: 12.9346691, 77.6111143

The venue has on-site parking, but players should allow extra time to enter the property and locate the tournament area before the 8:30 AM players meeting.

ℹ️ Other Information

🌐 FIDE Rating

The tournament is registered with FIDE as a Rapid-rated event.

FIDE Event ID: 496728

FIDE confirms:

• January 17, 2027;
• Bengaluru, India;
• Rapid rating;
• 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment;
• Chief Arbiter IA Shripad K V.

⌚ Wrist Watches

The official prospectus states that wrist watches are not permitted while playing in FIDE-rated events.

Players should therefore remove wrist watches before entering the playing area for their games.

⚖️ Appeals

A protest against a decision of the Chief Arbiter must be:

• made in writing;
• submitted within 15 minutes of the incident;
• accompanied by a ₹1,000 protest fee.

If the appeal is upheld, the protest fee is refunded.

An Appeals Committee will be formed from senior participants present at the players meeting.

Its decision is final and binding on the players concerned.

🚪 Withdrawal

A player may withdraw from the tournament at any stage after informing the Chief Arbiter in writing.

Players should not simply leave the tournament without notifying tournament officials.

🎓 E-Certificates

The organizer states that e-certificates will be provided to all participants.

🚫 Right of Admission

The All India Chess Federation, Karnataka State Chess Association, and organizer DIGISIGNS reserve the right of admission to the tournament venue.

📊 Starting List, Pairings & Results

Chess-Results is the official online tournament-results platform:

https://chess-results.com/tnr1489369.aspx?lan=1

Players should check it before tournament day for:

• updated player list;
• FIDE IDs;
• ratings;
• pairings;
• standings;
• results.

🔎 Before the Tournament

Players should confirm shortly before January 17:

• their entry appears on the starting list;
• AICF registration is current where required;
• KSCA registration is current for Karnataka players;
• correct FIDE ID and rating details are recorded;
• organizer instructions for early-morning entry into Nexus Mall;
• any last-minute schedule or venue announcements.

Official Registration:

https://circlechess.com/registration?id=53539

Chess-Results:

https://chess-results.com/tnr1489369.aspx?lan=1

FIDE Tournament Page:

https://ratings.fide.com/tournament_information.phtml?event=496728