The 1st International Chess Festival “Memorial Fabio Guarino” 2027 takes place in Bacoli, Italy, from February 5 to 7, 2027. The inaugural edition is organized jointly by A.S.D. Scacchistica Partenopea and A.S.D. Accademia Scacchistica Napoletana, in collaboration with FIDE International Organizer Gianvittorio Perico. The tournament honors the memory of Fabio Guarino, a young player, arbiter and chess instructor who was active in the Campanian chess community. Its playing venue is the historic Palazzo dell’Ostrichina, within the Bourbon-era Fusaro Park beside Lake Fusaro.

Three classical tournaments — Open A, Open B and Open C — each offer five FIDE-rated Swiss-system rounds. All groups use 90 minutes per player plus a 30-second increment from move one. Open A is for competitors rated above 1800, Open B covers ratings above 1500 and below 1900, and Open C is for players below 1600. The official regulations advertise a total of €3,000 in cash prizes, with leading overall awards and additional Elo-category prizes. The competitions are also open to eligible visiting foreign players with a recognized FIDE federation and FIDE ID.

Round 1 begins at 4:00 PM on Friday, February 5, followed by two classical games on Saturday and two on Sunday. Players can reach the venue from Naples on the Cumana railway, getting off at Fusaro, or travel by car through the Campi Flegrei area. For a weekend stay, the neighbouring towns of Bacoli and Pozzuoli offer hotels with sea views and convenient regional transport links. This guide brings together the confirmed prize allocations, entry fees, timetable, organizers, accommodation, directions and official resources for the inaugural memorial.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Each of the three sections plays five classical rounds under the FIDE Swiss pairing system. Every participant receives 90 minutes for the entire game and a 30-second increment after each move, beginning with move one. There is no separate time-control stage after move 40. All three groups follow the same timetable and time control, making the sections different in rating eligibility rather than playing speed.

⚖️ Tie-breaks and Player Eligibility

The official invitation ranks tied participants by REP, then Buchholz Cut-1, followed by ARO. These are the organizer’s published abbreviations, and competitors should rely on the arbiter’s application of the stated order for final standings. Italian residents need an appropriate 2027 FSI Agonistica or Junior membership, which can be arranged until the day before the tournament. Nonresident foreign players may participate if they represent a federation recognized by FIDE and have a FIDE ID number.

🛌 Pre-arranged Half-Point Bye

The invitation permits one half-point bye requested before the start of the tournament, but not for either of the final two rounds. That is distinct from the normal full-point bye which the pairing system may assign to a player without an opponent. Players wishing to miss a permitted early round should make their request through the organizer rather than assuming a bye will be applied automatically.

📵 Electronic Devices and Accessibility

FIDE rules on electronic devices, including Article 11.3, apply. Players with disabilities or particular access requirements are encouraged to contact the organizers in advance. A participant who arrives more than 60 minutes after a round begins loses the game under the published regulations. Therefore, visitors should account for local traffic and railway schedules before each starting time.

🏆 Prize Fund

The official festival invitation advertises a total of €3,000 in prize money across Open A, Open B and Open C, equivalent to approximately US$3,380 at an indicative early-November 2026 exchange rate. These are the event’s euro-denominated awards; the U.S.-dollar figure is a rounded comparison for international readers. The announced prizes are gross of any applicable tax withholding.

🥇 Open A — Overall and Elo Prizes

🥈 Open B — Overall and Elo Prizes

🥉 Open C — Overall Prizes

🏅 Prize Conditions and Awards Ceremony

The three section totals are €1,800 + €875 + €325 = €3,000, matching the published festival prize fund. Prizes are indivisible and cannot be combined: one player does not receive multiple awards for separate ranking categories. In addition, recipients must attend the awards ceremony unless they have a justified reason for absence. The organizer requires winners to provide a tax identification code, IBAN and BIC/SWIFT; guardians provide the necessary information on behalf of minors.

The prize presentation follows the last round on Sunday, February 7. Its precise clock time depends on when the final games finish, so players hoping to receive awards should leave their return travel arrangements flexible.

♟️ Sections / Groups

Players enter one of three separate Swiss-system Open tournaments. Each section has its own pairings, standings and prize awards. The rating ranges overlap around certain Elo values, and eligible participants should choose the appropriate section when submitting their pre-registration. These three competitions share the same venue, playing calendar and classical time control.

Open A has the largest announced prizes, including additional awards for competitors below 2200 and 2000 Elo. Open B offers an Elo prize below 1700, while Open C awards the first three overall places. These categories create different competitive opportunities without turning the memorial into separate rapid or blitz events.

Players should use their published rating and the organizer’s official instructions when determining eligibility. The 2027 regulations distinguish between Italian residents, who need the relevant FSI membership, and nonresident foreign participants, who need a FIDE-recognized federation and FIDE ID.

📅 Schedule

The memorial runs over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 5–7, 2027. All three groups follow one round on Friday afternoon, two rounds on Saturday, and the final two rounds on Sunday. All times below are local Italian time (CET, UTC+1), as published in the approved tournament regulations.

Saturday and Sunday both have two classical games, making them full tournament days. Players should organize their meals, rest and transportation around the morning and afternoon starts. The 60-minute default time should not be treated as a normal arrival window: arriving before the posted pairing time remains important to avoid unnecessary complications.

Because the final game begins at 3:00 PM on Sunday, players making a same-day return journey should leave sufficient time for a potentially lengthy classical game. Anyone expecting a prize should also remain for the awards ceremony after the final round.

📝 Registration

All participants must complete pre-registration on Vesus.org and pay the applicable entry fee by January 30, 2027. The official invitation emphasizes that an online pre-registration alone does not reserve or guarantee a place; entry becomes confirmed only once the organizer receives the required payment. A €10 surcharge applies to registrations paid after the stated deadline.

💳 Payment and Confirmation

Players may pay online by bank card through the dedicated procedure at the Accademia Scacchistica Napoletana website or by transfer to the academy’s account. The official regulations give IBAN IT33 D030 6909 6061 0000 0408 042 and the bank-transfer reference “MEMORIAL FABIO GUARINO + FIRST NAME AND SURNAME — TOURNAMENT A/B/C”. The organizer asks entrants to email the transfer receipt after payment.

Use the official PDF invitation for the exact payment instructions and confirm the intended section before transferring. The tournament’s online registration takes place on Vesus.org; the organizers have not specified a distinct registration URL in the version of the invitation reviewed here, so the entry portal should be reached from the official tournament or academy’s published instructions rather than an unrelated event page.

🪪 Federation Membership and International Players

Italian players and foreign nationals living in Italy require valid 2027 FSI Agonistica or Junior membership. The organizer can facilitate membership until the day before the tournament. Nonresident foreign players may compete with a recognized FIDE federation and a valid FIDE ID number. This arrangement makes the memorial a potential option for visiting international club players who wish to experience rated classical chess in Campania.

🏛️ Organizer

A.S.D. Scacchistica Partenopea and A.S.D. Accademia Scacchistica Napoletana jointly organize the first Fabio Guarino Memorial. Both associations are based in Naples and contribute to rated chess, training and tournament activity in Campania. The organizers collaborate with FIDE International Organizer Gianvittorio Perico, bringing together two established chess institutions for a commemorative festival.

Scacchistica Partenopea dates to 1996, when it emerged from the merger of two Vomero chess clubs. It is affiliated with the FSI and was named the Best Chess Club in Southern Italy in 2012 and 2015. The association organizes classical, rapid and junior events, and operates an FSI-authorized chess school. Its current activities include events at Viale Michelangelo in Naples.

The Accademia Scacchistica Napoletana has an active program of rated competitions and training. In September 2026, for example, it organized the Il Tesoro di San Gennaro chess festival in Naples. Its president Fabio Buiano is one of the named contacts for the February 2027 memorial, together with Roberto Cerrato of Scacchistica Partenopea. These organizations coordinate registration, payment and the official event program.

📍 Venue

Palazzo dell’Ostrichina, Parco Borbonico del Fusaro, Piazza Gioacchino Rossini 1, 80070 Bacoli (NA), Campania, Italy.

The playing venue is Palazzo dell’Ostrichina, a historic nineteenth-century building inside the Parco Borbonico del Fusaro near Lake Fusaro in Bacoli. The Italian Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Bacoli both identify the location as Piazza Gioacchino Rossini 1, 80070 Bacoli. It is part of the former Bourbon royal complex of Fusaro, which also includes the famous Casina Vanvitelliana on the lake.

The building originated as part of the Bourbon-era development of the lakeshore and historically served as a restaurant and social venue. Its large Sala Ostrichina has since been used for conferences, exhibitions and local civic events. Therefore, the memorial takes place in an architectural setting that is distinct from an ordinary hotel ballroom or school gymnasium.

The site is accessible through the park at Piazza Rossini and lies close to the Fusaro stop on the Cumana railway. Players should use the full venue name and address rather than navigating only to the Casina Vanvitelliana, a different building in the same historic complex. The municipal venue information confirms the palace and street address, while the published Google Maps point provides the entrance-area location for the park complex.

The main entrance, hall allocation and any accessibility instructions for the chess tournament should follow the organizers’ arrival guidance, because ordinary heritage-venue opening times do not necessarily apply to a booked tournament event.

🏨 Accommodation

For the February 5–7 tournament, chess players can stay in Bacoli or nearby Pozzuoli, both located in the Campi Flegrei area west of Naples. The playing venue itself is not a hotel, so participants should compare local travel connections from any accommodation. These three properties have published room accommodation, complete addresses and direct official booking websites.

🏨 Hotel Il Gabbiano — Bacoli

Via Cicerone 21, 80070 Bacoli (NA), Italy. Hotel Il Gabbiano offers guest rooms, a restaurant and views across the Phlegraean coastal landscape. Its official website describes an accommodation setting surrounded by Mediterranean scenery, with facilities for both leisure stays and events. The hotel also publishes a direct contact and booking option for visitors considering a weekend in Bacoli.

For chess participants, Il Gabbiano is an option within the same municipality as the tournament, rather than an accommodation at Palazzo dell’Ostrichina. Check the journey to Piazza Gioacchino Rossini 1 before booking, especially for the Saturday and Sunday 9:00 AM round starts.

🌿 Hotel Villa Luisa — Pozzuoli / Lucrino

Via Tripergola 50, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy. Hotel Villa Luisa is an established hotel and wellness property in the Lucrino area. It offers guest rooms, a wellness centre and parking subject to availability. Its official information highlights proximity to the Cumana railway, which links the Pozzuoli area with Naples and the stations serving the Phlegraean coast.

The hotel may suit players who wish to travel to Fusaro by regional rail or who prefer a spa-style stay. The property itself warns that parking is subject to space availability and cannot simply be assumed at arrival. Guests should check February accommodation rates and local transport connections directly.

🌊 Hotel La Tripergola — Arco Felice, Pozzuoli

Via Miliscola 165, 80078 Arco Felice, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy. Hotel La Tripergola is another verified accommodation option in the coastal Pozzuoli district. The hotel’s official website advertises sea views over the Gulf of Pozzuoli, guest rooms and hospitality amenities. The property also supplies a direct booking/contact facility.

Hotel La Tripergola is outside the immediate Fusaro park area, so players should plan the transfer by car, taxi or local public transport. Its official contact page confirms the address and geographical position. In particular, allow sufficient time before the weekend morning games when planning a route from Arco Felice to Bacoli.

Most visitors will need accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights, although those arriving from other parts of Italy or abroad may prefer to reach the area on Thursday evening. No special hotel rates are announced in the memorial’s official invitation; confirm availability, prices and cancellation conditions with the properties before paying.

🚆 How to Get There

Palazzo dell’Ostrichina, Parco Borbonico del Fusaro, Piazza Gioacchino Rossini 1, 80070 Bacoli (NA), Campania, Italy. The Fusaro park is west of Naples, in the volcanic Campi Flegrei area. The most practical public-transport approach is the EAV Cumana railway to Fusaro, followed by a short walk to Piazza Rossini. Drivers should navigate to the park entrance and allow time to locate parking near the historic complex.

🚉 From Naples by Cumana Train

Travelers starting in Naples can use the Cumana line L9, Montesanto–Torregaveta, operated by Ente Autonomo Volturno (EAV). Leave the train at Fusaro and head toward the park entrance on Piazza Gioacchino Rossini. Local heritage-venue guidance describes the station as roughly a one-minute walk from the square. Continue inside the park to Palazzo dell’Ostrichina rather than the Casina Vanvitelliana on the lake.

EAV’s official November 2026 service information confirms operation of the full Cumana route following restoration of the Bagnoli–Torregaveta section in September 2026. Nevertheless, services can change, especially on weekends. Consult the EAV official rail timetables for your exact travel date and allow enough time before the Saturday and Sunday 9:00 AM starts.

🚄 From Napoli Centrale and Other Italian Cities

Long-distance rail travelers normally arrive at Napoli Centrale. From there, continue through Naples’ urban transport network toward Montesanto, the city terminus of the Cumana railway, then take the line toward Torregaveta and get off at Fusaro. This route connects the major national rail network with Bacoli’s local railway.

Depending on your arrival time and luggage, a taxi or private transfer can offer a more direct journey from the main station. Check Trenitalia for intercity trains and use the EAV schedule for the separate Cumana service; the national and local operators may have different ticketing systems.

✈️ From Naples International Airport

Naples International Airport (Capodichino) is the nearest major airport serving the region. International visitors can transfer from the airport toward central Naples and join the urban rail system for Montesanto and the Cumana line, or arrange a road transfer directly to Bacoli. The airport’s official website provides current transport and passenger information.

Travelers with equipment, luggage or an evening arrival may find a taxi or an airport transfer more practical than several changes of public transport. The final destination should be Palazzo dell’Ostrichina, Piazza Gioacchino Rossini 1, Bacoli, not a generic Bacoli city-centre address.

🚌 Local Transport Around Bacoli and Pozzuoli

The Phlegraean coast has local bus links and the EAV railway network connecting Naples, Pozzuoli and Bacoli. Visitors staying in the Pozzuoli or Arco Felice area can plan the final journey to Fusaro using the current regional services. The EAV rail timetable directory is the key reference for the Cumana service. Local buses and taxis may cover routes that do not align conveniently with the railway.

For morning-round travel, compare the actual first available service with the 9:00 AM starts on February 6 and 7. If staying in a rural or coastal property with limited public transport, reserve a reliable road transfer rather than assuming frequent buses.

🚗 By Car and Parking

From the Tangenziale di Napoli, local visitor guidance recommends exit 14, Pozzuoli / Arco Felice / Bacoli, followed by the signs toward Bacoli and the Fusaro park. An alternative road approach via the SS7qtr and Lago d’Averno area is also described by the heritage-venue guide. Follow the posted directions rather than relying on a route to the Casina Vanvitelliana island itself.

The heritage guide identifies parking near the Parco Borbonico del Fusaro. Availability, rates and street regulations may vary, so arrive with a margin to locate a legal space and enter the correct building. The Palazzo dell’Ostrichina visitor guide contains additional information about the park and vehicular access.

🕒 Tournament Arrival and Departure Planning

Round 1 starts on Friday, February 5, at 4:00 PM. On Saturday and Sunday, the morning rounds start at 9:00 AM, followed by afternoon rounds at 3:00 PM. The prize ceremony is scheduled after the final Sunday game. Therefore, avoid a return journey that requires leaving during Round 5 or before the awards presentation, particularly when planning flights or long-distance rail connections.

ℹ️ Other Information

♟️ Remembering Fabio Guarino

The festival commemorates Fabio Guarino, who died in February 2026 at the age of 22. Scacchistica Partenopea remembers him as a chess player, arbiter, instructor and friend to the local chess community. Holding the memorial one year later gives the organizers an opportunity to unite players from Campania and abroad in recognition of his contribution to chess.

🏛️ The Historic Fusaro Complex

Palazzo dell’Ostrichina forms part of the former Bourbon royal site of Fusaro. The adjacent Casina Vanvitelliana, an eighteenth-century lakeside hunting lodge, is among the area’s best-known landmarks. The palace itself has served a variety of purposes, including cultural events, exhibitions and civic meetings. Its location provides a distinctive setting for a FIDE-rated chess festival.

⚖️ Fair Play, Tie-breaks and Bye Rules

FIDE chess regulations apply, including restrictions on electronic devices and the published 60-minute default time. The ranking criteria are REP, Buchholz Cut-1 and ARO, in that order. Players may request a single half-point bye before the tournament begins, but not for the final two rounds. A normal pairing-system bye carries one point, as specified in the event’s regulations.

👥 Entry and Prize-Payment Checks

Pre-registration through Vesus.org must be accompanied by payment to confirm entry. The normal payment deadline is January 30, 2027, with a €10 late surcharge. Prize winners must attend the ceremony unless they have a justified absence and supply the documentation needed for payment, including applicable tax and bank details. Consult the official regulations for the full entry and award procedures.

🔗 Useful Official Links