The QQChess International Open Below 1800 FIDE Rating Chess Tournament 2026 takes place from November 27 to 29, 2026, at the Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce auditorium in Quepem, South Goa, India. Quepem Taluka Chess Association and Queens Chess and Cultural Club organize this three-day event as the rating-restricted competition of the QQChess festival.

Eligible participants play nine Swiss-system rounds at 30 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. The event is registered for FIDE standard rating, and both unrated players and eligible competitors below 1800 can enter. However, the organizer applies an additional 36-month peak-rating rule to prevent higher-rated players from entering the restricted field.

The organizers advertise ₹600,000 in total awards; the published cash-prize categories itemize ₹594,000 (approximately $6,310), with trophies forming part of the overall package. The schedule includes three rounds per day, organized meal options, and a prize ceremony on November 29.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

All nine rounds use the Swiss pairing system. Each player starts with 30 minutes and receives 30 additional seconds after every move. Despite the relatively short base time, the event appears in Chess-Results with Standard time control and international rating calculation. Therefore, it should not be confused with a rapid event using the same venue.

The rating restriction has two parts. First, participants must currently be unrated or rated below 1800. In addition, a player who reached 1800 or higher during the 36 months preceding the tournament does not qualify for this section, even if the current rating has fallen. The published event information also excludes players who took first or second place in a rating-restricted FIDE event during the preceding year. Competitors should check their eligibility before paying an entry fee.

🏆 Prize Fund

The event advertises ₹600,000 in total prizes and awards. Its itemized cash categories add up to ₹594,000 (approximately $6,310); the remaining advertised value relates to the wider awards package, including trophies and mementos. Consequently, the WordPress Prize Fund field reflects the confirmed cash amount, rather than representing the full promotional figure as cash.

The official prize categories have separate eligibility rules, and many include additional trophies for placed players. In particular, a junior’s age-group award is different from an overall place prize. Players should refer to the event-specific prize conditions rather than assuming that every potentially applicable cash award can be claimed simultaneously.

📅 Schedule

The organizer has published a three-round program each day. All times are local India Standard Time (IST). The first round begins on the morning of November 27, while the final round and prize ceremony take place on November 29.

The organizer also schedules lunch periods on November 27 and 28 and a later lunch after Round 8 on November 29. Players with separate meals or accommodation arrangements should coordinate them with the tournament program. The final evening ceremony is relevant to departure plans, especially for those traveling through Margao.

📝 Registration

The standard entry fee for this Below 1800 tournament is ₹2,500 for Goa residents and ₹3,000 for non-Goa players. The organizer’s notices state that a ₹500 late fee applies after November 15. Eligible titled players may qualify for an entry-fee waiver under the published conditions. Goa residents must present acceptable domicile or residence proof during reporting to claim the local rate.

Before submitting an entry, players should confirm their FIDE rating history and complete the required AICF 2026–27 player registration. The event uses online payment through Razorpay and states that successful payments are nonrefundable. The official QQChess registration website provides the correct championship selection and registration steps. Choose Below 1800 — November 27–29, not the separate 1800-and-above event.

The organizer’s event notices differ on the precise last date for entry, while late-fee conditions are published separately. Therefore, participants should confirm the current cutoff with the official help desk before paying or making travel arrangements; this page does not assume an unverified deadline.

🏛️ Organizer

Quepem Taluka Chess Association (QTCA) and Queens Chess and Cultural Club jointly organize the QQChess International Open. QTCA has previously arranged FIDE-rated events in Quepem, including the Late Shri Chandrakant Naik Memorial competitions. The festival operates under the Indian and Goa chess federation structures.

The published chief arbiter is FA Tanishq Kavlekar. For entry issues, organizers list registration contact Sunetra Dagare and event coordinator Dr. Pradnya Kakodkar. The organizers also coordinate optional accommodation and meal packages. Players who need an official confirmation should contact the event help desk rather than the college administration.

📍 Venue

The playing site is the Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce auditorium at Tilamola, P.O. Xeldem, Quepem, South Goa, Goa 403705, India. The Government of Goa and Goa University’s institutional records identify this as the Quepem government college. The college is in the Tilamola/Xeldem area outside Quepem’s central market streets, so visitors should use the exact campus name and the auditorium when arranging transport.

The event’s Below 1800 venue is different from the Shree Saunsthan Shantadurga Chamundeshwari Temple site used for the festival’s 1800-and-above competition. Double-check the selected championship when following directions. The GPS marker for this listing identifies the college auditorium within the Quepem campus rather than a generic Quepem town coordinate.

Nearby Restaurants and Cafés

For food outside the organizer’s meal arrangements, the following established businesses operate in the wider Tilamola/Xeldem neighborhood. The schedule leaves limited time between rounds; check the actual route and return time before leaving the campus.

🏨 Accommodation

The organizers offer a non-air-conditioned, double-sharing accommodation package for the Below 1800 competition at ₹1,500 per person, with check-in from November 26 at 2:00 PM and checkout on the evening of November 29. Selecting this organizer-managed stay also requires the corresponding vegetarian meal package. Allocation is subject to availability and a nonrefundable payment policy.

Additionally, the event’s travel guidance names three hotels in Margao for which organizer-linked transfers to the venue are described. These are not hotels beside the playing hall; the transfer details and pickup arrangements should be confirmed directly before booking. No unverified room rates are quoted below.

🚆 How to Get There

Plan travel for the Government College auditorium in Tilamola/Xeldem, Quepem, not the separate temple venue used by the higher-rated QQChess competition. Visitors arriving in Goa by air or rail generally need a final road transfer to the playing hall. Since reporting starts before the first round on November 27, an arrival on the previous day may simplify the trip.

For families and players who need to coordinate meals and accommodation, the organizer’s transportation instructions are particularly useful because the official tournament stay and the Margao hotels follow different arrangements. Confirm the actual pickup location, timing, and whether transport is included for your selected booking.

ℹ️ Other Information

The prize program includes awards for the overall standings, specified rating bands, unrated players, veterans, women, Goa residents, persons with disabilities, QTCA competitors, and boys’ and girls’ junior age groups. The brochure’s rules determine who qualifies for each award. Accordingly, a competitor should not assume a rating-band or special-category prize without meeting its exact published conditions.

The organizer provides optional vegetarian meal packages and links them to the official accommodation option. Moreover, the event applies FIDE tournament regulations, and players should follow the chief arbiter’s instructions regarding electronic devices, conduct, and any administrative check-in requirements. The published event program ends with the prize ceremony on Sunday, November 29, at 6:00–7:00 PM IST.