The 10th Kurukshetra Open FIDE Rating Chess Tournament 2026 will take place from December 25 to 30, 2026, at D.H.S.K. College in Dibrugarh, Assam, India. The event is listed in the official All India Chess Federation calendar as a six-day FIDE-rated open competition.

The Kurukshetra Open is an established fixture of the chess calendar in upper Assam. Previous editions have brought together aspiring juniors, experienced rated players and international titleholders. The tournament has traditionally been conducted by Guardians of Greater Dibrugarh Chess Players in cooperation with the college and the Dibrugarh District Chess Association.

Players can plan their visit using the confirmed venue address on K.C. Gogoi Path. The available 2026 entry information advertises ₹2,000 early registration before November 30 and ₹2,200 afterward, with a stated concession for qualifying GM and IM players.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The 10th Kurukshetra Open is advertised as a FIDE-rated open chess tournament. It belongs to a long-running series held in Dibrugarh, where competitors from different states have met in multi-day over-the-board competition. Its current edition carries AICF Event Code 484279.

Previous Kurukshetra Opens used a Swiss-system classical format. For example, the March 2025 ninth edition ran nine rounds with 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. That describes the previous championship, not a confirmed clock setting for December 2026. Consequently, players should follow the current official competition regulations for pairings, the rating list, time control, default time and tie-break procedures.

Participants should ensure their current FIDE player identification and applicable Indian federation registrations are ready before reporting. The designated arbiter team will handle pairings, competition rules and disputes at the playing venue.

📅 Schedule

The 2026 tournament dates are December 25–30. Those six days are confirmed by the All India Chess Federation and a separate Assam chess academy’s event calendar. The available publicly accessible summaries do not set out a verified round-by-round starting timetable for the current edition, so competitors should follow the organizer’s latest reporting notice.

All playing times in Dibrugarh follow India Standard Time (IST). If you are traveling out of Assam, allow a comfortable margin for reporting, possible round delays and any closing ceremony on the final day.

📝 Registration

The published tournament calendar gives an early entry fee of ₹2,000 before November 30, 2026, and a subsequent standard fee of ₹2,200. It also advertises free entry for qualifying Grandmasters and International Masters rated at least 2250. Players who are eligible for a concession should obtain confirmation from the tournament organizers before submitting a payment.

The official 2026 Kurukshetra Open brochure (PDF) is the principal event-specific reference for registration procedures, eligibility, cash awards and the tournament program. Participants should use that document and the organizer’s latest notices to complete their entry.

Indian players should arrange any required AICF player registration for the relevant chess season. A visiting player should also verify the correct event and venue, since this tournament takes place in Dibrugarh, Assam, despite the familiar name Kurukshetra appearing in its title.

🏛️ Organizer

Guardians of Greater Dibrugarh Chess Players is the group historically associated with staging the Kurukshetra Open series. It has worked with D.H.S.K. College and Dibrugarh District Chess Association to deliver FIDE-rated events for the area’s competitive chess community.

The 2025 ninth edition, held at the same college, attracted 265 competitors including Grandmasters and International Masters. GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury won on tie-breaks after scoring 8/9. Earlier organizers also hosted the 2018 fifth edition and the 2023 eighth edition at the Dibrugarh college venue. These results demonstrate the tournament’s continuity, but entry fees, prize amounts and officials from those years should not be applied to the 2026 edition.

The local venue partner is an autonomous college established in 1945. Its academic administration is separate from the tournament’s registration team. Players should direct competition and payment questions to the chess event organizers named in the current brochure.

📍 Venue

The tournament is scheduled at Dibrugarh Hanumanbax Surajmall Kanoi College (D.H.S.K. College) on K.C. Gogoi Path, Dibrugarh, Assam 786001, India. This is an established higher education campus with classrooms, assembly spaces, a conference hall and an auditorium. The college has previously hosted the Kurukshetra Open, as shown in tournament photographs from the 2025 competition.

The college’s official contact page confirms the street address and postal code. Please distinguish D.H.S.K. College from the separately administered D.H.S.K. Commerce College and the law college, which are also in Dibrugarh. The listed GPS marker identifies the D.H.S.K. College campus; the organizer’s reporting notice should establish the particular building and entrance.

Nearby Cafés and Restaurants

K.C. Gogoi Path and the surrounding Khaliamari neighborhood have several independently listed food businesses. They are practical places to consider outside playing sessions, although precise walking routes and availability during the holiday week should be checked before leaving the campus.

🏨 Accommodation

For the tournament dates, consider arriving in Dibrugarh on December 24 and arranging checkout for December 31, subject to your travel schedule. The properties below are established Dibrugarh hotels with published addresses. None is represented as an official tournament hotel, and no unverified December room rates are quoted.

Compare travel arrangements from each property to the D.H.S.K. College campus before booking. In addition, check whether the hotel offers the check-in time you need for your arrival and whether your final-day plans leave enough time for any award ceremony.

🚆 How to Get There

Dibrugarh is a major transport center in upper Assam, served by air, rail and regional roads. The final destination is D.H.S.K. College on K.C. Gogoi Path, not a similarly named commerce or law college. Drivers should be given the full campus name and postal address.

Since the tournament is held during the late-December holiday period, confirm any transport or hotel arrangements with the relevant provider. The college’s campus GPS point supports navigation to the institution but does not establish the exact playing-hall entrance.

ℹ️ Other Information

The Kurukshetra Open has attracted strong players while remaining relevant to developing competitors in northeastern India. Notably, the 2025 edition was won by GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury, while IM Vikramaditya Kulkarni won the 2023 edition. These historical results provide context for the tournament, but they do not determine the 2026 event’s prize distribution or format.

The current competition is scheduled over six calendar days in Dibrugarh. Participants should bring appropriate identification, complete required federation registration and follow the arbiters’ playing-area rules. For ratings, pairings, and results, use the organizer’s official competition notices and the event’s eventual Chess-Results listing once available.

The hosting college remains an operating educational institution. Visitors should respect campus access requirements, keep common areas clear and follow any instructions for the tournament hall. These simple measures help maintain a well-organized competition for players, officials and accompanying families.