Federación de Ajedrez de la Comunidad Valenciana (FACV)

♟️ About Federación de Ajedrez de la Comunidad Valenciana (FACV)

The Federación de Ajedrez de la Comunidad Valenciana (FACV) is the governing chess federation for the Valencian Community in Spain, covering the provinces of Alicante, Castellón, and Valencia. Based in València, it coordinates official chess competition across the autonomous community and works with affiliated clubs, players, arbiters, coaches, and educational programs. Its responsibilities include regional championships, provincial competitions, interclub leagues, player development, training, and the official competition calendar. FACV runs one of Spain’s broad regional chess programs. Its calendar includes the Interclubs, provincial individual championships, Autonomous Community championships, youth competitions, veterans events, rapid and blitz championships, the Copa Federación, and training programs for players, coaches, and arbiters. In addition, it supports school chess and junior development through the Circuito de Ajedrez Base de la Comunitat Valenciana, while international events such as the Open Internacional València Cuna del Ajedrez form part of its wider tournament activity. Emilio González Gómez serves as President of FACV, while the federation maintains specialized areas for competitions, technical development, school chess, coaching, arbitration, and women’s chess. Its 2026 program remained extensive throughout the year. Following the summer tournament season, the federation scheduled the 2026 Provincial Individual Championships from September through November and launched the 2026–2027 Circuito de Ajedrez Base and new pre-technical training intake.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

FACV operates from its headquarters in central València and manages chess throughout the Valencian Community through a structured board and specialist departments. Emilio González Gómez is the federation’s President. José Miguel Pérez García serves as Secretary, while José Antonio Polop Morales is Treasurer. Moreover, Hernán Siludakis serves as Director of Competitions, coordinating an important part of FACV’s official tournament program. Other areas cover technical development, arbiters, coaches, school sport, training, women’s chess, and pre-technical development. This structure allows FACV to combine competition administration with long-term player development.

♜ Interclub and Championship Chess

The Interclubs is a central part of the federation’s annual program. FACV coordinates the competition across the Valencian Community, creating a structured team environment for affiliated clubs and their players. Individual competition is equally important. In 2026, FACV organized the Autonomous Community Absolute, Women’s, and Amateur championships, the Autonomous Community Individual Blitz Championship, veterans championships for the 50+ and 65+ categories, and the Copa Federación. The 2026 Provincial Individual Championships are scheduled across multiple venues in Alicante, Castellón, and Valencia. The competition runs on selected dates from September 19 to November 14, 2026, using a seven-round Swiss system with a classical time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. Games are rated for FIDE Elo.

🎓 Youth Chess and Player Development

Youth development is one of FACV’s principal activities. The federation works with clubs and educational institutions to introduce younger players to structured competition and to create pathways toward higher-level regional and national events. The III Circuito de Ajedrez Base de la Comunitat Valenciana covers the 2026–2027 season. It consists of territorial circuits across the Valencian Community followed by an Autonomous Community Final. Categories range from Under-8 to Under-16, while Under-18 players enter the final stage directly. The circuit also connects regional youth chess with national competition. Qualification opportunities include the Spanish Age-Group Rapid Championships and Spanish School Team Championships. In addition, FACV operates Tecnificación and Pre-Tecnificación programs for promising young players. Selection tests for the 2026–2027 Pre-Tecnificación program were scheduled for September 6, 2026 in Valencia and Alicante.

🌟 Open Internacional València Cuna del Ajedrez

The Open Internacional València Cuna del Ajedrez is one of FACV’s major international tournaments. The seventh edition took place from July 4–12, 2026 at the Universitat Politècnica de València. The tournament was organized directly by FACV and featured nine rounds with a classical time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. It was FIDE-rated and offered possibilities for GM, IM, WGM, and WIM norms. The 2026 edition offered €16,000 in prizes and included separate rating groups. Participation reached a record level for the event, strengthening its position within the federation’s international calendar.

🤝 Training, Inclusion and Wider Chess Activity

Beyond traditional tournaments, FACV organizes courses for coaches and arbiters, technical-development programs, school initiatives, and projects aimed at broadening participation. Its 2026 calendar included the III Torneo Desafío a la Ciega, an unusual competition based on blindfold chess, as well as the IX Torneo de Ajedrez por la Igualdad, designed around mixed two-player teams. FACV also maintains dedicated work in women’s chess and school sport. Consequently, its activities cover both high-level competitive chess and entry-level programs designed to bring new players into clubs and organized competition.