ICA Blitz Chess Marathon 2026
The ICA Blitz Chess Marathon 2026 will be held on Friday, 23 January 2026 in Bengaluru, India, delivering a high-energy evening of endurance blitz. Hosted at Silicon City Academy of Secondary Education in South Bengaluru, the event blends a double round-robin group stage with a finalists’ Swiss to crown the overall champion, keeping intensity high from the first move to the last.
Running alongside other Festival Caissa events over the same weekend, the Marathon is designed for serious blitz lovers: quick cadence, structured breaks, clear advancement rules, and a significant prize pool with additional Grand Prix points for consistent performers. Bring speed, stamina, and your best endgame instincts.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 🗓️ Date | Friday, 23 January 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Silicon City Academy of Secondary Education, Kumar Nursery, Off Kanakapura Road, New Bank Colony, Chunchankatte, Konanakunte, Bangalore |
| ♟️ Format | Group stage (double round-robin) → finalists’ 9-round Swiss (two games per round with reversed colours) |
| ⏱️ Time Control | Blitz 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment from move 1 |
| ⭐ Rating | Blitz event conducted under FIDE Laws of Chess for Blitz |
| 🎯 Participant Notes | KSCA ID required (valid for the current financial year) |
| 🏛️ Organizer | Innovators Chess Academy (ICA) |
🏆 Prize Fund
| Place / Prize | Amount | GP Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | ₹25,000 + Trophy | 200 |
| 2nd | ₹20,000 | 180 |
| 3rd | ₹15,000 | 160 |
| 4th | ₹10,000 | 140 |
| 5th | ₹8,000 | 120 |
| 6th | ₹6,000 | 100 |
| 7th | ₹4,000 | 80 |
| 8th | ₹3,000 | 60 |
| 9th–10th | ₹2,000 each | 40 each |
| Best Female | ₹10,000 | 200 |
| Best Veteran (60+) | ₹10,000 | 200 |
| Best Unrated | ₹10,000 | 200 |
| Best <1900 | ₹10,000 | 200 |
Festival Caissa Grand Prix: prize winners across the weekend’s rapid/blitz events earn GP points; a total of 400 GP points overall awards a ₹1,00,000 bonus.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Blitz 3+2 for all games.
Group stage: players split into groups of ~20, double round-robin (each opponent twice).
Finals Swiss: Top 10 per group qualify to a 9-round Swiss; each Swiss round = two games vs the same opponent with colours reversed.
Approximately four rounds alternate with a concurrent Navaratna Blitz FIDE-rated event to enable dual participation.
Short 15-minute breaks after every five rounds; dinner break 20:00–21:00.
The organizer may adjust group sizes if entries are lower than expected.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Stage | Structure |
|---|---|
| Group Stage | ~20-player groups, double round-robin |
| Finals Swiss | 9 rounds; two games per round with colours reversed |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Players’ meeting |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 | 17:00 | Round 1 start (group stage begins; alternating slots with Navaratna Blitz) |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 | 20:00–21:00 | Dinner break |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 | Evening | Subsequent rounds continue; short breaks after every five rounds |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 | After final round | Awards & closing |
📝 Registration
Online entry: https://www.icachess.in
Entry fees: ₹650 (till 15 Sep 2025) • ₹750 (till 31 Oct) • ₹1,000 (till 30 Nov) • ₹1,250 (till 31 Dec) • ₹1,500 (1–23 Jan 2026).
Refund policy: entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
KSCA ID mandatory for all players: https://karnatakachess.com/player-registration/
E-certificates for all; merit certificates for prize winners.
Event codes: KSCA/G85/2526 • BUDCA/G050/2526.
👥 Organizer
Innovators Chess Academy (ICA) – a Bengaluru-based academy and tournament organiser known for large-scale festivals and state-level opens, coordinating arbiters, schedules, venue logistics, and Grand Prix scoring across the weekend.
Email: sushruthareddy@gmail.com
Phone (general): 7760064000, 9880399906
Phone (language support): 9845247653 (Tamil & Telugu), 9141705091
Website: http://www.icachess.in
🏨 Venue
Silicon City Academy of Secondary Education
Kumar Nursery, Off Kanakapura Road, New Bank Colony, Chunchankatte, Konanakunte, Bangalore
A spacious South-Bengaluru school campus with indoor halls suitable for fast-paced blitz, convenient approach roads off Kanakapura Road, and ample circulation space for alternating rounds and short breaks.
🚗 How to Get There
Off Kanakapura Road in Konanakunte (South Bengaluru); taxis/ride-hailing recommended for direct access.
Allow extra time for evening traffic; on-site or nearby parking as directed by event staff.
Kick off Festival Caissa in style at the ICA Blitz Chess Marathon 2026—a speed-chess test of endurance, focus, and tactical nerve.