Aberto do Brasil XV Memorial Bobby Fischer
Brazil’s northeast coastline welcomes competitors to the Aberto do Brasil XV Memorial Bobby Fischer (Troféu Dr. Luís Flávio Paiva) from Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, 2026 in João Pessoa, Brazil. This open classical tournament honors Bobby Fischer and brings players together for a focused Swiss event with national and international rating calculation. The organizers also position the event as a qualifying pathway connected to the Brazilian championship cycle.
The tournament plays at a beachfront hotel venue in Cabo Branco and runs 6 rounds across three days, with an online technical meeting on Thursday evening. Players can score points toward the overall standings while also targeting category prizes for women, seniors, veterans, and rating groups. The organizers cap the field at 140 players and publish clear rules on registration, byes, and fair-play conduct.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | March 20–22, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | João Pessoa, Brazil |
| 🏨 Venue | Littoral Hotel, Av. Cabo Branco, 2172, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil |
| ♟️ Format | 6-round Swiss system |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE Elo-rated and CBX (national) rated |
| ⏱️ Time control | Digital clocks: 90 minutes + 30-second increment per move · Analog clocks: 2 hours knockout |
| 💳 Entry fee | R$ 160–380 (varies by category and registration date) |
| 💰 Prize fund | R$ 12,000 |
| 👤 Eligibility | Open to any player with active CBX registration and paid CBX annual fee; foreign players provide a FIDE ID |
| 👥 Capacity | 140 players |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | Late arrival tolerance: 1 hour · One half-point bye allowed through Round 3 (request required) |
🏆 Prize Fund
Overall prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | R$ 2,400 + Trophy |
| 2nd | R$ 1,600 + Medal |
| 3rd | R$ 900 + Medal |
| 4th | R$ 600 + Medal |
| 5th | R$ 500 + Medal |
| 6th | R$ 400 + Medal |
| 7th | R$ 350 + Medal |
| 8th | R$ 350 + Medal |
| 9th | R$ 300 + Medal |
| 10th | R$ 300 + Medal |
Women’s prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st महिला | R$ 800 + Trophy |
| 2nd महिला | R$ 500 + Medal |
| 3rd महिला | R$ 250 + Medal |
Senior and veteran prizes
| Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| Best Senior (S50) | R$ 500 + Medal |
| Best Veteran (S65) | R$ 500 + Medal |
Special categories
| Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| Best visually impaired player | R$ 250 + Medal |
| Sub-1900 (1801–1900) | R$ 250 + Medal |
| Sub-1800 (1701–1800) | R$ 250 + Medal |
| Sub-1700 (1601–1700) | R$ 250 + Medal |
| Sub-1600 (0–1600) | R$ 250 + Medal |
| Best youth (born on/after January 1, 2008) | R$ 250 + Medal (single prize across listed youth categories) |
| Best female youth (born on/after January 1, 2008) | R$ 250 + Medal (single prize across listed female youth categories) |
Prize rules:
The event does not award cumulative prizes; a player who qualifies for multiple prizes receives only the highest-value prize.
Women’s prizes pass down in the women’s ranking order when a top-placed woman chooses a different prize.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament uses a 6-round Swiss system and pairs games with Swiss-Manager.
Time controls:
Digital clocks: 90 minutes per player with a 30-second increment per move from move 1.
Analog clocks: 2 hours knockout.
Tiebreaks:
Head-to-head result
Buchholz Cut 1
Buchholz
Most wins (including WO and bye)
Most games with Black
The arbiter applies a 1-hour late arrival tolerance for each round.
📂 Sections / Groups
The organizers run one open Swiss section and award prizes by overall placing and by published categories, including women, seniors, veterans, and rating groups.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 19, 2026 | Thursday | 20:00 | Online technical meeting |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | 13:30 | Round 1 |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | 19:00 | Round 2 |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | 13:30 | Round 3 |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | 19:00 | Round 4 |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | 09:30 | Round 5 |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | 15:00 | Round 6 |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | After Round 6 | Prize ceremony and closing |
📝 Registration
Players register by email or WhatsApp and complete payment before the deadline.
Registration deadline:
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Entry fees (by payment date)
| Participant category | By Friday, January 31, 2026 | February 1–28, 2026 | March 1–18, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General players | R$ 260 | R$ 320 | R$ 380 |
| General players staying at Littoral Hotel | R$ 220 | R$ 260 | R$ 300 |
| GM/IM/WGM/WIM | R$ 0 | R$ 0 | R$ 0 |
| FM/WFM | R$ 190 | R$ 190 | R$ 190 |
| NM/WNM (title published in CBX) | R$ 190 | R$ 230 | R$ 270 |
| Age 60+ and players with disabilities | R$ 190 | R$ 190 | R$ 190 |
| Under 18 | R$ 160 | R$ 200 | R$ 240 |
| Players federated in Paraíba (PB in CBX record) | R$ 190 | R$ 230 | R$ 270 |
Payment methods:
Bank deposit, bank transfer, or Pix
Registration submission:
WhatsApp: +55 81 99602-3738
Players must send:
Full name
Federation abbreviation
CBX ID and FIDE ID (when applicable)
Proof of payment
WhatsApp number (optional)
Participation requirement:
Players must keep CBX annual dues current; the organizers verify this condition before Round 1.
Bye rule:
The organizers allow one half-point bye through Round 3 with a request submitted by email or to the arbiter team within the published deadlines.
👥 Organizer
Federação Paraibana de Xadrez (FPBX) organizes this open event in João Pessoa and manages entries, arbiters, and prize distribution while promoting rated chess activity in Paraíba.
Email: xadrezparaibanofpbx@gmail.com
Phone: +55 84 99908-6738
🏨 Venue
Littoral Hotel hosts the tournament at Av. Cabo Branco, 2172, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil, directly on the Cabo Branco beachfront. The venue supports a multi-round classical schedule with an on-site hotel setting that keeps playing and lodging close together.
🛎️ Accommodation
Players can book rooms at the Littoral Hotel and negotiate rates directly with the hotel event coordinator.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Hotel | Littoral Hotel, João Pessoa (PB) |
| Contact person | César (events coordinator) |
| Phone | +55 83 99988-7239 |
| Booking note | Tell the hotel you will participate in the chess tournament |
🚗 How to Get There
You can travel to João Pessoa and continue to the Cabo Branco beachfront area to reach Littoral Hotel on Avenida Cabo Branco. Plan your arrival so you can attend the online technical meeting on Thursday evening or reach the playing hall before Round 1 on Friday.
Bring your best classical form to João Pessoa and compete for major prizes in a Bobby Fischer memorial open on Brazil’s Atlantic coast.
🧾 Other
The organizers prohibit cell phones and electronic devices in the playing area; a player who brings such a device into the playing environment can lose the game.
Players may store a fully powered-off phone inside a bag, but they may not carry that bag without arbiter permission.
Players must record games correctly and bring a pen.
Players may not leave the playing environment without arbiter permission, and players may not conduct post-mortem analysis in the playing area.
The organizers allow photography only during the first 20 minutes of each round.
The organizers prohibit alcohol and smoking inside the playing area.
Appeals require a written submission within 30 minutes and a R$ 500 deposit, with refund conditions defined by the appeals decision.
Additional Details
Prize Fund - R$ 12,000
Date And Time
22-03-2026
Event Types
Event Category
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Organizer
Federação Paraibana de Xadrez (FPBX) is the official chess federation for the state of Paraíba, Brazil. Founded in 1976 and based in João Pessoa, it coordinates chess activity across the state and represents Paraíba within the Brazilian Chess Federation (CBX). The federation’s mission is to promote chess as both a sport and an educational tool, connecting clubs, schools and independent players under one structure.
Over the years, FPBX has built a strong tournament calendar. The flagship event is the Aberto do Brasil – Memorial Bobby Fischer, hosted in João Pessoa and now considered one of the largest tournaments in Northeast Brazil. In addition, the federation organises state championships, school and university events, rapid and blitz circuits and open festivals in different cities. As a result, players from beginners to titled athletes can find regular, well-structured competitions that count for national, FIDE and FPBX ratings.
Today the federation also invests heavily in school chess and regional development. It supports projects in public and private schools, maintains an updated FPBX rating list and works with local partners to bring events to the interior of the state, not only to the capital. Furthermore, FPBX focuses on fair play, transparent regulations and clear communication, so that athletes, parents and coaches can rely on a stable and professional organiser.
Address: Rua Targino Marques, 360, Loja 04 – Tambaú, João Pessoa – PB, 58039-140, Brazil
Phone: +55 81 99602 3738
Phone 2: +55 84 99908 6738
Website: https://fpbxadrez.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Federação-Paraibana-de-Xadrez-101237322590561/