The Festival International des Angles 2026 runs on July 18-26, 2026 in Les Angles, France, offering nine days of classical chess in a mountain setting with three FIDE-rated tournaments for different rating levels. The organizers welcome FFE- or FIDE-licensed players and structure the event to keep the competition balanced across Tournament A, B, and C. You play one round per day with consistent start times, which helps you plan preparation and recovery throughout the week. The event also highlights norm possibilities under a FIDE arbiter, which adds extra sporting value for ambitious players.

The festival uses a clear Swiss format across all groups and applies the same classical time control for every game. The organizers return a large share of entry fees as prize money and publish an example prize distribution that spans overall standings, women’s prizes, and rating categories. You must check in on site before the first round, and you commit to playing all nine rounds as part of the participation conditions. If you want a structured summer classical tournament in France with daily rounds and meaningful cash prizes, Les Angles delivers a focused competitive schedule.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer returns 70% of entry fees as prizes and posts the definitive prize list before Round 5. The organizer publishes the following example distribution (cash amounts only).

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The festival runs three Swiss-system tournaments (A, B, and C) over nine rounds and applies the same classical time control in every group: 1h30 plus a 30-second increment per move from move 1. The organizer applies FIDE and FFE rules and generates pairings with SharlyChess. The organizer uses the FIDE Standard rating list at check-in for section placement, and the chief arbiter may estimate a classical rating for players without a Standard rating based on Rapid/Blitz ratings or recent results.

Rounds start at 16:00 from July 18 through July 25 and at 10:00 on July 26. The organizer starts clocks at the scheduled time, and a player who arrives more than 1 hour late receives a forfeit unless the arbiter decides otherwise. The organizer breaks ties using Buchholz Cut, then Cumulative, then Performance (as calculated by SharlyChess).

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

👥 Organizer

The Comité Départemental du Jeu d’Échecs des Pyrénées-Orientales (CDJE66), together with the Perpignan club “Les Rois de la Têt,” organizes the Festival International des Angles and runs three parallel FIDE-rated Swiss tournaments across nine consecutive rounds. The organizing team manages check-in, section placement, pairings, and on-site discipline under FIDE/FFE rules, with a FIDE arbiter and the possibility of norm documentation when conditions allow.

• Website: https://www.cdje66.org/festival-international-des-angles-18-26-juillet-2026/

🏨 Venue

Salle Angléo (Espace Angléo), Avenue de Mont Louis, 66210 Les Angles, France
The festival plays all rounds on site with a single daily start time pattern that stays consistent across the three tournaments. The venue supports an organized tournament flow with mandatory check-in before the first round and prize-giving after the final games.

🚗 How to Get There

Travel to Les Angles, France, then go directly to Salle Angléo (Espace Angléo), Avenue de Mont Louis, 66210 Les Angles, France for check-in and all rounds.

Commit to nine days of classical chess in Les Angles and turn steady daily preparation into a strong summer result.

🧾 Other

The organizer conditions participation on a commitment to play all nine rounds, and it may report an unannounced forfeit without a valid justification to the relevant federation authorities. Players must keep proper conduct and follow arbiter instructions, and the organizer expects appropriate attire from players and spectators. The organizer prohibits analysis and blitz games inside the tournament hall, including after rounds, and it may apply escalating sanctions up to immediate exclusion after repeated warnings.