Club de Ajedrez Casino de Beniaján

♟️ About Club de Ajedrez Casino de Beniaján

Club de Ajedrez Casino de Beniaján, commonly known as CAC Beniaján, is a leading chess club based in Beniaján, Murcia, Spain. The organization was officially refounded in 2011 by FM Emilio Sánchez Jerez and WFM Sonia Gil Quílez, reviving the town’s established chess tradition after more than two decades without active club competition.

CAC Beniaján has developed into one of Spain’s most successful chess organizations. Its senior team, which competes under the DuoBeniaján Costa Cálida name, won the Spanish División de Honor Championship in 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The club has also collected numerous regional titles and remains the only organization from the Region of Murcia competing regularly in the highest division of Spanish team chess.

GM José Carlos Ibarra Jerez currently serves as club president. He continues the work of Emilio Sánchez Jerez, who played a central role in the club’s reconstruction, sporting development, and rise through the Spanish league system. The organization combines elite team competition with local player development, chess education, and public tournament activity.

🎓 Chess School and Player Development

The club operates its own chess school, Ajedrez Master, which provides instruction for children, teenagers, adults, beginners, and experienced tournament players. Its program includes face-to-face and online lessons, small-group courses, individual coaching, and chess activities delivered within educational institutions.

Training locations include Beniaján and other areas of Murcia. Qualified instructors teach tactical patterns, calculation, positional understanding, opening preparation, endgame technique, and practical tournament skills. Therefore, students can begin with the fundamentals and progress toward official individual and team competitions.

CAC Beniaján also gives talented regional players opportunities to train and compete alongside titled professionals. Its leading team has included prominent Spanish and international players, while local competitors remain an important part of the organization’s identity. Club members participate in standard, rapid, and blitz competitions at regional and national level.

The organization actively promotes junior chess through lessons, tournaments, rating events, and age-category competitions. In addition, it works with local partners and sponsors to expand access to chess throughout Beniaján and the wider Murcia area.

🏆 Tournaments and Competitive Chess

Tournament organization forms an important part of the club’s activities. CAC Beniaján organizes and supports classical, rapid, blitz, team, and junior competitions, including regional championships and community events held at different venues across Murcia.

One of its principal current projects is the Memorial Emilio Sánchez Jerez. The event honors the club’s former sporting director and co-founder, whose work helped transform CAC Beniaján into a leading Spanish chess organization.

The first memorial took place in 2025 and attracted approximately 280 participants, including numerous titled players. Following that successful edition, the club prepared the II Memorial Emilio Sánchez Jerez for August 29, 2026, at Restaurante Rincón Huertano de Murcia.

The tournament uses a nine-round rapid format and counts for FIDE rapid rating. It offers a substantial prize fund together with awards for women, veterans, juniors, rating groups, and CAC Beniaján members. GM José Carlos Ibarra serves as tournament director, while experienced national and international arbiters manage the competition.

Through its championship team, chess school, regional partnerships, junior program, and major tournaments, Club de Ajedrez Casino de Beniaján connects grassroots development with the highest level of Spanish team chess.