Club de Ajedrez de Benasque

♟️ About Club de Ajedrez de Benasque

The Club de Ajedrez de Benasque is the chess organizer associated with the long-running Open Internacional de Ajedrez “Villa de Benasque” in Benasque, Huesca, Aragón, Spain. Its public activity is centered primarily on this major annual international tournament rather than on a conventional year-round club competition program. The event works closely with the Ayuntamiento de Benasque, the Federación Aragonesa de Ajedrez, the Federación Española de Ajedrez (FEDA), and other institutional partners. The Villa de Benasque Open has been held since 1981 and has developed into one of Spain’s best-established international open tournaments. Each summer it brings a large field of Spanish and international players to the Pyrenean town for classical chess, while the wider program has also included blitz tournaments, lectures, cultural activities, live game broadcasts, and national-level side events. The tournament has welcomed many grandmasters and international masters during more than four decades of competition. The current operational leader is WGM and International Organizer Mairelys Delgado Crespo, who served as Tournament Director and Organizer for the 45th Open Internacional Villa de Benasque, held from July 5–14, 2026. She assumed an increasingly important role in the organization during the final years of long-time organizer Juan Miguel Royo Fernández, who died on March 5, 2025 after decades at the heart of the event. In 2026, the Benasque organizing team delivered an expanded anniversary edition with a major prize fund and an additional Spanish national championship event.

📜 History and Development

The Open Internacional Villa de Benasque began in 1981 and has become the defining chess project associated with Benasque. Over the decades, the tournament built a strong reputation for combining serious international competition with the distinctive setting of the Aragonese Pyrenees. Juan Miguel Royo Fernández played a central organizational role from the tournament’s early years and remained closely connected with the Open for more than four decades. His death in March 2025 marked a major generational change for the event. In recent editions, Mairelys Delgado Crespo took on increasing responsibility for tournament management. By 2026, official tournament documentation identified her as both Director and Organizer, providing clear continuity for the event after Royo’s death.

🌟 Open Internacional Villa de Benasque

The 45th Open Internacional Villa de Benasque took place from July 5–14, 2026 at the Pabellón Polideportivo de Benasque. Players competed over 10 rounds using a Swiss system. The time control was 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move, and the tournament was rated by FIDE and eligible for international title norms. The anniversary edition offered a total prize fund of approximately €51,000, including €10,000 for the overall winner. The tournament also awarded prizes across women’s, junior, veterans, rating, local, and other special categories. GM Mikhail Antipov won the 2026 Open after finishing on 8/10 and prevailing on tiebreaks in a closely contested leading group. Several other players also reached eight points, underlining the strength and competitiveness of the field.

🏆 International and National Competition

Benasque’s tournament program extends beyond the principal classical Open. The organizing team has regularly complemented the main competition with additional chess activities and faster time-control events. A particularly important addition in 2026 was the Campeonato de España de Ajedrez Rápido por Parejas Mixtas, held in Benasque on July 11, 2026. The Federación Española de Ajedrez organized the championship in cooperation with the Ayuntamiento de Benasque, Federación Aragonesa de Ajedrez, and Open Internacional de Benasque. The national championship used a seven-round Swiss system for mixed teams consisting of one male and one female player. Mairelys Delgado Crespo served as the FEDA delegate for the event.

🏔️ Chess in Benasque

The Open has helped make chess a recurring part of Benasque’s summer cultural and sporting calendar. The tournament attracts players and accompanying visitors to a mountain municipality better known internationally for hiking, skiing, climbing, and outdoor tourism. Consequently, the Open combines international chess with the destination itself. Accommodation is spread across Benasque, Anciles, Cerler, and the surrounding valley, while tournament activities remain centered in Benasque. The event has also maintained strong institutional support. The Ayuntamiento de Benasque is directly involved in the organization, while the Federación Aragonesa de Ajedrez includes the tournament in its official annual competition calendar.