Genius – Academia de Xadrez

♟️ About GENIUS – Academia de Xadrez

GENIUS – Academia de Xadrez is a chess academy, training center, and tournament organizer based in Itajubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The academy was officially established in 2019 by Prof. Antonio Martins de Souza Neto, known as Toninho Martins, following chess-education work that he began in 2010 at Curso G9. GENIUS combines structured instruction with competitive player development and is licensed by the Confederação Brasileira de Xadrez (CBX) to organize tournaments sanctioned for FIDE rating. The academy provides chess instruction from beginner level through advanced competitive training. Its program includes individual and group lessons, online and in-person training, tournament preparation, internal practice, school chess, and high-performance coaching. GENIUS uses a methodology adapted to each student’s age and technical level. Moreover, its athletes have achieved strong results in Brazilian youth chess: the academy currently reports 19 Brazilian titles and more than 20 Minas Gerais state titles, with students representing Brazil internationally. Antonio Martins de Souza Neto is the Founder, Head Coach, Tournament Director, and principal organizational contact. He is also a CBX/FIDE arbiter and regularly serves as Chief Arbiter at GENIUS tournaments. The academy has an extensive 2026 competition calendar, including the Circuito das Estações, FIDE/CBX rapid tournaments, school events, and major classical opens. Its immediate program includes the Aberto do Brasil – Cidade de Marmelópolis from September 4–7, 2026, followed by the Aberto do Brasil – Cidade de Itajubá from October 9–12, 2026.

📜 Development of the Academy

The project that became GENIUS began in 2010, when Antonio Martins was invited to teach chess at Curso G9 in Itajubá. The program quickly developed a competitive focus, and within its first years young players from the city were winning national titles and representing Brazil at international competitions in countries including Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile. Other schools subsequently incorporated chess activities, including Colégio Sagrado Coração de Jesus and Colégio Empreender. This wider educational work helped establish a stronger chess-training structure in Itajubá. In 2019, GENIUS – Academia de Xadrez became an official chess academy and tournament organizer. Since then, it has combined coaching with an increasingly substantial competition program for schoolchildren, club players, rated competitors, and titled players.

🎓 Training and Player Development

GENIUS offers programs for basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. Its methodology draws inspiration from established chess-school training systems and combines technical instruction with clear competitive objectives. Beginners learn chess through age-appropriate educational activities. Intermediate students develop tactical and strategic understanding while beginning to participate in local and regional tournaments. Advanced players receive more intensive preparation for state, national, and international competition. The coaching team includes Antonio Martins, Amanda de Lourdes Siqueira Silva Souza, and additional chess instructors. Antonio and Amanda also work as CBX/FIDE arbiters, connecting the academy’s educational program directly with practical tournament experience. The academy states that its events have already served more than 2,000 tournament participants, while its students have accumulated numerous state and national championship titles.

🏆 Tournament Organization

Tournament organization is now one of GENIUS’s principal activities. The academy holds CBX organizer ID 5997 and organizes events eligible for both national and international rating. Its tournament portfolio includes classical, rapid, blitz, school, and junior competitions. Recurring projects include the Circuito das Estações GENIUS, which stages tournaments throughout the year, together with FIDE/CBX-rated rapid events and larger classical competitions. GENIUS also works with municipal governments, schools, companies, hotels, clubs, and other chess organizations. This partnership model allows the academy to stage tournaments both in Itajubá and elsewhere in Minas Gerais. In August 2026, for example, GENIUS organized the I Festival de Xadrez Serrasul Shopping in Pouso Alegre. The CBX registered the competition for both CBX and FIDE rapid rating.

🌟 Aberto do Brasil 2026

GENIUS is organizing two important Aberto do Brasil classical tournaments during the second half of 2026. The Aberto do Brasil – Cidade de Marmelópolis is scheduled for September 4–7, 2026 at Marmelus Clube in Marmelópolis. The tournament offers R$9,300 in prizes, is limited to 70 players, and forms part of the national Aberto do Brasil circuit. Games use a classical time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move and count for both CBX and FIDE rating. The academy will then organize the Aberto do Brasil – Cidade de Itajubá from October 9–12, 2026 at Hotel Coroados. This event consists of seven Swiss-system rounds with the same 90+30 classical time control. The Itajubá tournament offers a published R$10,000 prize fund and forms part of the Circuito Nacional de Abertos do Brasil. Consequently, leading players can qualify for the final stages of the Brazilian Absolute and Women’s Championships according to CBX regulations.

⚡ Circuito das Estações GENIUS

The Circuito das Estações GENIUS provides regular rapid competition throughout the year. It includes separate stages corresponding to the seasons and combines an open FIDE/CBX-rated competition with school-age categories. The Spring Stage is scheduled for October 17, 2026 at Colégio Empreender in Itajubá. The main rapid tournament will use 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment over six Swiss-system rounds and will be submitted for national and international rating. In addition, GENIUS runs a separate school circuit designed to introduce young players to formal tournament chess. Students from municipal public schools can receive free entry under specified registration conditions, strengthening the academy’s connection between chess education and competitive experience.