Périgord Échecs

♟️ About Périgord Échecs

Périgord Échecs is an established French chess club based in Périgueux, Dordogne, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Affiliated with the Fédération Française des Échecs under club code L24021, the organization welcomes adults, young players, beginners, recreational members, and experienced competitors. Its permanent home is the Maison de Quartier Saint-Martin at 14 Rue Léon Dessales, which serves as both its registered headquarters and regular playing venue. The club combines weekly chess activity with structured training, regional team competition, youth development, rapid and classical play, and tournament organization. Members meet on Saturdays for casual games, analysis, coaching, blitz, rapid, and longer games. The Fédération Française des Échecs currently records both adult and youth teams in regional competition, while the club also maintains two adult squads in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional league structure. Tournament organization has become an increasingly visible part of Périgord Échecs. The club organizes rated rapid competitions in Périgueux and the wider Grand Périgueux area, participates in departmental and regional events, and supports inclusive chess initiatives. In 2026, its principal public tournament is the Open Grand Périgueux, a FIDE-rated rapid event at Le Sîlot in Coulounieix-Chamiers that also incorporates a charitable contribution to inclusive sport.

📜 History and Development

Périgord Échecs has a long chess tradition in Périgueux. The club publicly celebrated 100 years of its chess heritage in 2026, using the centenary as part of the promotion for the Open Grand Périgueux. At the same time, the current legal association has a separate documented administrative history. French public records list Périgord Échecs as an association created on March 3, 1971, with the declared purpose of practicing chess within its club premises and elsewhere. Therefore, the centenary reflects the organization's broader historical chess lineage, while 1971 is the verified creation date of the present registered association. The club has used several locations in Périgueux during its modern history. Earlier records placed it at Rue Limogeanne and later at the Maison des Associations on Cours Fénelon. Since 2023–2024, the organization has operated from its current base at the Maison de Quartier Saint-Martin, 14 Rue Léon Dessales. This venue now provides a stable base for weekly play, lessons, team matches, club activities, and player development.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

Thierry Moissat is the current President of Périgord Échecs and plays a central role in its tournament program. The club's current executive structure also includes Jean-Pierre Hartmann-Macouin as Vice President and Michel Faber as Treasurer. Faber also supports secretarial and institutional relations and serves as trainer and team captain. Chess instruction and club activities are additionally supported by Stéphane Texereau, Michel Faber, and Jean-Pierre Hartmann-Macouin. The Fédération Française des Échecs separately lists Michel Faber as its official administrative contact for the club. However, Thierry Moissat remains the most appropriate principal public Contact Person for MyChess.Events because he is both President and the named organizer of the club's current FIDE-rated tournaments.

♜ Team Chess

Périgord Échecs participates actively in official team competition. During the 2025–2026 season, the club fields teams in Régionale 1 and Régionale 2 within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine structure. The Fédération Française des Échecs also records the club as participating in regional adult Interclubs and regional youth Interclubs. In April 2026, Périgord Échecs won the Dordogne Departmental Team Championship for the second consecutive year. The club entered 21 players, with several members finishing among the strongest individual performers. Daniel Gregory placed first overall among 64 participants, while Laurent Delaitre, Ethan Drogat, Jean Lacassagne, and Stéphane Texereau also finished among the leading players. The club also participates in competitions such as the Coupe Loubatière, providing further team opportunities for developing and experienced members.

🎓 Training and Player Development

Player development is one of the club's current priorities. Regular Saturday sessions at Maison de Quartier Saint-Martin combine casual play with coaching and analysis. Beginners can learn the fundamentals, while stronger players can work on tournament preparation and competitive improvement. In 2026, Périgord Échecs expanded its structured training program with dedicated online lessons for different playing levels. Training sessions led by Marc Quenehen have covered strategic and tactical themes such as positional imbalances, isolated queen's pawns, the Spanish Opening, Sicilian structures, the Caro-Kann, French Defense positions, and Queen's Gambit structures. The club therefore combines traditional over-the-board practice with more structured instructional work aimed at helping members improve their understanding of the game.

🏆 Tournament Activity

Tournament organization is an important component of Périgord Échecs. The Tournoi rapide de Périgueux 2025 took place on September 21 at Salle de la Filature. The FIDE-rated seven-round competition used a time control of 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move and attracted 52 players, with around 90 people present when accompanying visitors were included. Thierry Moissat served as organizer, while Pierre Lapeyre was the arbiter. The tournament also incorporated a social dimension: part of the registration income supported an association working in disability and inclusive sport.

⚡ Open Grand Périgueux 2026

The club's principal current tournament is the Open Grand Périgueux 2026, scheduled for September 20, 2026 at Le Sîlot in Coulounieix-Chamiers, immediately south of Périgueux. The competition consists of seven Swiss-system rapid rounds at 15 minutes plus a 5-second increment per move. It is officially homologated by the Fédération Française des Échecs and counts for both FIDE Rapid and French Rapid ratings. The guaranteed main prizes are €300 for first place, €200 for second, and €100 for third. Additional category awards include a women's prize and other prizes depending on participation. The event continues the organization's commitment to inclusive sport. Ten percent of registration income is designated for a charitable association connected with disability sport. Thierry Moissat serves as organizer, while Pierre Lapeyre is the official arbiter.

🤝 Inclusion and Community Chess

Périgord Échecs aims to combine competitive chess with an accessible community environment. Its Maison de Quartier Saint-Martin venue is officially listed by the French Chess Federation as accessible to people with reduced mobility. The club uses its tournaments and public activities to support broader participation in chess. Its recent Périgueux Opens have also directed part of their registration income toward organizations connected with disability and inclusive sport. Beyond formal tournaments, weekly sessions provide a meeting place where new players can join experienced club members without needing to enter competition immediately. The club also maintains contact with other organizations in Dordogne, Gironde, and the wider Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, helping integrate Périgueux chess into the broader regional chess community.