The 1st SCC All India FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament 2026 takes place on December 12–13, 2026, in Ponda, Goa, India. Organized by Serials Chess Club, the event brings rated rapid chess to the indoor stadium at Ravi Naik Sports Complex.

Players will compete over nine Swiss-system rounds at 25 minutes plus a 5-second increment from move one. The event offers ₹200,000 in cash prizes (approximately US$2,130) and 128 trophies. The open winner receives ₹40,000 plus a trophy.

The tournament is held in association with the Government of Goa’s Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Ponda Taluka Chess Association, under the auspices of the Goa Chess Association and the All India Chess Federation.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The organizers will use a nine-round Swiss system. Every game has 25 minutes per player plus 5 seconds added after each move from move one. Games count toward FIDE Rapid rating.

Chief Arbiter: FA Anish Naik. Deputy Arbiters: FA Tanishq Kavlekar and FA Anushka Naik. Wristwatches, mobile phones and electronic devices are prohibited in the playing hall.

💰 Prize Fund

The cash prize fund is ₹200,000 (approximately US$2,130), with 128 trophies. Open-ranking, rating-category and special-category prizes are included. Awards are paid in Indian rupees.

The open standings recognize the top 25 players. Each cash-prize winner also receives a trophy.

Rating and Special Prizes

The organizers also provide customized king and queen trophies for the top seven boys and girls, respectively, in the Under 7, Under 9, Under 11, Under 13 and Under 15 categories. Additional trophies recognize the youngest boy and girl, plus the top five Ponda Taluka boys and girls. Participants under 15 who do not receive a trophy are eligible for a participation medal.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The tournament uses one nine-round Open Rapid competition. Its rating, veteran, women’s, junior and Ponda Taluka categories are prize classifications, not separate Swiss-system tournaments. Therefore, the same playing schedule applies to all participants.

Age and rating categories determine eligibility for additional awards.

📅 Schedule

The two-day programme below follows India Standard Time (IST). Participants report on Saturday morning before the inauguration and first round. Five rounds take place on December 12, followed by four on December 13.

The prize ceremony begins at 16:15 on Sunday, December 13.

📝 Registration

The entry fee is ₹1,000 through November 25, 2026, then ₹1,200 (approximately US$13) from November 26 to December 10. Entry is free for GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs.

Register using the online form and complete payment before arrival. AICF player registration is required; registration or renewal costs ₹300 where applicable.

Open tournament registration. 75% of the entry fee is refundable for cancellations through December 8, 2026.

👥 Organizer

Serials Chess Club organizes the competition in association with the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Goa and the Ponda Taluka Chess Association. The event is conducted under the auspices of the Goa Chess Association and the All India Chess Federation.

Deepesh Priolkar is Tournament Director and a named contact for registration questions. The club’s associated academy provides regular chess coaching in Ponda. Its tournament programme includes rapid, blitz and classical practice events for players of different ages and competitive levels.

📍 Venue

The tournament will be played at the Indoor Stadium at Ravi Naik Sports Complex, the sports facility formerly known as Ponda Sports Complex. The complex is situated along NH748 in the Electricity Department Staff Residential Colony area of Ponda, Goa 403401, India.

Ask for the Indoor Stadium at Ravi Naik Sports Complex when arriving.

🏨 Accommodation

The organizers list low-cost accommodation and nearby Ponda hotels for the first SCC All India FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament at Ravi Naik Sports Complex, Ponda, Goa. The available options include a limited-capacity dormitory and independent hotels or lodges in town. These choices are not interchangeable: the dormitory and any titled-player benefits are arranged directly with the organizer, while independent accommodation is paid separately.

For out-of-town participants, a practical optional stay is December 11–14, 2026, arriving before the two-day event and departing afterward. The hotel booking link below opens a specific property with these dates; you may change them, room occupancy and cancellation conditions while booking.

Free titled-player accommodation: The organizers also announce free accommodation for GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs, subject to arrangements with the event team. Do not assume that this benefit applies to independent bookings above. Because places are limited, confirm reservations before arriving in Goa.

Travel planning: Arrange a route to Ravi Naik Sports Complex on NH748, not simply to Ponda town center. Confirm check-in times and travel arrangements for early games; prices, meals and cancellation rules vary by hotel.

🚆 How to Get There

Ponda is connected by local roads and regional transport routes within Goa. The final destination is the Indoor Stadium at Ravi Naik Sports Complex, so visitors should include the sports-complex name and Ponda locality in their travel booking.

Reporting starts at 09:15 on December 12. Participants travelling from farther away can consider reaching Ponda on the preceding evening so that morning transport delays do not interfere with check-in.

ℹ️ Other Information

A written appeal against a Chief Arbiter decision must be submitted within 15 minutes of the incident and must include the ₹2,000 protest fee. The organizers refund that fee if the appeal is upheld. Remaining technical matters are covered at the players’ meeting.

This is Serials Chess Club’s first All India FIDE-rated rapid tournament.