♟️ About Cercle d’Échecs de Bois-Colombes

Cercle d’Échecs de Bois-Colombes (CEBC) is a major French chess club based in Bois-Colombes, immediately northwest of Paris. The club is affiliated with the Fédération Française des Échecs (FFE) under code M92019. It combines national team competition, one of France’s largest international year-end opens, extensive junior development, school chess, adult instruction, and frequent FIDE-rated tournaments.

The association was formally created in 1989. From its early years, CEBC built a close partnership with the Municipality of Bois-Colombes and introduced chess throughout the city’s schools. That educational focus gradually developed into a structured chess school and high-level competitive program. Today, the FFE lists 163 Licence A and 117 Licence B members, giving the club a substantial membership base across competitive and recreational chess.

Karim Salakdji currently serves as President of Cercle d’Échecs de Bois-Colombes. The current executive team also includes Laurent Makke as Vice President, Medhi Osman as Treasurer, and Federica Zucchi as Secretary. Meanwhile, Stéphane Pinçon has a central operational role in the club’s major public tournaments and junior events. He is the principal tournament contact for the 2026 Bois-Colombes Chess Master.

🎓 Chess School and Youth Development

Youth development is one of CEBC’s defining strengths. The FFE recognizes Bois-Colombes as a Club Formateur, reflecting its structured training program and long record of developing young competitors.

The club introduces more than 200 school pupils to chess each season through its partnership with local schools. These programs extend beyond primary education into secondary schools. In addition, the club runs a Grand Prix des Écoliers, allowing children to gain their first tournament experience and helping coaches identify promising players.

Young players who want to progress can join the club’s chess school. Training groups are organized by level, while stronger juniors receive additional preparation for regional, national, and international competitions.

International Master Pascal Chomet has coached at the club since 1992 and has worked with several players who later achieved major titles. Among those associated with the Bois-Colombes development system are Grandmaster Samy Shoker, International Master Pauline Guichard, International Master Loïc Travadon, and FIDE Master Émile Bassini.

Stéphane Pinçon has also played a major role in the school and junior structure since 2007. Many young Bois-Colombes players first encountered chess through his school programs before progressing into the club’s training groups.

The results are substantial. CEBC members have accumulated numerous French Youth Championship titles, while the club continues to compete in Top Jeunes, France’s highest national youth team division.

♜ National Team Chess and Competitive Development

Cercle d’Échecs de Bois-Colombes competes at a high level across adult, youth, and women’s team chess.

The current FFE record places the principal adult team in Nationale 1. The club’s youth team competes in Top Jeunes, while its women’s team participates in Nationale 2 Féminine.

The adult team reached a significant milestone during the 2023–2024 season, when it won promotion from Nationale 1 to the Top 16. FIDE Master Émile Bassini, who developed through the Bois-Colombes youth system, served as captain and coach during that successful campaign.

Meanwhile, the club remains one of the established participants in Top Jeunes. During the 2025–2026 season, Bois-Colombes competed against clubs including Marseille Échecs, Cannes, Tremblay-en-France, Créteil, Vincennes, and Corbas Mions in the national youth elite division.

CEBC also emphasizes competitive depth. Each season, the association enters numerous teams in regional and national competitions, allowing players of different ages and ratings to represent the club.

🏆 Tournament Organization

Tournament organization is another major part of CEBC’s activity. The club runs classical, rapid, youth, scholastic, and internal events throughout the season.

The Bois-Colombes Rapide Chess Master has become an established early-season FIDE-rated competition. The fifth edition takes place in August 2026 and offers nine rounds of 12 minutes plus three seconds per move.

CEBC also organizes major youth events. The Festival Jeunes Île-de-France regularly brings a large number of junior competitors to Bois-Colombes, while the club also hosts stages of the Hauts-de-Seine youth championship structure.

In addition, the association runs school championships, internal competitions, and its popular Tournois Pizza. These shorter club events complement the more formal federation competitions and provide regular playing opportunities throughout the season.

Stéphane Pinçon plays a particularly important role in this tournament program. He coordinates the Bois-Colombes Chess Master, Rapid Chess Master, Festival Jeunes Île-de-France, and other large events organized by the club.

🌟 Bois-Colombes Chess Master

The Bois-Colombes Chess Master is CEBC’s flagship tournament and one of the largest recurring international chess opens in the Paris region.

The club has organized an international Christmas-period open since 2005. Over time, the tournament expanded from a much smaller competition into a multi-section festival attracting hundreds of players from France and abroad.

The 22nd edition in December 2025 set a participation record with 604 players representing 40 federations. The Open A field included numerous titled players, while Chinese player Wenbin Shao achieved an International Master norm during the event.

The tournament returns from December 26–30, 2026 for the 23e Bois-Colombes Chess Master at the Complexe Sportif Albert Smirlian, 11 avenue Renée, Bois-Colombes.

The 2026 festival contains four tournaments. Open A is intended for players rated at least 2101, Open B covers approximately 1801–2150, Open C covers approximately 1551–1850, and Open D is designed for players up to 1600.

All four tournaments use a nine-round Swiss system with a classical time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. The competition receives FIDE rating, while Open A can provide opportunities for international title norms.

The organizers guarantee €11,500 in prizes across the four sections. Open A alone offers €6,800, including €1,500 for first place.

Stéphane Pinçon serves as the published tournament contact. Therefore, the organizer identity should remain Cercle d’Échecs de Bois-Colombes rather than the Complexe Sportif Albert Smirlian, the Municipality of Bois-Colombes, or a separate Chess Master organizing committee.