The 23rd Bangkok Chess Club Open 2026 runs on April 11-19, 2026 in Hua Hin, Thailand, and it brings a full week of classical chess to one of Thailand’s premier resort destinations. The event welcomes international players with a FIDE ID and offers two parallel sections that suit both ambitious improvers and experienced tournament competitors. The organizers run a 9-round Swiss in each classical section and submit results for FIDE rating and potential title norms. A marquee prize program and a strong tradition of global participation keep this tournament on many players’ annual calendars.

You can pair serious classical preparation with a relaxed setting at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, where players focus on one long game per day and keep a steady rhythm throughout the week. The schedule starts with an afternoon first round on Saturday and continues with daily starts through the final Sunday round and closing ceremony. The program also adds a dedicated BCC Blitz Championship during the week with a qualification phase and a 16-player final. If you want a resort-based chess week that still feels like a high-standard FIDE event, this tournament fits that goal well.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer decides the full cash prize fund after it receives all entries and publishes the final amounts after the tournament starts. The organizer awards only one prize per player in any section and pays the higher-value prize when a player qualifies for multiple awards. Thai law deducts 5% tax from prize money. The organizer also awards certificates for Best Lady and for three Best Juniors in each classical section.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The Masters and Challenger sections use a 9-round Swiss System and a pairing program to generate pairings. The event uses this classical time control: 90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1. The Chief Arbiter announces the start shortly before each round, and players must arrive within the one-hour default time.

Players may request one half-point bye in rounds 2–7 only, and players must submit the request in writing before the end of the previous round. The organizers send results for FIDE rating calculations and allow norm eligibility under applicable FIDE regulations.

For the BCC Blitz Championship, the organizers run two evenings: they start with 8 qualifying groups in a round-robin format (up to 14 players per group), then they advance the top two from each group into a 16-player final round-robin.

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

Masters & Challenger

BCC Blitz Championship

📝 Registration

Players register for Masters or Challenger by completing the online registration form on the organizer’s website and by holding a valid FIDE ID. Players complete registration only after they sign in at the venue and pay the entry fee before 12:00 (noon) on Saturday, April 11. The organizer also accepts sign-in on Friday afternoon, April 10.

The organizer offers Early Bird pricing until March 15 and removes refunds after that date. The organizer guarantees participation to the first 350 players who pay their entry fee. Players must pay all fees before the start of Round 1, and the organizer closes online credit card payments on March 31.

Entry fees:

• Masters: THB 6,000 (Early Bird THB 5,000 until March 15)

• Masters (players under 1800 Elo who enter Masters at organizer discretion): THB 8,000 (Early Bird THB 7,000 until March 15)

• Challenger: THB 4,000 (Early Bird THB 3,000 until March 15)

• Thailand Chess Association members receive listed discounts, depending on section

• Blitz: THB 500 (Grandmasters play for free)

The organizer accepts payments by online credit card, local bank transfer in Thailand, and cash (Thai baht only) at the venue up to noon on the start day, subject to availability for late registrations. The organizer waives entry fees for Grandmasters, WGMs, IMs, WIMs, and players rated 2500+ on the April 2026 FIDE rating list.

👥 Organizer

Bangkok Chess Club runs the Bangkok Chess Club Open as a long-standing international tournament series that attracts a wide range of players, from ambitious club competitors to titled professionals. The club also hosts regular chess activity in Bangkok and maintains a strong link to regional and international chess communities through its annual flagship open events.

• Email: bangkokchessclub@gmail.com

• Website: https://bangkokchess.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/23rd.BCCOpen/

🏨 Venue

Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa hosts the tournament and provides a dedicated playing environment inside a full-service resort property. The venue offers on-site amenities that suit a week-long chess schedule and supports daily round starts with meeting and event facilities designed for large gatherings.

Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, 1573 Phet Kasem Road, Cha-am, Hua Hin District, Phetchaburi 76120, Thailand
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hhqsi-sheraton-hua-hin-resort-and-spa/overview/
Tel: +66 32 708 000

🛎️ Accommodation

The organizer negotiated special room rates at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, and the hotel applies these rates per room per night (subject to availability) when players book by March 30. The hotel includes service charge, VAT, and in-room internet in these rates.

The organizer will publish a reservation link for these rates. The organizer also provides complimentary accommodation to 15 Grandmasters (room and breakfast in twin sharing for 9 nights) and confirms it after it receives the required reservation and deposit.

🚗 How to Get There

Hua Hin Airport (HHQ) offers the closest airport option for arrivals near the venue area. Many international travelers fly into Bangkok and continue south by road to Hua Hin and Cha-am.

A direct drive from Bangkok to the Hua Hin area typically takes around 2.5 hours. You can also use train services between Bangkok and Hua Hin and plan for a multi-hour journey depending on the service and timetable, then complete the final leg to the resort by taxi or car.

Bring your best classical focus to Hua Hin and turn a full week of chess into a high-quality tournament experience in a resort setting.

🧾 Other

The event enforces fair play controls and bans electronic devices inside the playing hall, including phones, smart watches, cameras, and other connected devices. The organizer provides a deposit point outside the playing hall (at the depositor’s risk) and charges a fee for storage.

The tournament allows official photography on site, and it allows spectator photography only before the start of the first round. The organizers prohibit cameras and electronic devices in the playing hall once games start. The Chief Arbiter leads the event, and the Chief Arbiter’s decision resolves disputes.