2nd City of San Cataldo Chess Festival takes place from May 8-10, 2026 in San Cataldo, Italy. This is a chess tournament in San Cataldo, Italy, in 2026. The event brings players together for a three-section over-the-board chess tournament with five rounds and a standard classical chess tournament time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment. Palazzo di Città – Sala Borsellino hosts the festival, and the event offers a guaranteed cash prize fund of about USD 1,100.
Moreover, this chess tournament in San Cataldo gives players a clear choice between three rating groups, several cash prizes, and multiple trophy awards. The festival also combines competitive weekend chess with a central venue in Sicily and a straightforward tournament structure for Open A, Open B, and Open C. As a result, this chess event in San Cataldo is an appealing option for players who want a well-organized classical chess tournament in Italy during May 2026.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | May 8-10, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | San Cataldo, Italy |
| ♟️ Format | 5-round Swiss tournament |
| 📂 Sections | Open A, Open B, Open C |
| ⏱️ Time control | 90 minutes + 30-second increment |
| 💳 Entry fee | Open A: EUR 50; Open B: EUR 40; Open C: EUR 30 |
| 💰 Prize fund | USD 1,100 (approx.) |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | EUR 5 discount for ASD L’Alfiere members and for Under 16 players in Open A and Open B |
🏆 Prize Fund
The total confirmed cash prize fund is EUR 1,000.
| Section | Cash prizes |
|---|---|
| Open A | 1st EUR 200, 2nd EUR 150, 3rd EUR 100 |
| Open B | 1st EUR 140, 2nd EUR 90, 3rd EUR 60 |
| Open C | 1st EUR 60 |
In addition, the festival awards trophies in all three sections. Open A also gives a trophy to the top Under 16 player. Meanwhile, Open B awards trophies to the top Under 16 player and the top Over 60 player. Open C adds trophies for second place, third place, the top Under 16 player, the top Over 60 player, and the top NC player. Prize amounts for players are listed net of withholding.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The festival uses a 5-round format across all three tournaments. Each player receives 90 minutes for the game plus a 30-second increment per move. Therefore, the event offers a traditional classical chess tournament structure for every section.
In addition, the published tiebreak system follows a clear order: direct encounter, total Buchholz, Buchholz Cut 1, and average rating of opponents. Players may request only one half-point bye, and they must submit that request before the start of the tournament. However, the last two rounds do not allow that option. The default tolerance time is 30 minutes from the start of the round.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open A | Elo above 1700 | Main top section |
| Open B | Elo below 1800 and above 1500 | Middle section |
| Open C | Elo below 1600 | Entry section |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2026 | Friday | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM | Registration |
| May 8, 2026 | Friday | 4:00 PM | Round 1 |
| May 9, 2026 | Saturday | 9:30 AM | Round 2 |
| May 9, 2026 | Saturday | 3:30 PM | Round 3 |
| May 10, 2026 | Sunday | 9:30 AM | Round 4 |
| May 10, 2026 | Sunday | 3:30 PM | Round 5 |
| May 10, 2026 | Sunday | 7:30 PM | Prize ceremony |
📝 Registration
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| How to register | Pre-registration is required on vesus.org and by bank transfer |
| Entry fee | Open A: EUR 50; Open B: EUR 40; Open C: EUR 30 |
| Discount | EUR 5 discount for ASD L’Alfiere members and for Under 16 players in Open A and Open B |
| Deadline | Bank transfer registration deadline: April 30, 2026 |
| Payment | Bank transfer |
| Special note | Entry to the tournament implies acceptance of the published regulations |
👥 Organizer
ASD L’Alfiere organizes this Sicilian chess festival and works with local institutional partners in San Cataldo to run the event smoothly. In addition, the organizer manages registration, tournament communication, and on-site coordination for all three sections.
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Address: Via A. De Gasperi 34/B, Caltanissetta, Italy
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Email: acsdlalfiere@tiscali.it
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Phone: +39 3387761449
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Website: https://vesus.org/
🏨 Venue
Palazzo di Città – Sala Borsellino, Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII, 2, San Cataldo, Italy
The festival takes place in a central municipal venue in San Cataldo. Moreover, the location gives the event a formal and practical setting for weekend tournament play. Players also benefit from one main playing site for the full festival.
🚗 How to Get There
San Cataldo is located in Sicily and is accessible by road from other parts of the island. In addition, players arriving from outside the region can continue to the venue through regional connections and then reach the city center for the tournament hall. Therefore, the event remains convenient for local players as well as traveling participants.
Enjoy a competitive weekend in Sicily and take part in a well-structured May chess festival in San Cataldo.
Additional Details
Prize Fund - $1,100
Organizer
A.S.D. L’Alfiere is a Caltanissetta-based chess club and tournament organizer active in Sicily, Italy. Founded in 2017, the association has developed a visible role in the local chess scene through regular competition and community activity. Moreover, it represents Caltanissetta in organized team and federation events while building a steady base of competitive and developing players.
The club runs local tournaments, training sessions, and larger open chess tournament weekends across standard formats. It is active in classical chess and regularly appears in official Italian chess structures, including team competitions and FIDE-linked events. In addition, it is the primary organizer behind the 2nd City of San Cataldo Chess Festival connected to your prompt.
Beyond headline events, the association supports junior chess growth and routine over-the-board play in Caltanissetta. Therefore, its work strengthens the local chess community while also attracting players from other Sicilian provinces and beyond. At the same time, its calendar shows a clear commitment to accessible club activity and well-run FIDE-rated tournament organization.
