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 (approx.) - $1,100
Organizer
♟️ Club Identity
A.S.D. L’Alfiere is a chess association in Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy. The club gives local players a stable chess base at the Dopolavoro Ferroviario on Via Alcide De Gasperi. It brings together juniors, adult players, returning competitors, and casual chess fans who want regular over-the-board activity in central Sicily. The association has operated within the Italian sports and chess framework since 2018 and focuses on chess as both a competitive sport and a community activity. Its president, Angelo Calamera, leads the club’s public tournament work and appears as the main reference point for player communication. In addition, the club keeps an active presence through social media, where it shares tournament news, results, photos, and updates for the Caltanissetta chess community.
🏆 Tournament Activity
A.S.D. L’Alfiere organizes the Festival di Scacchi “Città di Caltanissetta”, a FIDE-rated tournament that has become one of the club’s main annual events. The 2026 edition is the fourth festival and takes place at Hotel Ventura in Caltanissetta. It includes three rating-based sections, five rounds, classical time control, and prize categories for different player groups. The club also runs local tournaments throughout the year, including Easter and Christmas events, Grand Prix stages, social competitions, and open community tournaments. These events attract players from Caltanissetta, nearby Sicilian provinces, and other parts of the island. Therefore, the club gives players a practical route from local club chess to rated tournament play. Its calendar supports beginners, improving players, juniors, women players, and experienced competitors who want regular chess activity in Sicily.
🌱 Youth Chess and Community Activity
A.S.D. L’Alfiere supports youth chess and community chess through courses, club meetings, and events open to different ages and playing levels. The club’s Saturday activity at the Dopolavoro Ferroviario gives children and adults a regular place to learn, practice, and meet other chess players. Young members also take part in Sicilian youth competitions, regional events, and age-group tournaments. In addition, the club promotes chess through public events, local collaborations, and accessible tournaments that welcome new players. Its community work helps make chess more visible in Caltanissetta and creates a friendly entry point for families. As a result, A.S.D. L’Alfiere plays an important role in the chess life of central Sicily. It combines training, competition, and social participation in one active local chess environment.
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Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
