In the eastern suburbs of Paris, the 3rd Trophée Échiquéen de Créteil – Principal -2400 takes place on February 21-22, 2026 in Créteil, France. This FIDE-rated weekend open gathers club players in a single principal tournament for Elo 1650–2400, played over five classical rounds with a 60+30 time control. The event offers a compact two-day format inside the Gymnase Nelson Paillou and fits easily into a busy tournament calendar while still delivering serious games for the March 2026 FIDE list.

A parallel accession event for lower-rated players runs alongside the main competition, which creates a full festival atmosphere around the Créteil Chess Club. Organizers guarantee a first prize of €300 in the principal tournament and announce many additional category prizes, including awards for rating groups, juniors, and women. Online-only registration and mandatory on-site check-in keep logistics simple and ensure a smooth start on Saturday morning.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The principal tournament guarantees a first prize of €300. Organizers also plan “many prizes” in both events, including:

• Overall prizes for top finishers in each tournament
• Elo-category prizes
• Best junior
• Best female

Prizes are not cumulative, so each player receives only one prize, normally the highest-value award for which they qualify.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Both the principal and accession events use a classical time control of 60 minutes for the entire game plus a 30-second increment per move from the first move. Organizers run each section as a 5-round Swiss and submit results for FIDE and national ratings.

The tournament uses standard Swiss pairing rules. Mandatory check-in takes place on Saturday between 09:00 and 09:45; players who fail to check in risk exclusion from Round 1 pairings. Rounds start at fixed times, and arbiters apply normal FIDE regulations for late arrivals and forfeits.

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

Registration takes place exclusively online through the dedicated event page.

Entry fees for each tournament:
• Seniors: €30 before February 17, 2026; €50 from February 17 onward
• Youth: €20 before February 17, 2026; €40 from February 17 onward

Organizers confirm entries only after they receive the online payment. All players must attend on-site check-in on Saturday between 09:00 and 09:45 to validate their participation. After check-in closes, arbiters generate Round 1 pairings and the tournament schedule proceeds without delay.

👥 Organizer

The Club d’Échecs de Créteil organizes the 3rd Trophée Échiquéen de Créteil and manages both the principal and accession events. The club oversees registration, pairings, rating submissions, and the prize-giving ceremony.

Organizer: Florian Audinot
Email: f.audinot@gmail.com
Club email: club@creteil-echecs.com

🏨 Venue

Games take place at Gymnase Nelson Paillou, 14 rue des Sarrazins, 94000 Créteil, France. This sports gymnasium in the Val-de-Marne department offers ample space for boards and spectators, along with standard indoor facilities suitable for a weekend chess open.

🚗 How to Get There

Créteil sits just southeast of central Paris and connects easily by road and public transport. Drivers can follow major routes toward Créteil and use local signage to reach rue des Sarrazins and the Nelson Paillou gymnasium. Public transport users may travel via regional trains, metro, or bus services to Créteil and complete the journey with a short walk from nearby stops to the venue.

Strong club-level players who enter this event enjoy a compact FIDE-rated weekend open with clear eligibility rules, a guaranteed top prize, and a practical schedule in the Paris suburbs.

🧾 Other

• Prizes are not cumulative; each player receives at most one prize.
• A tombola is planned for participants who play all five games and attend the prize-giving ceremony.