The 45ème Open International d’Echecs de Béthune 2026 will take place from December 26–30, 2026, at Salle Olof Palme in Béthune, northern France. Held every year between Christmas and New Year, the tournament is one of the longest-running traditional holiday chess opens in France and returns in 2026 for its 45th edition.

The festival consists of three separate FIDE-rated tournaments – A, B and C – covering a wide range of playing strengths. Each tournament features nine classical rounds over five days at 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one. Tournament A is for players rated 1900 and above, Tournament B covers ratings from 1650 to 1999, while Tournament C is for players below 1750.

The event was founded in 1980 by Henri Kuc, the founding president of Association Échiphile Béthunoise. Following his death, the tournament became known as the Challenge Henri Kuc. Recent editions have continued to attract large international fields; the organizer reported nearly 250 players at the 2024 edition.

♟️ Event Details

The 45th Béthune International Open combines three classical FIDE-rated tournaments under one festival schedule. All groups play nine rounds at the same venue and follow the same daily timetable.

A valid FIDE ID is required. Players who do not yet have one should obtain it through their national chess federation before the tournament.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

All three tournaments use exactly the same classical time control and nine-round structure.

With a 30-second increment from the opening move, the event provides full classical playing conditions throughout all nine rounds.

Half-Point Bye

Each player may request one bye during the first six rounds.

Players should arrange the bye with the tournament arbiter in advance.

Draw Agreements

The organizer publishes a minimum 20-move rule for draws.

Players should therefore not agree to a draw before 20 moves have been completed.

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer and FFE currently publish confirmed first prizes for each of the three tournaments, but no complete 2026 total prize fund has yet been published.

For that reason, the overall Prize Fund field should remain blank rather than adding only the three first prizes and presenting that figure as the complete fund.

Tournament A

Tournament A carries the largest published first prize.

Additional overall and rating-category prizes are planned, but the full detailed 2026 prize table has not yet been published in the verified current regulations.

Tournament B

Additional classification and rating-category awards are expected under the organizer’s published prize structure.

Tournament C

The €400 amount is the correct 2026 figure published by both the French Chess Federation and the current 2026 English tournament page.

Some older Béthune pages still display €500 for Tournament C, but those pages refer to the 2025 edition and should not be used for 2026.

Prize Ceremony Requirement

Players who win a prize must be present at the closing ceremony to receive it.

The closing ceremony is scheduled for December 30 at 4:15 PM.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The event consists of three independent tournaments based on FIDE rating.

Tournament A

Tournament B

Tournament C

The published rating ranges deliberately overlap.

Players rated 1900–1999 fall within the published ranges of both Tournament A and Tournament B, while players rated 1650–1749 fall within both Tournament B and Tournament C.

Players in these overlapping ranges should select or confirm the appropriate tournament with the organizer when registering.

Section Arbiters

Each tournament has its own published arbiter.

🗓️ Schedule

All three tournaments follow the same nine-round timetable.

Players must complete mandatory check-in before 12:30 PM on December 26. The opening round begins one hour later.

The first four playing days therefore contain two rounds each, while the final day has one morning round followed by the closing ceremony.

📝 Registration

Online registration is already open through the official Association Échiphile Béthunoise HelloAsso page.

The standard entry fee is €50 for adults and €25 for the published reduced categories. Fees increase from December 21.

Standard Entry Fees

Reduced Entry Categories

The organizer publishes the reduced rate for:

players under 20, women, and FIDE Masters.

Free Entry

The following FIDE title holders receive free entry:

GM, IM, WGM and WIM.

Mandatory Check-In

Online registration does not replace tournament check-in.

Every participant must personally confirm their presence before 12:30 PM on December 26.

The organizer specifically states:

• licenses will be checked;
• telephone check-in is not accepted;
• pre-registration does not exempt a player from appearing at check-in;
• a late player will be paired beginning with Round 2.

This is particularly important for players traveling to Béthune on the morning of December 26.

Online Registration

Official online registration and card payment:

https://www.helloasso.com/associations/association-echephile-bethunoise/evenements/open-de-noel-2026

The current HelloAsso page offers secure payment by bank card.

👥 Organizer

The tournament is organized by Association Échiphile Béthunoise, also known as Béthune Échecs.

The organizer also identifies Francis Bugny as an English-speaking contact for international participants.

Official organizer website:

https://www.bethunechess.fr/

📍 Venue

All three tournaments are played on the first floor of Salle Olof Palme in the La Rotonde commercial centre.

Salle Olof Palme, Centre Commercial La Rotonde – Avenue de Bruay, 62400 Béthune, France

The venue has hosted the Béthune International Open for many editions and is used for all nine rounds, player check-in, and the final prize ceremony.

Recommended Accommodation

The organizer currently lists several hotels for tournament participants. Rates should be reconfirmed directly with each hotel before booking.

Tour Hôtel

This is the closest hotel on the organizer’s recommended list.

Première Classe Béthune

The organizer notes that the published special rate is paid at reservation and may be non-refundable and non-changeable.

ibis Béthune Centre Gare

This option is convenient for participants arriving by train.

Players should mention that they are attending the Béthune International Chess Open when contacting hotels recommended by the organizer.

🚆 How to Get There

Béthune is in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, with useful rail connections through Lille and the wider Hauts-de-France network.

By Train

Béthune railway station is approximately 1.5 km from the tournament venue.

SNCF operates regular rail services between Lille and Béthune, with the fastest journeys taking roughly 25–30 minutes.

Players arriving from Paris can travel toward Béthune by TGV/TER connections, often via Lille or another regional interchange.

Because the tournament begins on December 26, players should check the holiday railway timetable carefully and avoid relying on normal weekday service patterns.

By Car

For navigation, use:

Salle Olof Palme, Centre Commercial La Rotonde, Avenue de Bruay, 62400 Béthune

The venue is located close to major road connections serving Béthune and the A26 corridor.

By Air

For international participants, Lille Airport is the nearest major regional airport. Larger international networks are also available through Paris and Brussels, followed by onward rail or road travel to Béthune.

ℹ️ Other Information

A Traditional Christmas Open Since 1980

The Béthune International Open was created in 1980 by Henri Kuc, the founding president of Association Échiphile Béthunoise.

The tournament has traditionally been played every year from December 26 to December 30, giving it a distinctive position between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

Following Henri Kuc’s death, the tournament adopted the name Challenge Henri Kuc in his memory.

Large International Participation

The event has developed into one of northern France’s established year-end opens.

The organizer reports that the 43rd edition in December 2024 attracted nearly 250 players, despite strong competition from other holiday tournaments held across France and neighbouring countries.

FIDE ID Required

Because all three tournaments are FIDE rated, participants must have a valid FIDE identification number.

International players without a FIDE ID should obtain one from their national federation before travelling.

One Bye in the First Six Rounds

A single bye is permitted during Rounds 1–6.

Players should request it through the arbiter rather than simply failing to appear for a scheduled game.

20-Move Draw Rule

The organizer publishes a minimum of 20 moves before an agreed draw.

This rule is intended to discourage very short draws and maintain competitive play.

Closing Ceremony

The prize ceremony begins at 4:15 PM on December 30.

Prize winners must be present at the closing ceremony to receive their awards, so players should avoid booking return travel that requires leaving immediately after Round 9.

Photography and Video

The organizer advises that photographs and video may be taken during the Open and may later be used on the club’s website or social-media pages.

Official Resources

Tournament A – FFE:
https://www.echecs.asso.fr/FicheTournoi.aspx?Ref=72945

Tournament B – FFE:
https://www.echecs.asso.fr/FicheTournoi.aspx?Ref=72946

Tournament C – FFE:
https://www.echecs.asso.fr/FicheTournoi.aspx?Ref=72947

Official tournament website:
https://www.bethunechess.fr/

Official online registration:
https://www.helloasso.com/associations/association-echephile-bethunoise/evenements/open-de-noel-2026