The 4th International Chess Tournament “Piacenza Chess Festival” 2026 takes place from October 2–4, 2026, in Piacenza, Italy. Players will compete inside the Salone Monumentale of the historic Palazzo Gotico in Piazza Cavalli.

Scacchi Club Piacenza runs three FIDE Standard-rated sections. Open A serves players rated at least 1950, Open B covers the middle rating range, while Open C welcomes players rated below 1700.

The organizer offers a guaranteed prize fund of €4,500 / approximately $5,130. Moreover, the festival uses a compact six-round schedule with two games on each playing day.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The organizer runs six rounds under the FIDE Swiss system. Players receive 90 minutes for the game plus a 30-second increment from move one.

All three sections count toward the FIDE Standard rating.

A player who arrives more than 60 minutes after the scheduled start time loses the game.

Tie-Breaks

The organizer applies the following tie-breaks in order:

For the ARO calculation, the organizer treats an Italian national rating as equivalent to a FIDE rating.

Half-Point Byes

Players may request a half-point bye during the first four rounds.

🏆 Prize Fund

The guaranteed prize fund totals €4,500 / approximately $5,130.

All amounts represent gross reimbursements before any applicable taxation.

Open A Prizes

Open A prize total: €2,200 / approximately $2,510.

Open B Prizes

Open B prize total: €1,400 / approximately $1,600.

Open C Prizes

Open C prize total: €900 / approximately $1,030.

♟️ Sections / Groups

The festival consists of three separate rating groups.

The published section thresholds overlap.

Players rated 1950–1999 satisfy the published rating range for both Open A and Open B. Meanwhile, players rated 1650–1699 satisfy the ranges for both Open B and Open C.

Therefore, players should select their intended section during Vesus registration, subject to the organizer’s acceptance.

Wild Cards

The organizer may grant:

• Up to five wild cards for Open A
• Up to five wild cards for Open B

Membership and FIDE ID

Italian players must hold a valid FSI Agonistica or Junior licence.

Foreign participants must obtain a FIDE ID before registering.

📅 Schedule

All times use local time in Piacenza.

📝 Registration

Players must pre-register through Vesus by Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

However, registration becomes final only after Scacchi Club Piacenza receives the applicable entry fee by bank transfer.

Entry Fees

The discounted rate applies when the organizer receives the transfer by Sunday, September 27. Under-18 players and Scacchi Club Piacenza members also receive the €60 rate.

Registration Procedure

1. Complete the mandatory Vesus registration:
   https://vesus.org/tournament/7sxcXCuh
2. Pay the applicable entry fee by bank transfer.
3. Use the required payment reference:
   Iscrizione Piacenza Chess Festival 2026 – Player’s full name

Bank Transfer Details

Refund Policy

Capacity

The organizer limits the tournament to 150 players.

🏛️ Organizer

📍 Venue

Salone Monumentale di Palazzo Gotico – Piazza Cavalli 2, 29121 Piacenza PC, Italy.

Palazzo Gotico stands in Piazza Cavalli, the principal public square in Piacenza’s historic center. The medieval civic building dates from the late 13th century.

The tournament takes place in the large Salone Monumentale on the upper floor. Moreover, the venue provides an external access ramp on the eastern side for wheelchair users. Players can reach the Salone Monumentale by stairs or elevator.

The official tournament flyer shows the hall arranged as a spacious chess playing area with long rows of boards and natural light from its historic windows.

🏨 Accommodation

The organizer has arranged bed-and-breakfast rates with two hotels.

Final availability depends on the booking date. Therefore, players should reserve directly with the selected hotel as early as possible.

Grande Albergo Roma

Grande Albergo Roma – Via Cittadella 14, 29121 Piacenza PC, Italy.

The hotel lies approximately 50 meters from the playing venue.

The prices include accommodation and breakfast.

Eurohotel Piacenza

Eurohotel Piacenza – Via Cristoforo Colombo 29, 29122 Piacenza PC, Italy.

The hotel lies approximately 1.5 kilometers from the playing venue.

The prices include accommodation and breakfast.

🚆 How to Get There

Palazzo Gotico lies in the center of Piacenza. Therefore, players can reach the venue from the railway station on foot, by local bus, or by taxi.

Piacenza’s historic center includes a restricted traffic zone. Cameras operate daily, including public holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Therefore, drivers should use an authorized hotel garage or park outside the restricted area.

Official Transport Resources

Trenitalia:
https://www.trenitalia.com/

SETA public transport:
https://www.setaweb.it/pc/

Official Piacenza travel information:
https://visitpiacenza.it/en/tourism-information/how-to-get-to-and-around-piacenza/

Transport schedules may change. Therefore, players should check the official journey planners shortly before traveling.

ℹ️ Other Information

Electronic Devices

Players may bring mobile phones and other electronic devices into the tournament area only when the devices are:

• Completely switched off
• Physically separated from the player
• Stored inside a bag or similar container

Keeping a telephone in silent, airplane, or standby mode does not satisfy the requirement to switch it off completely.

Publication of Player Data

By entering the tournament, participants consent to the publication of their:

• Full name
• Rating
• Pairings
• Results

Scacchi Club Piacenza may publish this information on its website and tournament platforms.

Tournament Regulations

The organizer applies the current FIDE and FSI regulations to any matter that the tournament regulations do not specifically address.

Partner Restaurant

The organizer has arranged a 20% discount with the following restaurant:

Taverna In – Piazza Sant’Antonino 8, Piacenza, Italy.

The restaurant lies approximately 400 meters from the playing venue.

Telephone: +39 0523 335785
Email: tavernainpc@gmail.com
Official website:
http://www.tavernainpiacenza.it/

Registration, Entries and Results

Vesus publishes registration information and will provide the entries, pairings, standings, and results:

https://vesus.org/tournament/7sxcXCuh

Official Organizer Website

https://scacchiclubpiacenza.org/