68th International Chess Festival of Imperia takes place on September 6-13, 2026, in Imperia, Italy. The event is one of Italy’s longest-running chess festivals and offers three classical Swiss tournaments.

This is a chess tournament in Imperia, Italy, in 2026. Players can compete in a FIDE-rated chess tournament with Open A, Open B, and Open C sections based on Elo rating.

The festival takes place at Palestra Maggi in the Parasio area of Imperia Porto Maurizio. In addition, the cooled playing venue, large prize fund, and Riviera setting make the event attractive for Italian and international players.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Open A, Open B, and Open C use Swiss-system pairings. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move one.

The event counts for international and Italian rating changes. Therefore, the festival gives players a serious classical chess tournament with long games and a traditional one-week schedule.

Players may use the Half-Point Bye rule under the listed tournament regulation. In addition, each tournament may include up to three wildcards at the organizer’s discretion.

Tie-breaks follow this order: REP, Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz Total, and Average Rating of Opponents.

The maximum allowed delay at the board is 60 minutes. A player who arrives later than that loses the game.

💰 Prize Fund

The confirmed total prize fund is €6,000 net, approximately $7,020. The organizer pays the listed prizes net of tax withholding.

Open-A Prizes

Open-B Prizes

Open-C Prizes

Special Prizes

Special prizes are not cumulative. If players tie for a special prize, the award goes to the player from the higher-category tournament.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The sections create clear rating bands while still allowing controlled flexibility through organizer wildcards. As a result, players close to a rating border should complete pre-registration carefully.

📅 Schedule

Open A Schedule

Open B and Open C Schedule

📝 Registration

Players must confirm their registration in person at the venue. Therefore, online pre-registration alone does not replace the required on-site accreditation before the deadline.

🏛️ Organizer

Circolo Scacchistico Imperiese organizes the 68th International Chess Festival of Imperia. The club continues a long Riviera chess tradition and brings players to Imperia for a full week of classical games, rating opportunities, and strong international competition.

Email: scacchi.imperia@libero.it
Phone: +39 331 698 0914

📍 Venue

Palestra Maggi, Via Silorata 9, Zona Parasio, Imperia, Italy

The tournament takes place at Palestra Maggi in the Parasio area of Imperia Porto Maurizio. The playing hall has cooling, which helps players manage the long classical rounds more comfortably.

🚆 How to Get There

Players arriving by train can travel to Imperia railway station. From there, they can use an RT bus toward Sanremo and get off at the Pensilina stop on Viale Matteotti in Porto Maurizio.

Players arriving by car can use the Imperia Ovest exit. After that, they should follow the Aurelia road toward Imperia Porto Maurizio and continue toward Borgo Parasio and Via Silorata.

ℹ️ Other Information

Registration includes consent for tournament data, results, standings, photos, and videos to appear in chess communication and event reporting.

The festival receives support from Regione Liguria, Comune di Imperia, and Fondazione Carige.

The 68th International Chess Festival of Imperia offers a historic chess week with classical play, strong prizes, and a beautiful Ligurian Riviera setting.