6th International Tournament – Parma – città della cultura
Returning to Emilia-Romagna’s chess calendar, the 6th International Tournament “Parma, città della cultura” runs 3-6 January 2026 in Parma, Italy. Hosted at Hotel Parma & Congressi, the festival features three classical FIDE-rated events: Open A for >1900 Elo, Open B for <2000 Elo, and Open C for <1600 Elo. A total participant cap ensures comfortable playing halls and smooth operations across the long Epiphany weekend.
Players can expect a clear schedule, standard 90+30 time control, Swiss pairings, and published tie-breaks. Open A plays seven rounds from Saturday afternoon through Epiphany, while Opens B and C run six rounds from Sunday morning. Pre-registration with advance bank transfer is mandatory and closes before year-end; both local and international players are welcome (see eligibility below).
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 🗓️ Dates | 3-6 January 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Hotel Parma & Congressi, Via Emilia Ovest 281, 43126 Parma, Italy |
| ♟️ Format | Three classical Opens (A >1900 Elo, B <2000, C <1600) |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move from move 1 |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE Standard rating changes submitted |
| ✅ Eligibility | Italian players: FSI 2026 Agonistica or Junior membership; Foreign players: valid FIDE ID (and FSI membership if resident in Italy) |
| 👥 Player Cap | Overall limit: 250 participants |
| 🎛️ Pairings & Tie-breaks | Swiss system; tie-break order: REP, Buchholz Totale, Buchholz Cut-1, ARO |
| 🕰️ Default Time | 30 minutes from the start of the round |
| ➕ Byes | “Patta a forfeit” (HPB) permitted per FSI RTF Art. 6.3 |
| 🏨 Notes | On-site bar and restaurant at the hotel venue |
🏆 Prize Fund
Open A (>1900 Elo) — total €3,000
Overall: 1st €1,000 • 2nd €650 • 3rd €350 • 4th €300 • 5th €200
Rating band 1900–2100: 1st €100 • 2nd €80 • 3rd €60
Special: Best Woman €200
Open B (<2000 Elo) — total component of €2,500 (with C)
Overall: 1st €300 • 2nd €250 • 3rd €200 • 4th €150 • 5th €100
Elo bands: 1800–2000 → 1st €100 • 2nd €70 • 3rd €50
Elo bands: 1600–1799 → 1st €100 • 2nd €70 • 3rd €50
Elo bands: 1399–1599 → 1st €100 • 2nd €70 • 3rd €50
Special: Best Woman €100 • Best U18 €50 • Best U16 €50
Open C (<1600 Elo)
Overall: 1st €200 • 2nd €150 • 3rd €100 • 4th €50
Special: Best U16 voucher €50 • Best U14 voucher €50 • Best U12 voucher €50 • Best Woman €50
All prizes are indivisible and non-cumulative. Monetary prizes paid by bank transfer in the days following the event (amounts net of withholding tax).
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
All sections: 90′ + 30″ increment from move 1.
Swiss pairings; published tie-break sequence (see Event Details).
Default (forfeit) time 30 minutes; HPB requests allowed per regulations.
Mobile/electronics prohibited in the playing area; venue is smoke-free.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Eligibility | Rounds | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open A | FIDE Standard Elo >1900 | 7 | 3–6 Jan 2026 |
| Open B | FIDE Standard Elo <2000 | 6 | 4–6 Jan 2026 |
| Open C | FIDE Standard Elo <1600 | 6 | 4–6 Jan 2026 |
📅 Schedule
Open A (7 rounds)
| Date | Time | Activity / Round |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, 3 Jan 2026 | 14:30 | Accreditation deadline |
| Sat, 3 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 1 |
| Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | 09:30 | Round 2 |
| Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 3 |
| Mon, 5 Jan 2026 | 09:30 | Round 4 |
| Mon, 5 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 5 |
| Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | 09:30 | Round 6 |
| Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 7 |
| Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | After R7 | Prize-giving |
Open B & Open C (6 rounds)
| Date | Time | Activity / Round |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | 09:30 | Accreditation deadline |
| Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | 10:30 | Round 1 |
| Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 2 |
| Mon, 5 Jan 2026 | 09:30 | Round 3 |
| Mon, 5 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 4 |
| Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | 09:30 | Round 5 |
| Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | 15:30 | Round 6 |
| Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | After R6 | Prize-giving |
📝 Registration
Pre-registration is mandatory by Saturday, 27 December 2025 at 22:00 via Vesus: https://vesus.org/event/n7z5lgr3
Entry contribution (organizational fee): €75; €65 if bank transfer received by 19 December 2025
Members of ASD Scacchistica Parmense: €55
IM, FM, Women and U18: €45 • GM: €25
No invitations are issued.
Payment method: bank transfer only (no alternative methods).
Beneficiary: ASD Scacchistica Parmense (bank BPER)
IBAN: IT29P0538712704000002445596
Send payment receipt to scacchistica.parmense@gmail.com or WhatsApp +39 342 843 1701
Only pre-registered players in good standing with payment will be accepted.
Cancellations/refunds: 100% if the event is cancelled by higher authorities; participant withdrawals refunded 80% up to 27 Dec, 50% from 28 Dec – 2 Jan.
👥 Organizer
A.S.D. Scacchistica Parmense — Parma’s active chess association delivering tournaments, training, and community events. The club runs this New Year festival with a focus on professional standards, clear regulations, and welcoming conditions for visiting players.
Phone/WhatsApp: +39 342 843 1701
Address: Via Tito Casati Confalonieri 20, 43126 Parma, Italy
Website: https://scacchisticaparmense.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scacchistica.parmense.asd/
🏨 Venue
Hotel Parma & Congressi
Via Emilia Ovest 281, 43126 Parma, Italy
Modern hotel-conference center on the western approach to Parma, offering large halls suitable for classical chess, with on-site bar and restaurant. The venue sits near the A1/A15 Parma Ovest motorway exit, making arrival straightforward for out-of-town players.
🛎️ Accommodation
Conventioned hotels: the tournament hotel (Hotel Parma & Congressi) and Hotel San Marco are listed as partner properties in the event circular. Both are close to the Parma Ovest motorway exit.
Booking: follow the guidance and deadlines in the tournament circular for negotiated room rates and availability.
Practical tips: request meal times aligned to rounds; consider early booking for Epiphany night; ask about quiet rooms near the playing halls.
🚗 How to Get There
By car: from A1 (Milano/Bologna) or A15 (La Spezia) take Parma Ovest; follow signs to Via Emilia/SS9. After ~1 km you reach Hotel San Marco on the right; after a further ~3.6 km, the Hotel Parma & Congressi is on the left.
By train/bus: from Parma FS railway station take Bus 23 direction Noceto to reach the hotel area.
Parking: hotel parking available on site.
Start 2026 with a focused classical festival in the heart of Emilia-Romagna — competitive sections, clear prizes, and an easily accessible venue at the 6th International Tournament “Parma, città della cultura.”