7th International Chess Festival Roma Città Aperta 2026 takes place from December 6 – 13, 2026, at Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna in Rome, Italy. The festival offers classical tournaments, rapid and blitz events, a team tournament, and a youth qualification event.

This is a chess tournament in Rome, Italy, in 2026. Players will compete in four main classical sections: Master, Open A, Open B, and Seniores.

The festival combines FIDE-rated classical chess, a central hotel venue in the Pigneto district, side events, and a total published cash prize fund of €20,000. In addition, the schedule gives players a full chess week in one of Europe’s most historic cities.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The Master, Open A, and Seniores sections use 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes to finish the game. In addition, players receive a 30-second increment from move one.

Open B uses 90 minutes per player, plus a 30-second increment from move one. Therefore, all main sections offer standard-rated tournament games.

The festival uses the Dutch FIDE Swiss system. Tie-breaks follow this order: REP, Buchholz Total, Buchholz Cut 1, and ARO.

In the Master section, if the top two players finish tied for first place, they will play a blitz playoff. The playoff starts with two games at 5 minutes + 3 seconds. If the tie remains, an Armageddon game follows.

The late-arrival tolerance is 60 minutes. However, players should still arrive early and check pairings before every round.

Players may request one half-point bye before the tournament starts. This option is not available in the last two rounds.

💰 Prize Fund

The festival publishes a total cash prize fund of €20,000, which equals approximately USD 23,280. The classical sections account for €13,400 of the total prize fund.

Prize Fund Overview

Master Prizes

Open A Prizes

Open B Prizes

Seniores Prizes

Prizes above €300 are gross amounts before the required 20% withholding tax. The youth CIG U18 qualification event awards cups and medals, not cash prizes.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The festival has four main classical sections.

Master is for players rated 2000 Elo and above. The organizer may accept up to eight wild-card players for this section.

Open A is for players rated from 1700 to 2099 Elo. The organizer may also accept up to four wild-card players for this section.

Open B is for players below 1800 Elo. This section gives club players a separate FIDE-rated tournament with its own prize list.

Seniores is for players aged 50 or older. The section also includes separate prizes for players over 65.

Foreign players without a FIDE rating must provide proof of their national rating. In addition, all foreign players need a FIDE Identity Number before the event.

📅 Schedule

Players must complete physical accreditation at the playing venue by 15:00 on December 6. This step confirms participation before the first-round pairings.

📝 Registration

Entry Fees

Registration becomes valid after payment. Therefore, players should complete both the online registration and the payment process within the relevant deadline.

Italian players and foreign players resident in Italy must hold valid FSI membership for 2026. The organizer does not provide FSI membership registration at the playing venue.

👥 Organizer

ASD Scuola Popolare di Scacchi organizes the Roma Città Aperta International Chess Festival. The festival brings together classical chess, side events, youth activity, and international players in a full chess week in Rome.

Email: info@romacittaperta.com

🏛️ Venue

Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna – Via Casilina 125 / Piazza del Pigneto 9A, 00176 Rome, Italy

The festival takes place at Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna in Rome. The hotel venue gives players one location for games, accommodation, meals, and rest during the tournament week.

The playing venue sits in the Pigneto area, one of Rome’s lively urban districts. In addition, the hotel location offers practical access to public transport and central Rome.

🛏️ Accommodation

Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna is the main festival hotel. Special festival rates apply for stays between a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 10 days.

The hotel booking process uses the promotional code CHESS25. The city tax is not included and must be paid separately.

Hotel Antico Acquedotto is also listed as an affiliated accommodation option about 850 meters from the playing venue. Old Bakery Guesthouse is another listed option about 2 km from the venue.

🚆 How to Get There

Players can reach the venue by using Rome’s metro network. From the hotel area, the practical route toward central Rome starts at Pigneto on Metro C.

Players arriving at Roma Termini can travel by metro through San Giovanni and continue to Pigneto. From there, Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna is only a short local transfer away.

Players arriving at Fiumicino Airport can continue to Rome by train, bus, shuttle, taxi, or private transfer. The Leonardo Express connects Fiumicino Airport with Roma Termini.

Players arriving at Ciampino Airport can continue by bus, taxi, or a bus-and-metro connection. Since Rome traffic can be heavy, visitors should allow extra time before the first round.

ℹ️ Other Information

Electronic communication devices are not allowed inside the competition area. This includes mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, and similar devices.

The organizer provides a cloakroom service for electronic equipment. Smoking and electronic cigarettes are also not allowed.

Players with special accessibility needs should contact the organizer before the event. This helps the team prepare the best possible arrangement inside the playing hall.

7th International Chess Festival Roma Città Aperta 2026 offers a full chess week in Rome, with four classical sections, major side events, a strong prize fund, and a practical hotel venue in the Pigneto district.