The Check & Mate – 2nd Edition 2026 festival takes place from October 22–25, 2026 at CATTIA in Brașov, Romania. The event combines classical chess, blitz, and a solving competition under one four-day program.
Classical Tournament A is for players above 2000 Elo and uses six rounds at 90+30, while Tournament B is below 2000 and uses seven rounds at 60+30. The seven-round blitz runs at 3+2, and the solving competition has separate Under 12 and Open groups.
The organizer publishes RON 19,550 in cash prizes plus RON 9,100 in vouchers, for total awards valued at RON 28,650. Therefore, the separate USD prize field uses the cash component only: approximately $4,310.
📌 Event Details
| 🏆 Tournament | Check & Mate – 2nd Edition 2026 |
| 📅 Dates | October 22–25, 2026 |
| 🌍 Location | Brașov, Romania |
| 📍 Venue | CATTIA – Strada Institutului 35, 500484 Brașov, Romania |
| 🏛️ Organizer | Check & Mate / Popa Gabriel |
| ♟️ Events | Classical A, Classical B, Blitz, Solving |
| ⭐ Rating | A, B and Blitz FIDE rated; Solving not FIDE rated |
| ⏱️ Time Controls | A 90+30; B 60+30; Blitz 3+2; Solving 60 minutes |
| 💰 Awards | RON 19,550 cash + RON 9,100 vouchers |
| 🌐 Official Tournament Page | https://frsah.ro/event/check-mate-editia-a-2-a/ |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Tournament A has six rounds, Tournament B has seven, and the blitz also has seven rounds. Players may request two half-point byes during the first four classical rounds, and the default time is 30 minutes.
Tie-Breaks
| Priority | Tie-Break |
|---|---|
| 1 | Direct encounter |
| 2 | Buchholz |
| 3 | Progressive score |
| 4 | Number of wins |
| 5 | Rating performance |
If two players finish with the maximum possible score, the organizer stages an Armageddon to determine the winner.
🏆 Prize Fund
The festival publishes RON 19,550 cash / approx. $4,310 plus RON 9,100 in vouchers. Cash prizes are paid by bank transfer within seven days after the event.
| Event | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical A | RON 3,000 | RON 2,000 | RON 1,000 |
| Classical B | RON 2,000 | RON 1,000 | RON 800 |
| Blitz | RON 600 | RON 400 | RON 200 |
| Solving | RON 400 | RON 300 | RON 200 |
Additional cash and voucher awards cover women, veterans, juniors, rating bands, and players with disability certificates. Prizes are non-cumulative.
♟️ Sections / Groups
| Event | Eligibility / Format |
|---|---|
| Tournament A | Above 2000 Elo; players rated above 1900 may enter with the published surcharge |
| Tournament B | Below 2000 Elo; exactly 2000 may choose A or B |
| Blitz | 7 rounds, 3+2 |
| Solving | Open and Under 12 groups; 60 minutes |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Activity | Start |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, October 22 | Opening / technical meeting | 4:00 PM |
| Thursday, October 22 | Round 1 | 4:30 PM |
| Friday, October 23 | Round 2 | 9:00 AM |
| Friday, October 23 | Round 3 | 3:00 PM |
| Friday, October 23 | Blitz technical meeting | 7:30 PM |
| Friday, October 23 | Blitz | 7:45 PM |
| Saturday, October 24 | Solving | 9:00 AM |
| Saturday, October 24 | Round 4 | 10:30 AM |
| Saturday, October 24 | Round 5 | 4:00 PM |
| Sunday, October 25 | Round 6 | 9:00 AM |
| Sunday, October 25 | Round 7 – Tournament B | 2:00 PM |
📝 Registration
| Event / Period | Entry Fee |
|---|---|
| Classical A & B – July 22 to October 11 | RON 220 / approx. $50 |
| Classical A & B – October 11 to 21 | RON 300 / approx. $70 |
| Open A play-up surcharge | RON 300 |
| Blitz | RON 70 / approx. $20 |
| Solving | RON 70 / approx. $20 |
GM and WGM players enter free, while IM and WIM players receive a 10% discount. The classical registration deadline is October 21 at 10:00 PM; Blitz and solving registration closes October 23 at 7:00 PM.
🏛️ Organizer
| Contact Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organizer Name | Check & Mate |
| Contact Person | Popa Gabriel / Alexandra Cristea |
| checkmate.sah@gmail.com | |
| Phone Number | +40 758 533 607 / +40 753 378 010 |
📍 Venue
CATTIA – Strada Institutului 35, 500484 Brașov, Romania.
CATTIA is the Centrul de Afaceri, Transfer Tehnologic și Incubator de Afaceri. The organizer estimates roughly 25 minutes by bus or 14 minutes by car from central Brașov.
🏨 Accommodation
The organizer can arrange accommodation in several areas of Brașov for approximately RON 85–150 per person per night. Players should contact Popa Gabriel by WhatsApp at +40 758 533 607 for the available options.
🚆 How to Get There
| Travel Option | Practical Information |
|---|---|
| By rail | Brașov railway station has frequent services to Bucharest and other Romanian cities. |
| By air | Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport serves the region; Bucharest airports provide broader international connections. |
| Local travel | Bus, taxi, ride-sharing, and private car can reach CATTIA. |
ℹ️ Other Information
Chief Arbiter IA Dinu-Ioan Nicula leads the arbiter team, assisted by FA Liana-Nicoleta Szabo. All participants must have the required 2026 Romanian Chess Federation validation where applicable.
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $4,310
Organizer
♟️ About the Organizer
Check N Mate is a chess academy and tournament organizer based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The academy’s official website identifies Check N Mate as a brand of Move It Smart Skill Promoter Pvt. Ltd. Utkal Dash founded the academy and serves as its CEO.
Check N Mate provides chess instruction for children and adults at different playing levels. Its programs cover beginner, intermediate, and advanced chess. The academy offers individual coaching, group lessons, online instruction, tournament preparation, and chess programs for schools and other organizations.
The academy operates from Whitefield and maintains coaching activity across several parts of Bengaluru. Its official website lists branches or local programs in areas such as Whitefield, KR Puram, Kadugodi, Varthur, Sarjapur, Hoodi, Garudacharpalya, and Panathur.
🏆 Chess Events and Activities
Check N Mate organizes academy competitions and open chess tournaments in Bengaluru. Its official program includes regular practice events and monthly tournaments for academy students. The organizer also provides tournament-management services for schools, residential communities, and other venues.
Its main public tournament series is the Check N Mate All India Open FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament. The series has held several editions in Bengaluru under the relevant Indian and Karnataka chess authorities.
The 6th Check N Mate All India Open FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament takes place on August 15, 2026. SDP Palace in Bengaluru hosts the event. Players compete over nine Swiss-system rounds with a rapid time control of 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment per move. The tournament counts for FIDE rapid rating.
The 2026 event offers a published prize fund of ₹4,00,000. Utkal Dash serves as tournament director, while IA Saleem Beig serves as chief arbiter. The prize structure includes overall awards and separate categories for women, juniors, veterans, players with disabilities, unrated players, and different rating groups.
🌍 Chess Training and Player Development
Check N Mate combines tournament activity with regular chess education. Students can attend weekly lessons and take part in online practice tournaments. The academy also provides assignments, session notes, assessments, and feedback through its training structure and student application.
The coaching program aims to help players understand chess principles, improve calculation, and gain practical experience. Students can progress from introductory lessons to more advanced tournament preparation. The academy also encourages students to participate in internal and external competitions.
Check N Mate works with schools, residential communities, and local training centres across Bengaluru. This structure gives students access to chess lessons close to their homes or schools. It also provides a route from regular coaching to academy tournaments and FIDE-rated open events.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
