Chess Festival Kumanovo Open 2026 brings a four-day chess festival to Kumanovo, North Macedonia, from May 29 to June 1, 2026. City Chess Club “Kumanovo” and Chess Club “Fisher” organize the event at Restaurant “Gracija”.

The festival includes two tournaments. Tournament A welcomes players of all ages with a rating below 2250. Meanwhile, Tournament B gives young talents born in 2016 or later a dedicated U10 competition.

The format stays clear and practical. Both tournaments use a 7-round Swiss system, and the program also includes a rapid tournament slot on May 31. In addition, the organizers provide participant certificates, water at the venue, accommodation options, trophies, medals, Modern Chess vouchers, and material prizes.

🏁 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Both tournaments use a 7-round Swiss system. Tournament A uses 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move, while Tournament B uses 10 minutes plus 3 seconds per move. In addition, all games use electronic clocks.

Tournament A counts for FIDE rating. Tournament B can also count for FIDE rating if more than 20% of the players have a rating. Therefore, young players may also gain rated-event experience when the field meets that requirement.

Final standings depend on points first. After that, the tie-break order is Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, number of wins, and progressive score. Moreover, the late-arrival tolerance is 30 minutes, so players should reach the board before that limit.

Players may request one half-point bye during the first five rounds. However, the organizer must approve the request before it counts.

💰 Prize Fund

The festival has a published prize fund of 100,000 MKD, plus trophies, medals, Modern Chess vouchers, and material prizes.

Tournament A – Open <2250 Regular Prizes

Tournament A – Special Prizes

All special-prize winners receive medals. If players finish with equal points, the organizer shares prizes by the Hort system up to and including 6th place.

Tournament B – U10 Prizes

No player may receive more than one prize. If a player qualifies for several awards, that player receives the higher-value prize.

♟️ Sections / Groups

The organizer may invite players outside the stated criteria. Therefore, players close to the rating or age limits should contact the organizers before registering.

📅 Schedule

Tournament A – Open <2250

Tournament B – U10

📝 Registration

Players should register before the deadline and choose the correct tournament. In addition, non-resident players should prepare their FIDE ID before sending the entry.

👤 Organizer

City Chess Club “Kumanovo” and Chess Club “Fisher” organize the festival together. The event supports open competition and youth chess development, while Modern Chess also appears as a prize partner through voucher awards.

Phone: +389 75 404 037
Email: chesskumanovoopen@gmail.com

📍 Venue

Restaurant “Gracija”, Kumanovo, North Macedonia

The venue hosts the full festival program in Kumanovo. Because the same location covers the open event, the U10 tournament, and the closing activities, players can follow the schedule without changing playing sites.

🛏️ Accommodation

The organizer has published two accommodation options for visiting players.

Players should contact the organizer early for accommodation reservations. Moreover, early planning helps because the festival starts on Friday and finishes on Monday.

🚗 How to Get There

Kumanovo is one of the main cities in North Macedonia and sits northeast of Skopje. Therefore, players arriving from abroad can travel through Skopje first and then continue to Kumanovo by road. Local players can also reach the venue directly by car or taxi.

ℹ️ Other

Electronic devices are prohibited during play. In addition, players must respect the 30-minute late-arrival rule. A player who arrives after the tolerance time loses the game.

The organizer provides water and certificates for participants. Also, electronic clocks will be used, so players can prepare for increment-based tournament conditions.

Chess Festival Kumanovo Open 2026 offers a clear open section, a dedicated U10 event, and practical conditions for players visiting Kumanovo.