Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026 takes place from October 13 to October 25, 2026 at the Belvedere Resort in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece.

Organized by the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA), the championship is specifically for blind and visually impaired chess players representing eligible European IBCA member countries. The festival combines a nine-round Classical European Championship with a nine-round Rapid European Championship.

Both competitions are played under IBCA and FIDE rules. Delegation registration, accommodation and airport transfers are coordinated centrally by the organizing committee.

♟️ Event Details

Official IBCA Invitation:
2026 IBCA European Championship Invitation

Chess-Results – Classical:
Classic IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026

Chess-Results – Rapid:
Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Classical Championship

The Classical Championship consists of nine rounds, with one game scheduled per playing day.

Rapid Championship

The Rapid Championship is played over two competition days.

♿ Playing Equipment

All championship games must be played on Braille chess boards.

The organizer will provide 30 Echo DGT clocks for tournament use.

Both championships are conducted according to official IBCA and FIDE rules.

🏆 Prize Fund

The official invitation does not publish a cash prize fund.

Instead, the championships award European titles and trophies.

Classical Championship

Rapid Championship

🧩 Sections / Groups

The festival consists of two separate European Individual Championships.

♟️ Classic IBCA European Individual Chess Championship

⚡ Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship

✅ Eligibility

The championship is open to European IBCA member countries.

Each eligible national IBCA member organization may register any number of players of any gender.

Registration is delegation-based, not a normal individual open entry.

Only an authorized representative of the national chess organization that is an IBCA member may register a delegation.

All players, officials, coaches and accompanying persons from the same country must be registered together as one national delegation.

The championship is specifically organized for blind and visually impaired chess players under IBCA regulations.

📅 Schedule

The organizer publishes the overall programme rather than exact starting times for every individual round.

Classical Programme

Rapid Programme

A half-day excursion is also included in the official programme.

The organizer has not published a detailed round-by-round timetable with exact starting hours in the official invitation. Players should therefore follow information supplied directly to their delegation.

📝 Registration

Registration must be handled through an authorized representative of the relevant IBCA member organization.

Individual players should therefore coordinate with their national organization rather than submit an independent entry.

Registration Fees

The Classical fee consists of:

• €40 Organizer Fee
• €40 IBCA Entry Fee

The Rapid fee consists of:

• €10 Organizer Fee
• €10 IBCA Entry Fee

Registration fees and advance accommodation deposits are non-refundable.

📅 Official Deadlines

⚠️ Final Accommodation Payment

The official invitation lists the deadline for the remaining 50% accommodation payment as November 10, 2026.

Because this date falls after the championship has finished, delegations should confirm the correct final-payment deadline directly with the organizer before making travel arrangements.

Visa Requirements

Delegation members who require a visa to enter Greece should contact the organizer before August 12, 2026.

👥 Organizer

IBCA Event Calendar:
International Braille Chess Association Event Calendar

📍 Venue

Royal Belvedere Resort – Hersonissos, Crete 70014, Greece

The championships are held at the Belvedere Resort complex in Hersonissos. Chess-Results specifically identifies the tournament venue as Hotel Royal Belvedere.

The resort is located on the outskirts of Hersonissos. According to the hotel, Star Beach is approximately 400 metres away, while central Hersonissos is around a 10-minute walk from the resort.

Because tournament accommodation is compulsory for delegation members, most players will stay and compete within the same resort complex.

🚆 How to Get There

The official arrival airport for the championship is Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER).

✈️ Official Airport Transfer

The organizer states that transportation will be provided from and to Heraklion International Airport for tournament participants.

To use the organizer-arranged transfer, each delegation must submit:

• Arrival date
• Arrival time
• Flight number
• Departure date
• Departure time
• Departure flight number

Flight information must be submitted to the organizing committee no later than September 1, 2026.

This is the recommended arrival arrangement for registered delegations.

🚗 By Car

Venue address: Royal Belvedere Resort – Hersonissos, Crete 70014, Greece

The resort is located in Hersonissos on the northern coast of Crete, east of Heraklion.

Drivers should navigate directly to Royal Belvedere Resort, Hersonissos rather than using only the general destination “Crete” or “Heraklion”.

The official hotel identifies its location as Hersonissos, Crete, PC 70014, Greece.

🚌 By Public Bus

KTEL Heraklion–Lasithi operates regular public bus services between Heraklion and Hersonissos.

The current published journey between Heraklion and Hersonissos is approximately 35 minutes, although actual travel time depends on the particular service and traffic.

Independent travellers should note that the organizer already provides an official airport-transfer arrangement for registered delegations, so public transport should mainly be considered when that transfer has not been arranged.

♿ Accessible Travel Planning

Delegations that require assistance during airport transfer or hotel arrival should communicate those requirements to the organizer before travel.

Because this is a championship for blind and visually impaired players, delegation leaders should make sure that:

• Flight details are submitted correctly
• Guide or accompanying-person arrangements are clear
• Hotel room requirements are confirmed
• Necessary personal adaptive equipment is prepared
• Medical insurance documents are available

ℹ️ Other Information

🏨 Mandatory Official Accommodation

All delegation members — including:

• Players
• Coaches
• Officials
• Accompanying persons

— are required to stay at the official Belvedere Resort hotel.

The organizing committee states that it will not accept participants who do not book accommodation through the official hotel arrangement.

All accommodation requests must therefore be processed through the organizing committee.

Accommodation Rates

Prices include full board with three meals per day.

A deposit equal to 50% of the total accommodation cost, together with the full registration fee, must be paid by September 1, 2026.

🍽️ Full Board

The official accommodation price includes:

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Players and accompanying persons should therefore coordinate dietary or accessibility requirements with the organizing committee and hotel before arrival where necessary.

🩺 Medical Insurance

Every person included in a participating delegation must have medical insurance.

The organizer explicitly states that it will not cover expenses arising from a participant’s medical problem.

♿ Chess Equipment

All games must be played using Braille chess boards.

The organizer will provide 30 Echo DGT electronic chess clocks.

Delegations should still confirm any personal equipment or assistance requirements before departure.

🚌 Half-Day Excursion

The official programme includes a half-day excursion.

The exact date and itinerary are not specified in the public invitation and should be confirmed through the delegation or organizing committee.

🔗 Official Links

IBCA Event Calendar:
IBCA Event Calendar

Official Invitation:
2026 Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Championship Invitation

Chess-Results – Classical:
Classical Championship Results & Pairings

Chess-Results – Rapid:
Rapid Championship Results & Pairings

Royal Belvedere Resort:
Official Belvedere Resort Website