The Fantastico Senta Chess Festival 2027 will transform Hotel Fantastico in Senta, Serbia, into an international chess venue throughout January. Running from January 3–23, 2027, the festival combines classical, rapid and blitz competition in an unusually extensive program of 11 separate FIDE-rated tournaments.
The program includes three strong GM Mix classical tournaments, two shorter Classical Opens, a seven-round Rapid tournament and five one-day Blitz events. As a result, players can join a single event or build a longer tournament stay around several formats. Moreover, the staggered schedule allows classical competitors to add rapid or blitz chess between the main events.
The festival is organized by SK Čoka and SK Senta at Hotel Fantastico. Current starting lists already include Grandmasters and other titled players from Serbia and several international federations, giving the GM Mix events a particularly strong competitive profile.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ♟️ Festival | Fantastico Senta Chess Festival 2027 |
| 📅 Dates | January 3–23, 2027 |
| 📍 Location | Senta, Serbia |
| ♟️ Formats | Classical, Rapid & Blitz |
| 🧩 Tournaments | 11 separate FIDE-rated events |
| ⭐ FIDE Rated | Yes |
| 🏛️ Organizers | SK Čoka & SK Senta |
| 👤 Tournament Director | Lorinc Sandor |
| ⚖️ Chief Arbiter | IA Zoltan Helenyi |
| 🏨 Venue | Hotel Fantastico, Arpadova 1, Senta, Serbia |
| 📞 Festival Contact | GM Sinisa Drazic |
| ♟️ Chess-Results | https://chess-results.com/tnr1438393.aspx?lan=1 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The Fantastico Senta Chess Festival combines three different FIDE-rated time controls.
GM Mix Events
The three GM Mix tournaments each use:
90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
Each event consists of 9 Swiss-system rounds and counts for FIDE Standard rating.
Open Events
Open 34 and Open 35 use:
60 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
Both tournaments consist of 5 Swiss-system rounds and count for FIDE Standard rating.
Rapid Event
Rapid 36 uses:
10 minutes + 3 seconds increment per move
The tournament consists of 7 Swiss-system rounds and counts for FIDE Rapid rating.
Blitz Events
Blitz A through Blitz E use:
3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move
Each Blitz tournament consists of 9 Swiss-system rounds and counts for FIDE Blitz rating.
All sections use Swiss-Manager for pairings and tournament administration.
🧩 Sections / Groups
The 2027 festival contains 11 individually rated tournaments.
| Event | Format / Dates |
|---|---|
| ♟️ GM Mix 31 | Classical · 9 rounds · 90+30 · January 3–8 |
| ⚡ Blitz A | Blitz · 9 rounds · 3+2 · January 3 |
| ⚡ Blitz B | Blitz · 9 rounds · 3+2 · January 7 |
| ♟️ Open 34 | Classical · 5 rounds · 60+30 · January 8–10 |
| ♟️ GM Mix 32 | Classical · 9 rounds · 90+30 · January 10–15 |
| ⚡ Blitz C | Blitz · 9 rounds · 3+2 · January 13 |
| 🚀 Rapid 36 | Rapid · 7 rounds · 10+3 · January 15 |
| ♟️ Open 35 | Classical · 5 rounds · 60+30 · January 15–17 |
| ⚡ Blitz D | Blitz · 9 rounds · 3+2 · January 16 |
| ♟️ GM Mix 33 | Classical · 9 rounds · 90+30 · January 18–22 |
| ⚡ Blitz E | Blitz · 9 rounds · 3+2 · January 23 |
GM Mix 31
Dates: January 3–8, 2027
Rounds: 9
System: Swiss
Time Control: 90+30
Rating: FIDE Standard
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438392.aspx
GM Mix 32
Dates: January 10–15, 2027
Rounds: 9
System: Swiss
Time Control: 90+30
Rating: FIDE Standard
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438393.aspx
GM Mix 33
Dates: January 18–22, 2027
Rounds: 9
System: Swiss
Time Control: 90+30
Rating: FIDE Standard
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438394.aspx
Open 34
Dates: January 8–10, 2027
Rounds: 5
System: Swiss
Time Control: 60+30
Rating: FIDE Standard
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438395.aspx
Open 35
Dates: January 15–17, 2027
Rounds: 5
System: Swiss
Time Control: 60+30
Rating: FIDE Standard
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438396.aspx
Rapid 36
Date: January 15, 2027
Rounds: 7
System: Swiss
Time Control: 10+3
Rating: FIDE Rapid
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438397.aspx
Blitz A–E
All five Blitz events consist of 9 Swiss-system rounds at 3+2 and count for FIDE Blitz rating.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| ⚡ Blitz A | January 3 |
| ⚡ Blitz B | January 7 |
| ⚡ Blitz C | January 13 |
| ⚡ Blitz D | January 16 |
| ⚡ Blitz E | January 23 |
Chess-Results:
Blitz-A:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438398.aspx
Blitz-B:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438399.aspx
Blitz-C:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438400.aspx
Blitz-D:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438401.aspx
Blitz-E:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1438402.aspx
🗓️ Schedule
The festival runs across three weeks. Because several events overlap, players can combine different formats during the same stay in Senta.
January 3–10
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 3 | GM Mix 31 begins · Blitz A |
| January 3–8 | GM Mix 31 |
| January 7 | Blitz B |
| January 8 | GM Mix 31 concludes · Open 34 begins |
| January 8–10 | Open 34 |
Open 34 Round Schedule
| Date / Time | Round |
|---|---|
| January 8 · 15:15 | Round 1 |
| January 8 · 18:20 | Round 2 |
| January 9 · 11:00 | Round 3 |
| January 9 · 15:00 | Round 4 |
| January 10 · 10:00 | Round 5 |
January 10–17
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 10 | GM Mix 32 begins |
| January 10–15 | GM Mix 32 |
| January 13 | Blitz C |
| January 15 | GM Mix 32 concludes · Rapid 36 · Open 35 begins |
| January 16 | Open 35 · Blitz D |
| January 17 | Open 35 concludes |
Open 35 Round Schedule
| Date / Time | Round |
|---|---|
| January 15 · 16:00 | Round 1 |
| January 16 · 10:30 | Round 2 |
| January 16 · 14:00 | Round 3 |
| January 17 · 10:30 | Round 4 |
| January 17 · 14:00 | Round 5 |
January 18–23
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 18 | GM Mix 33 begins |
| January 18–22 | GM Mix 33 |
| January 22 | GM Mix 33 concludes |
| January 23 | Blitz E · Festival finale |
Players should follow the individual Chess-Results pages for the latest exact round times and any schedule updates.
📝 Registration
Players should contact the festival team directly to enter the relevant GM Mix, Open, Rapid or Blitz tournament.
Contact Person: GM Sinisa Drazic
Email: gmsinisadrazic@gmail.com
Mobile / WhatsApp / Viber / Telegram: +381 62 804 7002
Alternative Contact: +381 64 124 9741
Because the festival includes several overlapping tournaments, players should clearly state which events they wish to enter.
When contacting the organizer, it is useful to provide:
- full name;
- FIDE ID;
- federation;
- current FIDE rating;
- chess title, if applicable;
- selected tournament or tournaments; and
- intended arrival and departure dates.
Players interested in more than one section should contact the organizer early so that tournament participation and accommodation can be coordinated.
👤 Organizer
Organizer Name: SK Čoka & SK Senta
Contact Person: GM Sinisa Drazic
Email: gmsinisadrazic@gmail.com
Phone: +381 62 804 7002
Alternative Phone: +381 64 124 9741
Tournament Director: Lorinc Sandor
Chief Arbiter: IA Zoltan Helenyi
The same organizational team oversees the festival’s classical, rapid and blitz events. Consequently, participants can coordinate several tournament entries through one central contact.
📍 Venue
Hotel Fantastico – Arpadova 1, Senta, Serbia
All currently published 2027 Chess-Results sections list Hotel Fantastico in Senta as the playing venue.
The hotel-based format is especially convenient for a multi-week festival because the playing hall and festival base remain in one location. Moreover, players entering several events do not need to move between different tournament venues during their stay.
Senta lies in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, close to the Tisza River and within practical reach of Subotica and the Hungarian border.
🚆 How to Get There
✈️ From Belgrade
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG) is the main Serbian international gateway for most overseas players.
Travellers can continue north toward Senta by a combination of road, bus or rail. Depending on the route, connections may pass through Belgrade / Novi Beograd and Subotica before continuing to Senta.
Because schedules can change, players should check current Serbian rail and bus services shortly before travelling.
🚆 Via Subotica
Subotica is one of the most useful regional transport hubs for reaching Senta.
From Subotica, players can continue toward Senta by regional public transport or road transfer. This route can also be convenient for visitors arriving from Hungary.
✈️ Via Budapest
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) provides another possible international route, especially for travellers already entering the region through Hungary.
Public-transport journeys generally involve travel toward Szeged and the Serbian border, followed by onward connections to Senta. However, border-crossing times can vary, so international travellers should allow additional time.
🚗 By Car
Drivers should use:
Hotel Fantastico, Arpadova 1, Senta, Serbia
as the destination.
Players travelling from abroad should also allow time for border formalities where applicable.
ℹ️ Other Information
🌍 International Field
The current GM Mix starting lists already feature a strong international group of titled players.
Registered names across the GM Mix events include Grandmasters and International Masters such as:
- GM Andrey Shariyazdanov
- GM Milovan Ratkovic
- GM Alexander Shabalov
- GM Suat Atalik
- GM Alex Yermolinsky
- GM Nikola Sedlak
- GM Nebojsa Nikcevic
- GM Evgeniy Podolchenko
- GM Borko Lajthajm
- GM Sinisa Drazic
- IM Andrej Ljepic
- IM Artur Janturin
- WIM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana
The entry lists also include players from Serbia, the United States, Russia, India, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Belarus, Montenegro and other federations.
Since registrations remain active, the final fields may change before January.
⭐ FIDE Rating
Every currently published festival section counts for an international FIDE rating:
- GM Mix 31, 32 and 33 – FIDE Standard
- Open 34 and 35 – FIDE Standard
- Rapid 36 – FIDE Rapid
- Blitz A–E – FIDE Blitz
Therefore, players can combine several different FIDE rating formats during the same festival.
🔄 Flexible Festival Format
One of the distinctive features of the Fantastico Senta Chess Festival is its overlapping structure.
For example, a player may enter a longer GM Mix event and add one or more Blitz tournaments. Alternatively, a player can choose one of the shorter Opens together with Rapid 36 and a Blitz event.
This structure gives both titled professionals and other competitive players considerable flexibility when planning their January tournament schedule.
📊 Pairings & Results
Swiss-Manager handles pairings across the festival.
Each tournament has its own Chess-Results page, where players can follow:
- starting lists;
- pairings;
- round-by-round results;
- standings;
- federation statistics; and
- title statistics where available.
For the latest information, players should use the individual Chess-Results pages listed above or contact the organizers directly.
Additional Details
Organizer
♟️ About SK Senta & SK Proleter Čoka
SK Senta & SK Proleter Čoka are two chess clubs from northern Vojvodina, Serbia, which cooperate in organizing the Fantastico tournament series in Senta. Their joint events bring together Serbian and international players for FIDE-rated classical, rapid and blitz competitions. The tournaments are primarily staged at Hotel Fantastico in Senta, which has become the regular base for this international chess program.
Šahovski Klub Senta represents the town of Senta and has a long record of organizing competitive chess. The club has hosted local championships, open tournaments and the traditional Battle of Senta competition. It also participates in organized team chess within Vojvodina. Šahovski Klub Proleter Čoka, based in nearby Čoka, has an even longer documented chess tradition in the region and regularly competes in provincial team events.
The two clubs now cooperate on the expanding Fantastico series. GM Siniša Dražić serves as the principal published contact for these international events, while Lorinc Sandor acts as Tournament Director for the January 2027 series. Their program is designed around frequent FIDE-rated competition and provides visiting players with several tournament options during a single stay in Senta.
🏆 Tournaments & Chess Activities
The clubs’ most visible joint project is the Fantastico Senta Chess Festival, a recurring series hosted at Hotel Fantastico. Rather than operating as one standalone tournament, the program combines successive classical competitions with additional rapid and blitz events. This structure allows players to participate in several rated events during the same visit.
The Fantastico Senta Chess Festival 2027 runs across January 2027 and includes several major components. Published events include GM Mix 31, GM Mix 32 and GM Mix 33, alongside Open 34, Open 35, rapid chess and several blitz competitions. The GM Mix tournaments use FIDE-rated classical time controls and attract titled players from Serbia and abroad.
The Fantastico concept was already well established before the 2027 edition. During 2026, Senta hosted numerous GM Mix, Open and fast-chess events under the same Fantastico format. Additional tournaments were also staged at Hotel Fantastico during the summer. As a result, the venue supports an unusually dense international tournament calendar rather than only one annual festival.
Senta also has a separate tradition of major summer chess events. The Battle of Senta reached its 30th edition in 2026 and included classical Open sections, rapid, blitz and junior competition. These events strengthen the town’s role as a regular chess destination in northern Serbia.
♟️ Team Chess & Regional Competition
Both clubs remain active beyond tournament organization. SK Senta competes in Vojvodina team chess and fields players in regional league and cup competition. The club entered multiple teams in the 2026 Vojvodina Cup, demonstrating a playing structure that extends beyond the international festivals held at Hotel Fantastico.
Proleter Čoka also maintains substantial team activity. In the 2026 Vojvodina Cup, the club entered both Proleter 1 – Čoka and Proleter 2 – Čoka. Its first team finished among the leading clubs in the competition, while another Proleter side continued to compete in regional league chess.
This ongoing team activity gives the Fantastico organizers a direct connection to Serbia’s regular club competition system. Therefore, their international tournaments are not isolated commercial events. They form part of a broader chess program connected with established local clubs and the competitive structure of Vojvodina.
📚 History & Chess in Senta and Čoka
Organized chess has deep roots in both communities. SK Senta has run local and international tournaments for many years, including the Senta Open Championship and the long-running Battle of Senta. Archived club regulations also show regular FIDE-rated tournaments organized directly by the club.
Chess history in Čoka extends particularly far back. Records preserved by Proleter Čoka show that a team from the town competed in a district team championship as early as 1948, then playing under the name FD Sloga. International tournaments were organized in Čoka from 1969, with further editions during the 1970s and early 1980s.
The club later organized events such as the Dragan Ilijašev Memorial and continued competing in Banat league chess. Consequently, Proleter Čoka brings a long local chess tradition to its modern cooperation with Senta.
The present Fantastico partnership combines this regional history with a highly active international tournament schedule. Players can now find repeated classical tournaments, open events and fast-chess competitions in the same location throughout different periods of the year. In particular, the January series provides an extended sequence of events for players who want several FIDE-rated competitions during one trip.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
