Salta’s city-center Hotel Colonial hosts the Festival Memorial Diego José Belmonte – Copa Escoda, July 16-19, 2026, Salta, Argentina, a compact classical open that packs seven FIDE-rated Swiss rounds into four days. The tournament targets competitive players who want serious games, clear sporting stakes, and a strong local field in a well-known Argentine chess setting. The organizer announces a major cash prize fund and supports additional rating-band and special prizes within the same event framework. You can plan a straightforward chess trip because every key activity—opening, rounds, and awards—runs at one central venue.

The schedule starts on Thursday afternoon with two rounds, then continues with two-round days on Friday and Saturday before a Sunday morning finale. The tournament uses a classical 90+30 time control and applies a 60-minute tolerance for each game, which aligns with long, fighting rounds. The organizer publishes a simple entry-fee ladder through early 2026 and keeps places limited, so early registration helps. If you want a high-intensity summer open with a big local prize pool in northern Argentina, this Salta festival delivers a clear and focused format.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

Prizes are not cumulative. If a player qualifies for multiple prizes, the organizer applies the priority order as listed and awards the higher-value option.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament runs a 7-round Swiss System and uses a classical time control of 90 minutes with a 30-second increment per move from move 1. The organizer applies a 60-minute tolerance for each round, so a player must arrive within 60 minutes of the scheduled start to avoid a forfeit loss.

The organizer applies these tie-breaks in order: head-to-head, Buchholz Cut -1, Sonneborn-Berger, Buchholz Cut -2, average Elo -2, and drawing of lots.

📂 Sections / Groups

The tournament runs one open section in a single Swiss standings table.

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

👥 Organizer

Mariano Belmonte and Adriel Belmonte organize the Festival Memorial Diego José Belmonte – Copa Escoda in Salta and run a fast-paced classical Swiss with a major local cash prize fund and clearly defined tie-breaks. The organizing team centralizes the event at Hotel Colonial and coordinates registration and player communication through the official contact number.

• Phone: +54 387 619 0024

🏨 Venue

Hotel Colonial, Calle Zuviría 6, Salta Capital, Salta, Argentina
Hotel Colonial sits in central Salta and keeps the entire tournament program—opening, rounds, and awards—in one location. The city-center address helps visiting players plan straightforward daily logistics during the four-day event.

🚗 How to Get There

Travel to Salta, Argentina, then go to the playing venue at Hotel Colonial, Calle Zuviría 6, Salta Capital, Salta, Argentina.

Play seven demanding classical rounds in Salta and chase a standout summer result in a prize-rich Swiss open.