The I Torneo de Ajedrez Sub-2400 Zamora, La Bien Cercada 2026 will take place from November 20–22, 2026, at Zona Zentro, the headquarters of Club Deportivo Zamora Z Ajedrez in Zamora, Spain. Organized by Club Deportivo Zamora Z Ajedrez together with the Castilla y León Chess Federation (FECLA), the tournament forms part of the Zamora chess circuit and is supported by the Diputación de Zamora and Caja Rural de Zamora.

The event is a 7-round FIDE-rated Standard Swiss played at 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move. Participation is restricted to players with a FIDE rating below 2400, and the field is capped at only 50 players. Spanish-flag players must also hold a valid federation licence for the 2026 season.

The published cash-prize table totals €1,620, approximately $1,820, with overall, rating, local, women’s and 50+ awards, plus trophies for U18 and U14 champions. Registration closes on November 19, 2026, although the 50-player capacity may be reached earlier. General entry costs €30, club members pay €20, and eligible FIDE-titled players enter free.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament is played as a 7-round Swiss system competition and is registered for FIDE Standard rating.

Half-Point Byes

Players may request a maximum of two half-point byes, and only through Round 5 inclusive.

For Round 1, the request must be submitted before the end of November 19.

For later rounds, a bye must be requested before the end of the preceding round.

Requests can be sent to:

galanhdez@yahoo.es

They may also be submitted using the form available in the playing hall.

A player should not assume that an unexplained absence will automatically count as a half-point bye.

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer describes the tournament as offering more than €1,600 in prizes. The individual published cash awards total €1,620, approximately $1,820.

Overall Classification

The overall classification distributes €1,020 in cash.

Rating Prizes

The three rating categories distribute €450.

Special Prizes

For the local award, eligible players are those born in Zamora, federated in Zamora or resident in Zamora.

Cash prizes are not cumulative and will be paid by bank transfer after the tournament.

👥 Sections / Groups

This is a single Sub-2400 Open tournament, rather than several separate playing sections.

All eligible players compete in the same seven-round Swiss tournament. Separate classifications exist only for prize purposes.

Participation is limited to players with a FIDE rating below 2400.

Spanish-flag players must hold a valid federation licence for the 2026 season.

📅 Schedule

Friday, November 20

Saturday, November 21

Sunday, November 22

Players arriving in Zamora on Friday should pay particular attention to the 15:30 accreditation deadline. Round 1 begins only 30 minutes later at 16:00.

📝 Registration

Registration closes on November 19, 2026, unless the maximum capacity of 50 players is reached earlier.

The official registration form is available through the Club Deportivo Zamora Z Ajedrez tournament page:

https://zamoraajedrez.es/torneos/

Entry Fees

Registration becomes effective according to the organizer’s published entry and payment procedure.

Payment is made by bank transfer to the Club Deportivo Zamora Z Ajedrez account at Caja Rural. Players should include their full name and surname in the payment reference.

Because registration is managed externally by the organizer, the MyChess.Events internal REGISTER button should not be used. The official club registration page should remain directly available in this section.

👤 Organizer

Joaquín Anatol is the president of Club Deportivo Zamora Z Ajedrez.

📍 Venue

Local “Zona Zentro” – Calle Diego de Losada 3, Zamora, Spain.

Zona Zentro is the regular headquarters of Club Deportivo Zamora Z Ajedrez and is used for the club’s weekly tournaments, classes and other chess activities.

The venue is in the urban centre of Zamora, making it practical for players arriving by train or bus and for participants staying in central accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation

The organizer does not publish an official tournament hotel package. However, several central Zamora hotels provide practical access to the playing venue.

Zenit Dos Infantas

Calle Cortinas de San Miguel 3, 49015 Zamora, Spain

https://dosinfantas.zenithoteles.com/en/

The hotel is centrally located and offers 68 rooms, free Wi-Fi and its own parking, making it a practical option for players who want to stay close to the centre.

NH Zamora Palacio del Duero

Plaza de la Horta 1, 49002 Zamora, Spain

https://www.nh-hotels.com/en/hotel/nh-zamora-palacio-del-duero

This 4-star hotel occupies part of a historic convent and offers 49 rooms, Wi-Fi and indoor parking. Published online prices for November 20–21 are currently around €105–115 per night, although rates can change before the tournament.

Accommodation prices are indicative and should be rechecked for the exact stay dates before booking.

🚆 How to Get There

Zamora is particularly convenient for a regional Spanish tournament because it has high-speed and long-distance rail connections, including direct services from Madrid.

By Train from Madrid

The most practical route for many players is:

Madrid Chamartín Clara Campoamor → Zamora

Renfe operates AVE, Avlo, Alvia and other long-distance services on the Madrid–Zamora corridor.

Current fast services can complete the journey in approximately one hour, depending on the train. Therefore, Zamora is realistic even for participants travelling from Madrid or connecting through the Spanish capital.

The tournament begins on Friday afternoon, but accreditation closes at 15:30. Players travelling from Madrid on Friday should choose a train that leaves substantial time for any delay and for the final transfer from Zamora station.

From Zamora Railway Station

Zamora Railway Station – Carretera de la Estación, s/n, 49029 Zamora

The station has both a taxi rank and urban-bus connections.

A taxi is the simplest option with luggage and is especially sensible for players arriving shortly before Friday accreditation.

Urban buses also connect the railway-station area with central Zamora. Because the venue is at Calle Diego de Losada 3, players should travel toward the city-centre / Marina Española area and complete the final short section on foot if convenient.

By Long-Distance Bus

Zamora also has an intercity bus station close to the urban centre.

The bus station is approximately 1.5 km from central Zamora, and taxis and local buses are available nearby. Long-distance coach services can therefore be practical for players travelling from cities not served conveniently by direct rail.

From Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)

For international visitors, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport is the most practical major international gateway.

Passengers arriving at Terminal 4 can use Cercanías Line C1 directly to Madrid Chamartín Clara Campoamor.

From Chamartín, continue by AVE or another Renfe long-distance service to Zamora.

Passengers landing at T1, T2 or T3 can first use the airport’s free terminal-transfer service to T4 or use another Madrid transport connection to reach Chamartín.

This rail-based route is generally easier and more predictable than making the entire Madrid–Zamora journey by road.

From Valladolid

Zamora also has road and regional transport connections with Valladolid. However, for international travelers arriving through Madrid, the direct high-speed rail connection from Chamartín is usually the simpler option.

By Car

Zamora is connected to the Spanish motorway network through routes including the A-11 and A-66 corridors.

Players driving should navigate directly to:

Local Zona Zentro – Calle Diego de Losada 3, Zamora, Spain.

Because the venue is in an urban central area, drivers should allow additional time to locate suitable parking before accreditation and the morning rounds.

ℹ️ Other Information

The tournament is registered for FIDE Standard rating and appears in the official Spanish tournament registry with Tournament ID 501908.

The field is capped at 50 players, accepted according to the organizer’s registration and payment order. Therefore, the November 19 registration deadline should not be interpreted as a guarantee that places will still be available at that time.

Players may request two half-point byes through Round 5, but the requests must meet the published deadlines. For Round 1, the request must arrive by the end of November 19. For later rounds, it must be submitted before the preceding round ends.

The 30-minute default time applies to all rounds. This is particularly relevant for the 09:00 rounds on Saturday and Sunday and for anyone arriving in Zamora shortly before the Friday opening session.

Cash prizes are non-cumulative and are paid by bank transfer after the tournament. Players competing for rating, local, women’s or age-category prizes should ensure that their relevant details are correct before the event.

The public FECLA announcement does not reproduce every technical detail from the downloadable full regulations. Consequently, players should also review the organizer’s final regulations and any last-minute notices before the tournament.

Pairings and results will be available through both Info64 and Chess-Results. Players should confirm their entry and rating data on the live starting list before travelling.