IX International Chess Tournament La Palma Island 2026 – Playing with the Stars runs from August 7-14, 2026. This is a chess tournament in Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain, in 2026. It brings a strong summer classical open to the Canary Islands and continues one of the island’s best-known international chess events.

The main event uses a 10-round Swiss format with a 90-minute time control plus a 30-second increment from move one. It is open to players with a valid FIDE license, it counts for FIDE rating, and it also allows up to three byes until round 8. The published festival-wide cash prize fund is over €18,000, which is roughly over $20,700 at the ECB reference rate of EUR 1 = USD 1.1517 on March 27, 2026.

Play takes place at the Roberto Estrello Sports Center in Santa Cruz de La Palma. In addition, the festival program adds side events and leisure activities during the week, so the tournament offers more than the main classical open alone.

📌 Event Details

The verified event details are listed below.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament uses a 10-round Swiss system. Each player receives 90 minutes for the game plus a 30-second increment per move. Moreover, the event follows FIDE regulations and counts for international rating.

Players may take up to three byes until round 8. The default time is 30 minutes, while two defaults lead to elimination. Tie-breaks follow this order: Buchholz-1, Buchholz, games played, wins, and Sonneborn-Berger.

Electronic devices are not allowed in the playing hall, including the bathrooms. In addition, the first version of the regulations names IA David Rodríguez Falcón as arbiter and lists José Carlos Martín and Diego del Rey as tournament directors.

🏆 Prize Fund

The published festival-wide cash prize fund is over €18,000, which is approximately over $20,700 at the ECB reference rate used above. The main classical open carries the largest share, while the festival also adds special category prizes, youth prizes, and side-event prize money.

Beyond the main prizes, the regulations also publish special cash prizes for Canarian, La Palma, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria players, as well as for women, U18, seniors, and rating categories under 2200, 2000, 1800, and 1600. The youth program also includes cash prizes for U8, U10, U12, and U14 groups under several participation categories.

The side-event program adds a Wednesday blitz tournament with €1,000 in prizes and the XXVIII Guanche de Plata rapid event on August 15-16 in Breña Alta with €2,000 in prizes. Therefore, the overall festival prize structure goes beyond the main open alone.

👥 Sections / Groups

The tournament page centers on one main open section, and all participants play in the same classical Swiss event. At the same time, the broader festival program includes side events and activities during the week.

Alongside the chess schedule, the festival program also lists padel, futsal, an observatory visit, and the Enigma King star activity. As a result, the event has a wider festival feel while keeping the main focus on the classical open.

🗓️ Schedule

The published round schedule is below.

The event uses two double-round days, on Sunday, August 9 and Tuesday, August 11. Meanwhile, the final round starts on Friday morning, which helps players plan departures more easily after the event.

📝 Registration

The main registration details are listed below.

The regulations also publish one contact email for registration follow-up and proof of payment. Since the official 2026 PDF gives the clearest entry terms, it is the most reliable source for the current fee structure and deadline.

🏢 Organizer

Centro Insular de Ajedrez de La Palma organizes the tournament and works with the Federación Canaria de Ajedrez on the event structure. The festival website also presents the tournament as one of the flagship international chess events on La Palma.

Phone: +34 652 492 488
Email: josecarmar1965@gmail.com

📍 Venue

Roberto Estrello Sports Center, Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain

The venue gives the tournament a practical capital-city base on La Palma. Because the event stays in Santa Cruz de La Palma, players remain close to the island’s main transport links and local services throughout the week.

🚆 How to Get There

La Palma Airport is the main arrival point for international and inter-island travel. From the airport, bus line 500 connects directly with Santa Cruz de La Palma, and Aena lists the bus stop next to the arrivals area. Consequently, public transport to the tournament city is straightforward.

This La Palma festival combines serious classical chess, a rich side program, and a distinctive island setting.