Elevate your summer chess ambitions at the Leça Chess Open – Portugal 2025, a nine-round, FIDE-rated Swiss-system festival running July 31 – August 6, 2025, in Leça da Palmeira, Porto, Portugal. Hosted by Grupo Desportivo Basquete de Leça – Chess Club, this flagship event on the Portugal Chess Tour unfolds in the spacious Pavilhão Municipal de Leça da Palmeira, where classical games (90 min + 30 sec increment) challenge both seasoned masters and rising talents. Alongside the Open, a nine-round Blitz tournament (3 + 2) offers rapid-fire excitement mid-week.
Across a full week of intense play, you’ll enjoy FIDE-approved pairings, live standings, and the camaraderie of an international field. With accelerated pairing options in early rounds, generous byes, and robust tie-break rules per PCF regulations, the Leça Chess Open balances competitive rigor with player-friendly logistics.
🎯 EVENT DETAILS
| Dates: | July 31 – August 6, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Tournament Type: | 9-Round Swiss (Open & Blitz; FIDE-rated) |
| Total prize fund: | €7,500 (Open) + category awards |
| Place: | Leça da Palmeira, Porto, Portugal |
| Venue: | Pavilhão Municipal de Leça da Palmeira |
| Address: | Rua Margarida Ramalho, nº 61, 4450-337 Leça da Palmeira |
| Organizer: | Grupo Desportivo Basquete de Leça – Chess Club |
| Federation: | FIDE & Portuguese Chess Federation |
| Tournament Director: | GDBL Chess Club Technical Committee |
| Chief Arbiter: | FIDE-certified arbiters (appointed) |
| Time Control: | 90 min + 30 sec increment (Open); 3 + 2 (Blitz) |
| Number of rounds: | 9 (Open & Blitz) |
| Official website: | www.lecachessopen.com |
⏱ TIME CONTROL
Open: 90 minutes per player plus a 30-second increment from move one.
Blitz: 3 minutes per player plus a 2-second increment from move one.
🗓 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
| Day | Event | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jul 31 | Registration (14:00–17:30) / R1 | 18:00 |
| Fri, Aug 1 | Rounds 2 & 3 | 10:00 & 18:00 |
| Sat, Aug 2 | Rounds 4 & 5 | 10:00 & 18:00 |
| Sun, Aug 3 | Round 6 & Blitz | 10:00 & 20:00 |
| Mon, Aug 4 | Round 7 | 18:00 |
| Tue, Aug 5 | Round 8 | 18:00 |
| Wed, Aug 6 | Round 9 / Closing Ceremony | 14:00 |
Byes (½-pt first 4 rounds; 0 thereafter) must be requested per regulations.
💰 PRIZE FUND
Open section awards total €7,500, broken into top-5 prizes and category awards (Veteran, U2000, Women, etc.). Blitz prizes and precise breakdowns will be published on-site. Prizes are non-cumulative; winners must attend the ceremony to claim.
📝 REGISTRATION
- Deadline: July 25, 2025 (Open); August 1, 2025 (Blitz)
- Fees (Open): €55 early; €65 standard; €75 on-site
- Exempt: GM/WGM/IM/WIM & FIDE > 2300
- How to register: Email lecachessopen@gmail.com or complete the online form
- Payment: Bank transfer (IBAN PT50 0018 0003 5246 0656 0204 0; SWIFT TOTAPTPL)
- Affiliation: Non-PCF members may register via organizers at no extra cost
✈️ TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION
Venue: Pavilhão Municipal de Leça da Palmeira, 1 km from Holiday Inn Express Porto Exponor (Rua Francisco Sá Carneiro, 4460-567 Matosinhos).
- Hotel booking: Email lecachessopen@gmail.com or call +351 917 001 245 (Raul Silva) by July 15 for special rates
- Other options: Tryp Porto Exponor, Urban Hotel Amadeus, B&B Porto Expo Aeroporto, Sea Porto Hotel
🏛️ ORGANIZER
Grupo Desportivo Basquete de Leça – Chess Club (GDBL) leads Porto’s chess scene, backed by Matosinhos City Council, Portuguese Chess Federation, Porto Chess Association, and local institutions. GDBL runs weekly club nights, youth development programs, and tournament series, ensuring professional management—pairings, arbiters, and technical oversight—at every event.
📞 CONTACT DETAILS
- Address: Rua Margarida Ramalho, nº 61, 4450-337 Leça da Palmeira, Portugal
- Email (main): lecachessopen@gmail.com
- Email (additional): crechessclub@gmail.com
- Phone (main): +351 917 001 245
- Phone (additional): +351 968 062 567
🌟 WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE
The Leça Chess Open – Portugal 2025 blends coastal charm with competitive depth on the Portugal Chess Tour. A full week of classical and blitz play, €7,500 in prizes, and FIDE-rated conditions make it ideal for norm seekers and ambitious club players alike. Enjoy modern facilities, streamlined registration, and hospitality in picturesque Leça da Palmeira—reserve your board today!
Additional Details
Playing Venue - Pavilhão Municipal de Leça da Palmeira
Prize Fund - €7,500 (Open) + category awards
Organizer - Grupo Desportivo Basquete de Leça
Organizer Phone - +351 917 001 245
Organizer email - lecachessopen@gmail.com
Time control - 90 min + 30 sec increment (Open); 3 + 2 (Blitz)
Number of rounds - 9
Tournament system - SWISS
Rating - FIDE
Organizer
The Grupo Desportivo Basquete de Leça – Chess Club (GDBL Chess Club) anchors competitive chess in the Porto region, blending its roots in sports and community engagement since the early 2000s. Each summer, GDBL organizes the flagship Leça Chess Open, alongside the popular Leça Blitz Tournament held mid-week. Beyond these marquee events, the Club regularly hosts weekend Swiss tournaments, youth training camps in collaboration with local schools, and the Portuguese Chess Federation’s Portugal Chess Tour circuit events. Through its dedication, GDBL draws both international masters and rising juniors to its modern facilities at the Pavilhão Municipal de Leça da Palmeira.
Committed to player support and growth, the Club provides year-round chess activities: weekly club nights, FIDE Arbiter-led workshops, and scholarship programs for talented young players. Its Technical Committee, composed of the Tournament Director, Chief Arbiter, and selected players, ensures smooth pairings and strict adherence to FIDE regulations. GDBL’s partnership with Matosinhos City Council and the Portuguese Chess Federation further strengthens its role as a central hub for chess in northern Portugal.