VIT-AP Amaravati International Chess Festival 2026 runs from June 1-8, 2026 in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India. This is a chess tournament in Amaravati, India, in 2026. The festival takes place at VIT-AP University and brings together two FIDE-rated classical events under one banner.

The organizer presents two separate tournaments: an Open event from June 1-5 and a Below 1800 event from June 6–8. Moreover, both sections use a 9-round Swiss format, so the festival offers a full competitive schedule across eight days.

The published festival prize fund is ₹30,00,000. Using the RBI reference rate of ₹92.9625 per US dollar for April 7, 2026, that total is about USD 32,271.

🏁 Event Details

The confirmed core details are below.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The festival uses two different classical formats. The Open section gives each player 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one. Meanwhile, the Below 1800 section uses 30 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one. Therefore, the Open section offers a longer standard format, while the Below 1800 section fits a tighter three-day schedule.

Both tournaments follow the FIDE Swiss system and run for 9 rounds each. In addition, the default time is 30 minutes in the Open and 15 minutes in the Below 1800 section. Tie-breaks follow this order: Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, Sonneborn-Berger, direct encounter, number of wins including forfeits, and number of wins with Black pieces.

💰 Prize Fund

The festival advertises a total cash prize fund of ₹30,00,000. Both sections use the same published top-prize ladder, and each section also adds rating prizes, unrated prizes, special-category prizes, and a best VIT-AP University player prize. Furthermore, players who qualify for more than one prize receive only the higher prize.

The published main prizes for both sections are below.

The rating and special-category prizes are also substantial. In the Open, the published rating groups are 1900–1751, 1750–1551, and 1550–1400. In the Below 1800, they are 1600–1699, 1500–1599, and 1400–1499. Both sections also include an Unrated category, Veteran 55+, Women, Disabled, and boys’ and girls’ prizes in U7, U9, U11, U13, and U15, plus Best VIT-AP University Player: ₹10,000.

♟️ Sections / Groups

The festival divides play into two clear sections. As a result, stronger players can enter the Open, while rating-restricted players can target the Below 1800 event.

The Below 1800 section also uses one extra eligibility rule. Players who finished first or second in any rating-restricted FIDE tournament may not enter another rating-restricted event for one year from that result.

📅 Schedule

The official festival schedule is below. The Open runs first, and the Below 1800 section begins the next day after the Open prize distribution.

Open Schedule

Below 1800 Schedule

📝 Registration

The entry fee is ₹7,500, and the last date for entry is May 25, 2026. After that, a ₹500 late fee applies from May 26 onward, subject to slot availability. In addition, players must complete AICF registration for April 2026–March 2027 before entering.

The cancellation policy is also clear. The organizer refunds the entry fee within 3 working days after receiving a cancellation request. However, cancellations are accepted only until the first-round pairings appear on Chess-Results. After that point, the organizer does not accept cancellation requests.

The festival also offers a strong early bird package for the first 200 registered players. Those players receive free AC sharing accommodation plus free boarding from the first day to the last day of the tournament. Moreover, for players under 15, one accompanying person also receives the same free AC sharing accommodation and free boarding.

For players who need campus accommodation outside the early bird offer, the organizer publishes these confirmed rates. The campus options include breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, and dinner from the starting day to the ending day of the tournament.

👤 Organizer

Andhra Chess Association organizes the festival in association with Chess Development Association of Guntur District, VT Sports & Games Foundation, and SRR Charitable Trust. Meanwhile, the registration pages and the official PDF list direct tournament contacts for player assistance and registration support.

Phone: +91 97007 75220
Email: chessandhra@gmail.com

📍 Venue

VIT-AP University, Beside AP Secretariat, Amaravati 522241, Andhra Pradesh, India

The festival takes place at VIT-AP University in Amaravati. In addition, the published accommodation options are inside the campus, which makes the event practical for players who want to stay close to the hall.

🚗 How to Get There

Players must arrange their own transportation. Even so, the official university address places the venue beside the AP Secretariat in Amaravati, which gives visitors a clear mapping point near Vijayawada and the wider capital region.

It is a major Indian chess festival with a very large prize fund, two full 9-round sections, and unusually strong accommodation support for early registrations.