X Open Internacional de Ajedrez Semana Santa San Vicente del Raspeig 2026 runs April 1-6, 2026 in San Vicente del Raspeig (Alicante), Spain and delivers a flagship Holy Week chess festival built for ambitious competitors and passionate amateurs alike. The event uses a 9-round Swiss format and splits the field into two groups, so both rising juniors and experienced tournament players can compete in the right performance environment.

The organizers return with the proven two-group structure after a recent edition reached 700 participants, and they schedule play across six days with selected double-round days plus flexible bye options. The tournament offers FIDE-rated games, supports FIDE norm conditions in the top group, and pairs serious chess with the atmosphere of Alicante Province during Semana Santa.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizers announce a total prize fund of approximately €23,500+ and plan to publish the full prize list with sufficient advance notice. The event awards prizes across general standings and additional closed categories, and it applies a non-cumulative approach that gives each player the single highest-value prize they earn; if two prizes have the same value, the organizers prioritize in this order: rating category, age category, local category, then women’s category.

The organizers apply legally required withholding where applicable and pay prizes by bank transfer after winners submit the required details on the organizer’s form at the end of the tournament. The organizers may withdraw prize and trophy rights if a player skips the closing ceremony without justification or fails to complete the payment documentation within 60 days.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament runs a 9-round Swiss in both groups with a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move. The arbiter applies a 30-minute default time, and a player who arrives after that window loses by forfeit unless the arbiter decides otherwise.

The event allows byes with these rules: a player may request up to three half-point byes in the first seven rounds; any additional byes score zero points, and the total number of byes of any type may not exceed four. Players request Round 1 byes by email before the registration deadline and only count them if the organizer confirms acceptance; players request later byes in writing to the chief arbiter in the playing hall, no later than two hours after the start of the previous round.

The tournament applies tie-breaks in this priority order: head-to-head result, Buchholz -1, number of rounds chosen to play, Sonneborn-Berger, average perfect performance of opponents, then number of wins.

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

Players register by email at info@opendeajedrez.com and complete payment by bank transfer. The organizers set the entry fees at €80 for Group A and €70 for Group B, and they require players to include the player’s surname in the transfer reference.

Bank transfer details:

• IBAN: ES76 0081 1341 1100 0143 9048

• SWIFT/BIC: BSABESBBXXX

• Reference: Player surname

The organizers set March 25, 2026 as the payment deadline and may cancel registrations that do not meet the deadline. Grandmasters and International Masters do not pay an entry fee, but they must confirm participation in advance due to capacity constraints; the organizers request GM/IM confirmation before March 1, 2026, and they handle GM conditions via abendayan@opendeajedrez.com.

👥 Organizer

Club de Ajedrez Dama Negra organizes and directs the event with I.O. Patricia Claros Aguilar and delivers a long-running Semana Santa open in Alicante Province with a strong track record for participation and competitive depth. The team publishes pairings and standings online, supports international participation, and maintains direct communication channels for registration, byes, and tournament inquiries.

• Email: info@opendeajedrez.com

• Phone: +34 615547567

• Website: https://opendeajedrez.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/opensemanasanta

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/opensemanasanta

🏨 Venue

New Sports Center (Polideportivo Nuevo) hosts play in San Vicente del Raspeig and sits between the University of Alicante Faculty of Education and the Sur Sports Complex and Velodrome. The venue supports a large open-field tournament environment and offers a practical location for players staying in San Vicente or commuting from Alicante.

New Sports Center, C/ Aeroplano s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig (Alicante), Spain

🛎️ Accommodation

The organizers highlight multiple accommodation options in San Vicente del Raspeig and Alicante, including properties within short walking distance of the playing hall.

• Hotel Villa Universitaria: https://www.hotelvillauniversitaria.com/

• Villa Universitaria: https://www.villaalojamiento.es/

• Mi Campus (Alicante): https://micampusresidencias.com/residencias-universitarias-alicante/micampus-alicante/

• Residencia Universitaria Diego de León: https://www.universidades-diplomatura-licenciatura.com/residencias-universitarias/residencia-universitaria-diego-de-leon.htm

• Residencia Ezme: http://residenciaezme.es/

• Hotel Maya (Alicante): https://www.hotelalicantemaya.com/

• Estudiotel Alicante: https://www.estudiotelalicante.es/#/home

🚗 How to Get There

San Vicente del Raspeig sits next to Alicante and connects well to the city by public transport, which makes day-by-day commuting practical for players who stay in central Alicante.

For air travel, most international arrivals use Alicante–Elche Airport (ALC), which sits close to Alicante and the wider metropolitan area. For public transport, the Alicante TRAM provides Line 2 service between Alicante-Luceros and Sant Vicent del Raspeig, with intermediate stops that include MARQ-Castillo and Universidad; the organizers also reference TRAM access from central Alicante stations such as Luceros and MARQ.

Players who drive can reach San Vicente del Raspeig via Alicante’s road network and park near the sports facilities area around the playing venue.

Bring your best preparation and use this Semana Santa stage to chase performance, rating gains, and an unforgettable chess week in Alicante Province.

🧾 Other

The tournament enforces behavioral and fair-play expectations, and it may remove a player from the event for an unjustified no-show in a round or for a second withdrawal even with justification. The organizers ban mobile phones and electronic devices in the playing hall and apply expulsion from the hall for violations; the arbiters do not store devices for players.

The event also restricts food in the playing hall and allows only drinks with a secure cap to prevent spills. The tournament forms a competition committee that includes the tournament director and four players, and it accepts written appeals against the chief arbiter’s decisions within 30 minutes of the relevant game’s end; the organizer requires a €100 deposit and returns it if the appeal succeeds.

Age categories include U8 (born 2018 and later), U10 (born 2016–2017), U12 (born 2014–2015), U14 (born 2012–2013), U16 (born 2010–2011), Veterans 50 (born 1976 and earlier), and Veterans 65 (born 1961 and earlier). The tournament publishes player data and games for event coverage, including lists, results, standings, and broadcasts as part of standard tournament dissemination.