Step into a high-calibre Spanish open at the XL Open Basque Country — Sestao, running 12–18 September 2025 at the Frontón Municipal de Las Llanas in Sestao (Bizkaia). Organizers run a norm-eligible, FIDE-rated main Open (9 rounds, classical time control) together with a one-day rapid festival and several promotional youth and category events to welcome players from around the world.

This event attracts a deep international field and combines professional tournament conditions, generous prizes and strong institutional backing from the local council and the Basque chess community. The playing hall sits in the town’s sports complex and the organizers provide on-site registration, live pairings and timely communications so competitors can focus on their games and results.

🧾 EVENT DETAILS

⏱ TIME CONTROL

The main Open uses a classical 90′ + 30″ increment for the whole game — a format that supports deep strategic play and makes the event eligible for title norms and FIDE rating changes. The rapid festival uses a short time control for quick, spectator-friendly action on its single day. Exact time controls for each side event appear in the tournament regulations.

🗓 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Organizers publish the official round times and any last-minute adjustments on the event notice board and on the live results page.

💰 PRIZE FUND

Organizers allocate a strong, multi-tier prize scheme with category prizes by rating brackets, a women’s prize and special prizes for local (Bizkaia) federated players. The headline pool exceeds €20,000 overall; top cash prizes and main tranches are shown below (amounts in EUR):

Top general prizes (headline):

Examples of rating-group prizes (first / second places in each tranche):

The full, itemized prize distribution, tie-break rules and any split policies appear in the official regulations and final bulletin.

✍️ REGISTRATION

• Entry fee (general): €30 (early/online rate).
• Titled players / FIDE ≥2300: free entry with advance registration.
• Rapid entry: typically €15 (discount or free for main Open entrants).
• Groups / club discounts: the organizing committee runs group discounts for club lists.
• How to register: contact the organizing committee as stated in the regulations and follow the payment instructions in the bulletin.
• Payment: bank transfer to the account published by the organizers — proof of payment may be required for final registration.

Players must present a valid federation license where required; the organizers confirm pairings once registration and payments clear.

✈️ TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION

Frontón Las Llanas lies in central Sestao and provides easy access to Bilbao and the wider Biscay transport network. Practical travel notes:

• Fly to Bilbao and transfer by taxi or public transport to Sestao (approx. 20–30 minutes depending on route).
• Reach Sestao by regional rail / metro and take a short taxi or bus ride to the venue.
• Book official partner hotels early — organizers usually publish a list of recommended hotels with negotiated rates. Popular nearby options include local Sestao hotels and several Bilbao hotels with easy metro access.

🏛 ORGANIZER

Club Ajedrez Sestao (Sestao Xake Taldea) runs the tournament with strong municipal and regional support. The club returns Sestao to the national chess spotlight by organizing the Open Sestao Basque Country and its associated rapid festival, youth promotion events and local club activities. The organizing committee combines experienced arbiters, volunteers and municipal partners to deliver professional pairings, live results and on-site services for players and visitors.

Contact data:

• Email: sestaoxaketaldea@gmail.com
• Social: Sestao Xake Taldea (official club social accounts and handles are available through the organizer)

If you would like the official high-resolution logo or poster for the event, please upload the file here or ask me to fetch it and I will provide a web-ready PNG/JPG.

🌟 WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE

The XL Open Basque Country — Sestao blends competitive depth, generous prizes and Basque hospitality into one compelling festival. You will face titled opponents and ambitious international players across nine classical rounds while enjoying category prizes across many rating bands and a lively rapid side event. The tournament offers norm-eligible conditions, strong organizational support and a memorable chess trip to the Basque Country.