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Katerini Chess Open

3rd International Open Chess Tournament of Katerini

1. Organizers

The Katerini Chess Club (Organizing Authority), in cooperation with the Regional Unit of Pieria and ESSKEDYM, announces the 3rd International Chess Tournament of Katerini.

2. Tournament System

  • Group A: Swiss system, 7 rounds – ELO > 1800
  • Group B: Swiss system, 7 rounds – ELO < 1900
  • Group C: Swiss system, 7 rounds – no ELO required

Players with ELO between 1800 and 1899 may choose Group A or Group B and pay the corresponding entry fee.
Groups A and B will be rated for Greek and international ELO according to the ESO and FIDE rating lists valid on 1 March 2026. Results will be published on chess-results.com.

3. Eligibility

  • Groups A & B: Players holding a valid (renewed/activated) 2026 Greek Chess Federation (ESO) athlete ID card, as well as international players.
  • Group C: Players without an athlete ID card.

4. Schedule

DateTimeEvent
Friday 20/03/202615:30 – 17:00Registration & confirmation of participation
Friday 20/03/202617:30Round 1
Saturday 21/03/202610:00Round 2
Saturday 21/03/202616:00Round 3
Sunday 22/03/202610:00Round 4
Sunday 22/03/202616:00Round 5
Monday 23/03/202609:30Round 6
Monday 23/03/202615:30Round 7
Monday 23/03/2026Immediately after Round 7Closing ceremony & prize-giving

Failure to register and confirm on time results in missing Round 1.
Each player is entitled to two (2) byes, provided the arbiters are notified before the next round’s pairing. Byes up to Round 3 score ½ point; byes after Round 3 score 0 points.

5. Venue

Mediterranean Village Hotel & SPA ★★★★★
Paralia Katerinis, 60100, Greece
Tel. +30 23510 64600

6. Regulations & Time Control

  • 6.1 Initial ranking (Swiss): a) international ELO, b) Greek ELO (and title if any), c) number of rated games in the second half of 2025 (per ESO lists), d) alphabetical.
  • 6.2 Time control: 90 minutes for the game + 30 seconds increment per move. Games are played under FIDE and ESO rules.
  • 6.3 Recording of moves is mandatory throughout the game. Original scoresheets of both players must be submitted after the game.
  • 6.4 Draw offers before Black’s 30th move are prohibited (FIDE Laws of Chess, Article 9.1).
  • 6.5 Players arriving more than 30 minutes late forfeit the game.

7. Tie-Break Criteria

  1. Direct encounter(s) between tied players
  2. Buchholz Cut 1
  3. Buchholz
  4. Number of wins

8. Tournament Director & Arbiters

  • Tournament Director: Stefanos Vardakas (+30 6993974677)
  • Chief Arbiter: IA Laskarina Korou
  • Pairings Officer: NA Achilleas Spirlidis
  • Fair Play Officer: IA Georgia Grapsa

Additional arbiters will be appointed by the Organizing Authority.

9. Appeals

Appeals must be submitted in writing within 15 minutes after the round, with a €60 deposit. A 3-member Appeals Committee resolves them before the next round’s pairing. If upheld, the deposit is refunded. Further appeal to the ESO Appeals Committee is possible within 1 hour; the decision is final.

10. Anti-Cheating & Fair Play

FIDE Fair Play regulations apply (link). Scanning, random checks, etc. will be performed. Participation implies acceptance of these measures.

11. Prizes

Group A: Trophy + medals for top 3. Cash: 1st €1000, 2nd €500, 3rd €300, 4th €200, 5th €100. Best women: €200 / €150 / €100 + medals.
Group B: Trophy + medals for top 3. Cash: 1st €200, 2nd €150, 3rd €100. Best woman €100 + medal. Best veteran (S50) €100. Best performance €50.
Special youth prizes (U16/U14/U12/U10) and best girls in Group B.
Group C: Trophies and medals for top 3 and best girls.
Prizes are not shared; tie-breaks decide order. Winners must be present at the closing ceremony.

12. Entry Fees

  • GM, ELO >2300, women ELO >2100: free
  • Group A: €50 Group B: €40 Group C: €30

Discounts: 2nd family member –€10, 3rd+ family members –50%, disabled persons –50%.
Fees paid at the secretariat on Friday 20/03/2026, 15:30–17:00 (confirms participation).

13. Accommodation

Special rates at the venue hotel (highly recommended):
Double room with half-board: €108/night
Child 3–12 years: €16/night 3rd adult: €36/night
Booking link: Reserve here

14. Registration

Deadline: Wednesday 18 March 2026, 20:00
Online form: https://forms.gle/FgHqwTRUoKteMihD6
By phone: Dimitrios Gkoutzios +30 697 2367111
By email: registrations@katerinichess.gr

15. General

  • Anything not covered is decided by the Organizing Authority. FIDE & ESO rules apply.
  • Changes will be announced via supplementary proclamation.
  • Participation implies full acceptance of the regulations.
  • Official website: www.katerinichess.gr