2026 Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship for the Blind and Visually (Greece, Creta, 13-25/10/2026)

INVITATION

The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) invites all IBCA European member countries to participate in the 2026 Classic and Rapid  IBCA European Individual Chess Championship.

1) Dates, location and venue

The 2026 Classic IBCA European Individual Chess Championship  will be held in Creta Greece, from 13 to 23 October 2026

The 2026 Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship  will be held in Creta  Greece, from 23 to 25 October 2026

These tournaments will take place in the the BELVEDERE RESORT (****) in CRETA/Greece

Eligibility to participate; Delegation

The 2026 Classic and Rapid  IBCA European Individual Chess Championship for the Blind and Visually Impaired is open to all European IBCA member countries. Every eligible organization can register any number of players of any gender.

2) Event program

Classic - arrival on 13 October 2026 – Departure on 23 October 2026.

Rapid  -  arrival on 22 October 2026 – Departure on 25 October 2026.

Travel details: by plane to Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” IATA: HER 

A half day excursion is scheduled.

3) Technical information and schedule

Classic - The tournament will be held under the official IBCA and FIDE rules as a nineround, Swiss system event, with one (1) round per day from 13 to 23 October. Time control – 2 hours + 30 seconds from the first move. 

Rapid - The tournament will be held under the official IBCA and FIDE rules as a nineround, Swiss system event, from 23 to 25  October. Time control – 25 minutes + 15 seconds from the first move.

4) Chess equipment. All games in the tournaments will be played only on Braille Board. The organizer will provide 30 Echo DGT clocks.

5) Accommodation, registration fees and deposits

BELVEDERE RESORT (****) in Creta/Greece Price/person with full board (three meals/day):

Room type: Double room per person/day Price: 94 euro, Single room per person/day 114 euro

For security reasons, all members of the delegations, including players, coaches and accompanying persons, shall stay in the official hotel .The Organizing Committee will not accept any person who does not book rooms in the official hotel. Only the Organizing Committee is in charge of all hotel registration. All accommodations requests shall go through the Organizing Committee

Registration fee:

Classic - 80 euro/player (includes the Organizer Fee of 40 euro and the IBCA entry Fee of 40 euro). Rapid -  20 euro/player (includes the Organizer Fee of 10 euro and the IBCA entry Fee of 10 euro)

All delegations must pay a full Registration Fee + a deposit equal to 50% of the total cost for accommodation, no later than 1st September 2026, to the bank account indicated:

Financial Institution:NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE

Account name: LOOC SINGLE MEMBER P.C.

BIC/SWIFT code: ETHNGRAA

Account IBAN:GR8501100730000007300849309

Bank Address:3 Aiolou st.  Athens GR

Recipient Address: AGAMEMNONOS 13 Athens GR

The advance deposit and registration fees are not refundable.

6) Transportation from and to the airport

Organizer will provide transportation for all participants from/to the Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” IATA: HER. All delegation must send their flight details (dates, times and flight numbers for arrival/departure) to the Organizing Committee, no later than 1st September 2026.

7) Registration and deadlines

Only an authorized representative of the National Chess Organization that is the IBCA member, can register a delegation to participate in this tournament. All players, officials and accompanying persons from the same country shall be registered as a single delegation.

When registering a delegation, every National Chess Organization shall use the “Registration Form” provided by the organizer.

The following deadlines shall be respected:

To confirm intention of participating: no later than: 12/07/2026

To register the participants: no later than: 12/08/2026

To pay Registration Fee + 50% deposit: no later than: 01/09/2026

To submit last 50% of payment: no later than: 10/11/2026

To submit flight details: no later than: 01/09/2026

8) Tournament Head and Additional Arbiters:

The Organizer will appoint the IBCA Head and Additional Arbiters.

9) Prizes:

The players who win the championships will be declared accordingly the 2026 Classic or Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Champion and will be awarded a trophy. Second and third places will be awarded also with trophies.

10) Visa information:

Players and other delegation members who need visa to enter Greece, are requested to contact the Organizer before 12/08/2026.

11) Medical insurance:

All persons who are part of the delegations of the participating countries must have medical insurance. The organizer will not provide any payment regarding a possible medical poblem.

12) Contact information:

Contact person: Nikos Kalesis E- mail: chess.at.holidays@gmail.com

IBCA contact for general inquiries: E-mail: info@ibca-info.org