ECU Senior Chess Championship

PRESS RELEASE
From June 1st to 11th, we will host the European Senior Chess Championship in Acqui Terme, one of the ECU (European Chess Federation)'s official events.
This edition will register 240 chess players (over 100 FIDE Grandmasters, International Masters, and FIDE Masters) from 35 nations, who will play every afternoon from 3:00 PM at the Aquae Statiellae Congress Center. There will be four tournaments: over 50 and over 65, men's and women's, and four European titles will be awarded.
The players will be joined by coaches and accompanying person, for a total of approximately 500 people who will stay in Acqui and the surrounding area for 10 days.
The number of players (240) in this 2026 edition is the absolute record for participation and surpasses the previous one which was achieved with 182 in 2023, again in Acqui and again with our organisation.
Every day, all games will be streamed live: 120 electronic chessboards playing simultaneously. This is a significant promotional effort, second only to the 2006 Turin Chess Olympiad, where 450 games were viewable online.

EVERYONE TO SPAIN!
As many know, Cristina Rigo is also an international arbiter and has been a member of the team that managed the Cap Negret tournament for years.
The tournament is located in the Valencian Community, in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, near Alicante.
And so, as always, between one chat and another, the tournament sponsor offered to cover registration and all-inclusive accommodations for the two winners of the Open series at the European Championship in Acqui!!
One more reason, if one were needed, don’t give up even an half point!!
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Open Internacional de Ajedrez - Hotel Cap Negret – Altea – Spain
The tournament has always been reserved for senior players only, and in 2026 it will take place from November 7th to 14th Play venue is the Hotel Cap Negret, the event's sponsor. The organization is the Asociación de Ajedrez Social y Terapéutico de la Comunidad Valenciana.
www.opencapnegret.com

SIDE EVENTS
They're called that, but the initiatives offered to European Championship players are anything but secondary.
It begins on Wednesday, June 3rd, around 5:30 PM, with a tasting of local products hosted by the Acqui Regional Wine Shop "Terme e Vino." What better opportunity to understand the wine culture that has always been the main attraction of the surrounding area, Alto Monferrato!

Then on Thursday, June 4th, at 9:30 PM, the chess players will leave the Congress Center to meet the public in Piazza La Bollente with the simultaneous chess, the most spectacular exhibition that captivates both opponents and spectators.
This year, it will be hosted by English GM Keith Arkell, with 20 challengers. Reservations are required at the organizers' table. Hurry!

The highlight will be on Saturday the 6th at 9:00 PM, when you can participate in the 3'+2" per move Blitz Tournament at the Congress Center.
The tournament will be valid for FIDE rating changes, with prizes entirely in local products, and information and registration at the referee's table in the gaming room.

After the Blitz Tournament, you can still postpone your return to the hotel by participating in the "Notte Bianca" (White Night), with music until the morning in the streets of Acqui Terme's city center. This night is part of the larger Bacchanalia event, which runs from June 5th to 7th: you can find the program in a previous article/post.

ACQUI TERME ROMANA – Commemorative and Cultural Weekend
In Acqui Terme, in addition to the annual Chess event, other initiatives for tourists and residents take place, one of which is Acqui Terme Romana 2026, a cultural project dedicated to the valorisation of the ancient Aquae Statiellae, which runs from March to June and combines archaeological heritage, scientific dissemination, education, entertainment, food and wine, and historical reenactment.

This initiative, now in its fifth year, concludes during our European Championship. Visitors will be able to admire parades of Roman-era costumes (Acqui was founded in the 2nd century BC); there will be free guided tours of the city, Roman-style dinners, and above all, on Saturday 6th June, the ROMAN WHITE NIGHT: Music and dancing until the early morning!!

Below we publish the program and we remind you that at the Organization's table at the game venue it will be possible to book by June 5th the free guided tour of the city center, which will be on Sunday, June 7th.
More info:
www.turismo.comuneacqui.it/event/bacchanalia-notte-bianca-romana/
www.acquitermeromana.it

Summary Program
Friday, June 5, 2026
6:00 PM - OPENING CEREMONY - Piazza Bollente - With the participation of LUDI SCAENICI and local actors and associations
7:00 PM - ANCIENT ROME DINNER - City restaurants and venues - Historic dishes and modern food and wine to taste the flavours of over 2,000 years of history!
10:00 PM - Night Ceremony - Piazza Bollente - An evocative and unmissable moment with age-old charm.

Saturday, June 6, 2026
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM - Reenactments and Games - Paleology Castle - Educational activities and games for the whole family. Visit to the collections and storage rooms of the Archaeological Museum. Free reservations.
From 10:30 AM - Free Guided Tours - Departure from Piazza Bollente - Free guided tours of the Treasures of Acqui Terme. Free reservation
5:00 PM - Bacchanalia (Roman White Night) - City Centre - Fun and Entertainment

Sunday, June 7, 2026
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM - Reenactments and Games - Paleology Castle - Educational activities and games for the whole family. Visit to the collections and storage rooms of the Archaeological Museum. Free reservation
10:30 AM - Free Guided Tours - Departure from Piazza Bollente - Free guided tours of the Treasures of Acqui Terme. Free reservation
6:00 PM - Ludi Scaenici - Paleology Castle - Closing performance with music and ancient theatre

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GAME!
The City of Chiavenna is sponsoring two beauty prizes at the ECU Senior Chess Championship 2026 in Acqui Terme: one for over 50 and one for over 65.
The "Chiavenna 2026" beauty prizes are awarded by Ramesh R.B. and his White Bishop Staff, and each prize entitles a free registration to the International Chess Training Camp Chiavenna 2026, which can be used for the Level Up (value €400) or the FIDE Trainer (value €300).
To be eligible for the prize, players must report their most worthy game to the arbiters' table by the end of the 7th round.
The winners will be notified directly at the Championship awards ceremony, and, in addition to the free registration, they will receive a commemorative plaque.
There are two prizes up for grabs: Over 50 and Over 65, and they are non-transferable.
Participants are responsible for their own accommodations during the training.
More info: www.chesscamp.it

ACQUI TERME, CITY OF CHESS
There is no other town in Italy that has hosted so many chess events in so few years.
Italian, European, World institutional events but also weekend and international festivals, seminars of the Olympic teams, groupings of the team championships. A real big feast of chess that brought thousands of people to Acqui to play chess and, of course, the name of Acqui around the world through chess media and generalist media.

From 2011 till 2023 this is the list of tournaments and organizers:
Italian Team Championship U16 (2011 and 2021)
Italian Championship (2011 and 2022)
Semifinal Italian Championship (2011 and 2022)
Final School Championship (2012)
Italian Women Championship (2012)
Italian U20 Championship (2012)
International Chess Festival (2012- 2013 – 2014 – 2015)
World Senior Chess Championship (2015 and 2017)
Italian Rapid / Blitz Championship (2017)
International Week-end Tournament (2017)
World Senior Team Championship (2022)
European Senior Chess Championship (2023)
International Open (2024)
European Senior Chess Championship (2026)

REGISTERED PLAYERS
ECU Senior Chess Championship 2026
01 - 11 June 2026 Acqui Terme - Italy
https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1365455.aspx?lan=16...