Sardinia World Chess Festival 2025: Registration, Prizes, and Venue Information

The Sardinia World Chess Festival is back for its 2nd edition, set to take place from April 26 to May 3, 2025. With a prize fund of 50,100 Euros, this tournament is the strongest chess event in Italy, attracting top players from around the world.

The tournament is divided into three categories: Open A for players with a rating of 2000 ELO and above, Open B for those below 1999 ELO, and Open C for players below 1699 ELO. Each category will consist of 9 rounds, with registrations being reassessed based on the April ELO rating list update.

Foreign players without a FIDE rating must provide proof of their national ratings, and all rating changes and achievements will follow current FIDE and FSI handbooks. The Organizing Committee also reserves the right to accept up to 10 wild cards per open for players with insufficient ELO ratings.

The time control for the tournament is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, with an additional 30 minutes to finish the game and a 30-second increment starting from move one. The pairing system used will be the Swiss system, with tiebreaks determined by Buchholz Total, Buchholz Cut 1, Sonneborg — Berger, and ARO (Average Rating of Opponents).

Prizes will only be paid through bank transfer in accordance with local tax laws, and players who do not participate in the prize-giving ceremony will forfeit their winnings. The venue for the tournament will be the ITI Marina Beach Resort 4* in Orosei.

For more information and to register for the tournament, visit the official website at sardinia-worldchess.it. Don’t miss your chance to compete in the Sardinia World Chess Festival and test your skills against some of the best players in the world.