The “Ciudad de Estepona” Night Chess Tournament for amateurs celebrates its 40th anniversary

The tournament will be held on Thursday, August 13, on the Paseo Marítimo and will be open to a maximum of 200 players of all ages

The Estepona City Council, through the Municipal Chess Sports School, is organizing the 40th edition of the night chess tournament, which will take place next Thursday, August 13, on the Paseo Marítimo. This is a regular feature of the town’s summer program and is the only competition of its kind for amateur players held in Spain.

The games of the 40th “Ciudad de Estepona 2026” Night Chess Tournament for amateurs will be played from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, with a maximum of 200 players aged 6 to 90. Registration is free and can be done by email at escueladeajedrez@estepona.es or via WhatsApp at 619063600.

In total, five separate tournaments will be held: mixed categories (by year of birth):

1st Tournament: Smurfs and Under-8 Categories: 10 minutes per player, 5-round Swiss system.

2nd Tournament: Under-10 and Under-12 categories: 10 minutes per player, 6-round Swiss system.

3rd Tournament: Under-14 and Under-16 categories: 10 minutes per player, 6-round Swiss system.

4th Tournament: Adults: 10 minutes per player, 7-round Swiss system.

5th Tournament: Senior Category: Rapid Tournament, 15 minutes per player, Swiss system with 5 rounds.

There will be trophies for the top three finishers in each category and certificates for all participants.

The Night Chess Tournament was founded by Miguel Abril, a former instructor at the Municipal Chess School, and is one of the most widely attended amateur tournaments organized in the country. In recent years, the event has drawn local participants and members of the Municipal Chess School, as well as a large number of players from various parts of Andalusia and across Spain. The amateur nature of this event has made it a must-attend for chess enthusiasts.