Places are limited, so please book early, and make sure to complete the entry fees by March 15 to take advantage of the early bird rate.
Hotel reservation is also available, and it is advisable to book early if you wish to stay at the Sheraton Resort & Spa. The hotel is fully booked until April 9, so if you wish to arrive before the tournament starts, we recommend a short stay in nearby Hua Hin. The special rates for the tournament are available from April 10 and for a few days afterwards if you wish to extend the stay.
We are proud to announce the 23rd BCC Open Chess Tournament will be held at the luxurious Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Thailand, April 11-19, 2026. This prestigious event welcomes players of all levels, featuring two categories: Masters (Open) section and Challenger section. The tournament will follow a 9-round Swiss format with a time control of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, 30 minutes added for the rest of the game plus 30 seconds per move.
The 23rd BCC Blitz runs during the tournament, with qualifiers in one evening and a final on the next. There will also be a Thai Chess tournament over two mornings.
Expect fierce competition with Grandmasters, International Masters, and talented players from across the globe, offering opportunities for norm achievements and high-quality games. The scenic Sheraton Hua Hin, nestled along Thailand’s stunning coastline, provides a perfect backdrop for this exciting chess event.
Join us for a week of strategic brilliance, networking, and memorable moments, including a special photo opportunity on the Gulf of Thailand. Full details, including registration, accommodation, and prize information, will be available at bangkokchess.com. Don’t miss your chance to compete in one of Asia’s premier chess tournaments!
The Japan Chess Federation (JCF) invites participation from Grandmasters (GMs), International Masters (IMs), Women Grandmasters (WGMs), and Women International Masters (WIMs), as well as other high-rated players with an active FIDE Standard Rating of above 2000, to participate in the Japan Open 2025. This inaugural event aims to promote quality chess tournaments in Japan with the presence of Grandmasters and International Masters to participate in a 9-round Swiss tournament with a limited field of around 50 players. The tournament will also provide opportunities for local players with opportunities to play high-quality games against reputable, strong players from all over the world, as well as opportunities to earn norms.
Dates/Place/Format
Tournament name: Japan Open 2025
Dates: 19th-23rd. Sep. 2025
Venue: Curian, Tokyo, Japan
Format: 9-Round Swiss, 90min+30sec/move
Section: Master category (above 2000) and Challenger category (below 2000).
The 22nd edition of the Bangkok Chess Club Open concluded with the undisputed victory of Macedonian GM Evgeny Romanov. Facing the young FM Ern Ang from Malaysia with the Black pieces, Romanov quickly obtained a promising position in which his doubled pawns were of little significance in view of the juicy outposts available to his minor pieces. After the game, he praised his opponent for his very tricky style and attributed his victory to the fact that he probably felt more at ease with the unusual pawn structure which resulted from the opening.
Ang, Ern Jie Anderson (2286) – Romanov, Evgeny (2590)
Romanov precedes Filipino IM Paulo Bersamina by a half point, as the latter managed to convert a winding Rook endgame against 2024 winner GM Bernadskyi.
On 7/9 follows a group of five players: FM Ang, Filipino IM Concio as well as GMs Lalit, Ganguly and Short, who also tops the ranking in the Senior citizen category.
Other prize winners, include IM Prin Laohawirapap as best player under the Thai federation on 6/9, and WGM Julia Ryjanova among ladies with a total of 5.5.
In the Challenger group, the final round began under similar auspices with two players on 7/8 chased by a trio on 6.5. Following their draw on board 1, Khalid Azzamy and Nguyen Tran are joined on 7.5/9 by John De Guzman, with Azzamy winning on tiebreak.
This concludes this year’s coverage of the Bangkok Chess Club Open and Challenger tournaments. Please follow us on www.bangkokchess.com for announcements regarding the next edition!
The tournament entered its final stretch and dying hours as this penultimate round will be followed in quick order by the dreaded 9:00 game on Monday morning.
The game on board 1 between the leader Evgeny Romanov and Babu Lalit was wrapped up peacefully after a couple of hours. The position stayed well within drawing parameters and left both opponents undefeated in this tournament, with two and three draws respectively.
On board 2 GM Stephen Gordon was facing the round’s surprise package in the person of Ern Ang. The young FM from Malaysia chalked his sixth successive win after his Mancunian opponent had missed the tactical shot 24… Bg3, which won the exchange and then some.
On the third table, Indian GM Ganguly carefully nursed his advantage – until he didn’t. The complications arising from his Rook sacrifice 35…. Rxf2 resulted in a drawn position, whereas doubling Rooks on the f-file first would instead have given Black a decisive advantage.
Michael Concio outlasted James Morris in a position where White’s Queen and Knight decided against Black’s two extra pawns and lone Queen.
The face-off between untitled Latvian Batashevs Arsens, 2176, and IM Bersamina from the Philippines was in equilibrium until the time scramble, with 34. Rdd3 landing White in a passive position causing the loss of a piece.
Other winners on this round include GMs Bernadskyi, Short and Gustafsson, who called upon a time-honoured mixture of knowledge, experience and guile to move up the ranking table.
