The 2026 European Senior Individual Chess Championship runs from June 2 to 10 in Acqui Terme, a northwest Italian town in Piedmont’s wine country known for its thermal baths and a familiar venue for senior events.
Championship Structure and Players
The championship features four sections: Open 50+, Women 50+, Open 65+, and Women 65+. Under FIDE regulations, the two age groups are 50+ and 65+, and a player qualifies as a senior from January 1 of the year they turn 50 or 65. The total prize fund is 18,000 euros.
In the 50+ field, the leading contenders are GM Jean-Marc Degraeve (2504) of France, GM Henrik Danielsen (2466) of Iceland, and GM Johann Hjartarson (2466) of Iceland. Denmark is represented by IM Jacob Sylvan (2324) of Nordkalotten, seeded 12th in the days before the start. The entry list also includes Krishnan Sudharsan, registered with FIDE under Denmark; he no longer lives in the country but was resident there when first listed. A total of 91 players are entered in the 50+ group.
The 65+ event is headed by GM Zurab Sturua (2484) of Georgia, GM Lubomir Ftacnik (2417) of Slovakia, and GM Rainer Knaak (2401) of Germany. This oldest group has 126 participants.
In the women’s 65+ category, GM Nona Gaprindashvili, now 85, is the favorite. She held the women’s world title from 1962 to 1978.
Games are played at a time control of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes to finish, with a 30‑second increment from move one. One round is scheduled each day from June 2 to 10, starting at 3 p.m. local time.
Denmark has a strong record at senior championships: GM Jens Kristiansen won the World Seniors in 2012, and Bent Sørensen took bronze at the 2016 European Seniors, a result that earned him the IM title.
The European Senior Team Championship is set for Heraklion, Crete, from August 25 to September 5, making the individual event in Acqui Terme the first opportunity this year to compete for European senior titles. A live broadcast link has not yet been announced.