Finnish Youth U16 Team Chess Championship

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Finnish Youth Team Chess Championship

The Finnish Chess Federation is organizing the 2026 U16 Youth Team Chess Championship. Download the tournament brochure here.

Tournament Format

The tournament will be played with three-player teams in a single division as a four-round round-robin tournament. The tournament is open to all club teams. Players must have been born in 2010 or later.

Match dates are August 22, 2026 (Tampere) and September 26, 2026 (Helsinki). On each match day, teams will play two games.

The time control is 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. The tournament is rated, and all players must have a valid player license.

The tournament will follow the rules and regulations of the Finnish Chess Federation.

Team Composition

A team consists of three players. The playing lineup may vary from match to match, but players must be ranked by rating within the team. A new player who does not yet have a rating is always placed at a lower board than a player who already has a rating. If a team has multiple players without a rating, their order among themselves may be chosen freely. There may be multiple teams from the same club, but a player may not switch teams within the club during the competition; instead, he must play for the exact team with which he started the competition. A team may not participate in the competition with an incomplete roster.

Determining Final Standings

The Finnish championship for U16 youth teams is awarded to the league winner. Placings are determined as follows: team points (2 points for a team win, 1 point for a team tie); game points; head-to-head record; team wins; number of games won; victory in the head-to-head match when both teams are in the upper bracket; Sonneborn–Berger team comparison; a tiebreaker match with shorter game times.

Schedule

August 22, 2026, Tampere International School (FISTA), Satakunnankatu 60, Tampere: Confirmation of participation and submission of team rosters from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Round 1 at 11:30 a.m., Round 2 at 3:30 p.m.

September 26, 2026, Shakkiareena, Helsinki: Confirmation of participation and submission of team rosters from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Round 1 at 11:30 a.m., Round 2 at 3:30 p.m.

Entry Fee and Registration

The entry fee is 50 euros per team. The organizer will send an invoice for the entry fee to the email address provided after the registration period ends. The entry fee must be paid by the invoice due date.

Registration must be completed via the online form by July 31, 2026, at the latest. However, the organizer reserves the right to extend the registration period at its discretion.

Awards

The winning team will receive the competition’s challenge cup. The top three teams will be awarded Finnish Championship medals. All participants will receive a certificate of honor or a participation medal.

Tournament Committee

Marko Tauriainen will serve as the tournament director. KvT Eetu Tiiva will serve as the chief arbiter, and KT Marko Tauriainen will serve as the assistant chief arbiter. Additional arbiters and officials may be appointed for the tournament.

Additional Information

For more information about the tournament, please contact Marko Tauriainen, Executive Director of the Finnish Chess Federation, at marko.tauriainen@shakkiliitto.fi. or by phone at 050 5813500.