Japan Chess Championship 2026 -The 27th Argentina Cup-

Tournament Regulations

Tournament overview

Tournament Name: Japan Chess Championship 2026 -The 27th Argentina Cup-

Date: Saturday, May 02, 2026 – Wednesday, May 06, 2026

Venue: Shinagawa Ward General Kumin Hall “Curian” [Access Information]

5-18-1 Higashi-Oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
2 min walk from Oimachi Station on JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, Tokyu Oimachi Line & Rinkaisen

Format: 9-Round Swiss tournament, 90min+30sec/move, FIDE and National Standard Rated

No class divisions will be used.

Entry Criteria: Japan Chess Federation member and seeded player in the Japan Chess Championship 2025

Japan Chess Championship 2026 Qualifiers List

Entry Fee: 22,000 yen (tax included)

Registration: Purchase tickets through Peatix

The registration URL will be sent separately to the seeded players in mid March.

It will be sent sequentially to the players seeded after that.

Registration Period: From the day when the above mail is sent to 23:59 on April 25, 2026

Organizer: Japan Chess Federation
Contact: japanchess.info@gmail.com

Schedule

Saturday, May 2nd
　09:00-09:45 Check-in
　10:00 Opening Ceremony
　10:30 Round 1
　15:30 Round 2

Sunday, May 3rd
　10:30 Round 3
　15:30 Round 4

Monday (Holiday) May 4th
　10:00 2025 Annual Awards Ceremony
　10:30 Round 5
　15:30 Round 6

Tuesday (Holiday), May 5th
　10:30 Round 7
　15:30 Round 8

Wednesday (Holiday), May 6th
　10:30 Round 9
　15:30 Prize Giving

Following the prize giving ceremony, a reception hosted by the Argentine Ambassador will be held at the venue for the award winners.

Registration

Purchase tickets through Peatix

Notes After Registration:

After purchasing a ticket, your entry will be reflected on Chess-Results within about one week. Players whose membership renewal has not been completed will not be listed.
On the day of the tournament, you will be required to present the QR code displayed on your Peatix e-ticket. Ensure in advance that the QR code is displayed correctly.

Cancellation Policy:

　If you wish to cancel your participation in the tournament, you must notify us via email at japanchess.info@gmail.com.

Cancellations made by 23:59 on April 25, 2026 (7 days before the tournament):
- Full refund

Cancellations made on or after April 26, 2026 (6 days before the tournament):
- No refund under any circumstances
- If the tournament is canceled due to natural disasters or organizer-related reasons, alternative measures will be considered.

　* All refunds will be processed according to Peatix’s regulations.

Awards

(Prizes given by the Embassy of Argentina will be added later)

Awards will be given to the 1st through 10th place winners. The prizes will be awarded as follows:
1st place: 100,000 yen and Argentine Cup
2nd place: 50,000 yen and plaque
3rd place: 40,000 yen and plaque
4th place: 30,000 yen and plaque
5th place: 20,000 yen and plaque
6th-10th place: 10,000 yen
1st women, 1st youth (U18), 1st senior (O50): Plaque and ChessMood Prize

Chess.com Prizes
Top 10 players, other than title holders (CM/WCM or above):
1st: 6-month Diamond Membership
2nd-3rd: 3-month Diamond Membership
4th-5th: 2-month Diamond Membership
6th-10th: 1-month Diamond Membership
Selection:

The winner will be awarded the title of Japan Chess Champion and will receive the Argentine Cup from the Embassy of Argentina in Japan.
The top five finishers overall and the first-placed finisher in the Women’s, Youth, and Senior categories (eight in maximum), will be seeded for the Japan Chess Championship 2027.
The winner will be eligible for selection as a member of the Japanese team for the Chess Olympiad 2028.

* For details, see “Selection Criteria for Japan National Team for Chess Olympiad 2024 Onwards | 日本チェス連盟”.

The selection of players from the Japan chess Federation to be sent to international competitions held after this tournament will be based on the results of this tournament.
A tie-break will be used to determine the ranking. No two players will share a prize.

Tournament Details

Tournament Rules

Pairing:

The starting order will be determined with reference to the FIDE Standard Rating. In case of equality, the order will be determined by the National Standard Rating, then by title, and finally by the player’s name (alphabetical order). The rating list published in May 2026 will be used.
Pairings will be conducted using Swiss-Manager and will follow the Swiss tournament.
Pairings for Round 1 will be made and announced after the close of the registration/check-in period ends (9:45). Players who have not checked in by that time without prior notice will not be included in the Round 1 pairings and will receive 0 points for that round. If a player completes check-in before the end of all games in Round 1, they will be included in the pairings starting from the next round.
If a player who has not completed on-site registration on the day of the tournament without prior notice fails to inform the organizer of their intention to continue participating by the end of all games in Round 1, that player may be disqualified and removed from the tournament.

Tie-breaks:

Direct Encounter
2. Buchholz Cut-1
3. Buchholz
4. Sonneborn-Berger
5. Sum of the ratings of the opponents
6. Drawing of lots.

Default Time:

If any player is not present within 30 min after the game starts, she/he shall lose the game by default. If a player loses a game by default without prior notice, the player may be declared to have lost all subsequent games by default.
If a player loses by forfeit without prior notice and fails to inform the organizer of their intention to continue participating by the end of all games in that round, the player may be disqualified and removed from the tournament.

Byes:

Pre-registered Byes:
Pairing-Allocated Bye will be one point.
For Bye requests or cancellations after the deadline on the day before the tournament, please contact japanchess.info@gmail.com. If a player missed the prior round without a Bye report, and does not contact the above address by email before the pairings of the next round is published, he/she will be disqualified and will be excluded from the tournament.
If cancellation, see detail at “Cancellation Policy” above.

Electronic devices:

All electronic devices including smartphones, tablets or smartwatches must be turned off and stored away. Players are not allowed to keep it on him/her or take it outside of the venue in a bag. When a player breaks these rules, his/her game shall be immediately lost. Since the game is not a forfeit, ratings will be adjusted accordingly.
If a player needs to wear or carry an electronic device during play, the player must consult the arbiter at the time of registration.The arbiter will determine the appropriate action.
Observers and players who have completed their games are prohibited from using any electronic devices within the playing venue, except at designated times.

Notes on Games:

Players must use clocks, chess sets, and score sheets provided by the organizer.
Players are required to record the game accurately on the score sheet until the end of the game.
After the game, both players shall verify the result recorded on the score sheet, sign it, and report the result to the arbiter.
The tournament will follow FIDE rules unless otherwise stated above. For example, an illegal move will be penalized and the second illegal move will result in the loss of the game. Pressing the clock by mistake or pressing it with the other hand which touched the pieces will also be judged as an illegal move.

Notes on Awards:

Prizes or prize money will not be awarded to winners who are absent from the award ceremony, unless prior approval has been obtained from the staff. If the organizer arranges delivery of prizes or prize money to a winner by mail or other means, the associated costs may be charged to the winner.

Media Related Rules

The tournament results will be posted on the Internet (chess-results.com) for reporting purposes. The game record may also be published on the Internet. Participants agree to the publication of their real names, results, and game records.
The organizer will take photos, record videos, and broadcast the event live. These may be published and used in media such as websites, SNS, video sites, and journals managed by Japan Chess Federation, or provided to the mass media in case of interviews. Participants shall agree to the publication and live broadcast of these photos and videos.
Observers are allowed to take photos for the first 10 minutes of each round. No photos are allowed after 10 minutes, except for the case with special permission.

Individuals who wish to use photos or videos of participants (during games, award ceremonies, etc.) must be careful to protect their privacy. In addition to obtaining comprehensive consent in advance, for example, in the case of minors, the permission of their guardians must be obtained, and due consideration must be given to the protection of personal information and portrait rights.

Miscellaneous

The organizer reserves the right for changing the above rules with adequate reason before and during the tournament. Due to the spread of infectious diseases or other unforeseeable circumstances, the organizer may be compelled to make unavoidable changes to the time control or cancel the tournament.
Please ensure that you can receive emails from the Japan Chess Federation (japanchess.info@gmail.com). Inquiries regarding eligibility and other matters sent from this address must be answered promptly. Failure to respond may result in cancellation of participation.

If a player has a high temperature or is feeling sick, the player must tell the staff and get out of the venue immediately. If the organizer determines that the player is sick, the organizer may order the player to get out.

Players may put on their masks at their own disposal. Even in cases where the player does not have a bad physical condition,the participants may be asked to wear a new mask if they have symptoms such as coughing or sneezing due to hay fever or other allergies.