Two events run back-to-back: Rapid (13-round Swiss at 15+10) over two days, then Blitz (13-round Swiss at 3+2) over one day. Separate titles awarded for open and women’s sections in each format. Held annually by the ECU since the late 1990s, with the December scheduling deliberately positioned for travelling pros on the way to the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz the same week.
The 2026 Host
Lisbon Congress Centre — Portugal’s first time hosting the event. Expected field of 800+ across both events, with substantial participation from across the European federations plus invitees from neighbouring African and Asian federations as is traditional for this ECU event.