Innovators Chess Academy brings a unique Grand Prix offering ₹24.35 lacs prize fund

by Shahid Ahmed - 22/12/2025

Innovators Chess Academy as the name suggests keeps organizing innovative chess tournaments. In January 2026, they are organizing five Rapid and Blitz Open tournaments, three of those Rapid and one Blitz event will be rated. That's not all, each of those events will have Grand Prix points which will culminate in a GP Final among the top 40 GP finishers. Sounds interesting right? One of the Blitz event is a Blitz marathon event inspired by Pardubice Blitz Marathon tournament. All five tournaments have huge prize fund. The Bonus GP Final will offer a ₹100000 prize fund. The total prize fund combining all five GP events and the Final is ₹24.35 lacs. Entry is FREE for GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs. For more details, read the article. Logo: Innovators Chess Academy

This January, play Rapid and Blitz Rating tournaments in Bengaluru, Karnataka

All events part of the GP will take place from 23rd to 26th January at Silicon City Academy of Secondary Education, in Bangalore, Karnataka. Accommodation is FREE for all GMs and WGMs.

Innovators Chess Academy Caissa Grand Prix will take place from 23rd to 26th January 2026 | Logo: Innovators Chess Academy

Festival Caissa and The Grand Prix System

Festival Caissa constitutes four FIDE Rating Events – 1 Blitz and 3 Rapid Events. The three Rapid FIDE Rating Chess Tournaments — Crown, Chalice and Sceptre — will be held on January 24, 25, and 26, 2026 respectively.

Prize winners from all these events will earn Grand Prix points. In addition, the best unrated player, the best player rated below 1900 and 1600, the best Veteran, best female player and the overall winner in each of the Festival’s FIDE Rating Events (Blitz and Rapid) will receive 100 Grand Prix points. Any player accumulating 400 Grand Prix points during Festival Caissa will be awarded a bonus of ₹100000.

The top 40 players with the highest Grand Prix points accumulated across the four FIDE-rated Festival events will qualify for the Grand Prix Finals — a 7-round Swiss Blitz tournament with a time control of 3 minutes plus a 2-second increment. The Finals will be held on January 26, 2026, at 6:45 PM. Further details on our website – icachess.in. Players who are tied on the same Grand Prix points as the 40th placed player will also qualify for the Grand Prix Finals.

Event #1: Festival Caissa Navaratna Blitz Rating Open - 23rd January 2026

The first of the five events part of the Grand Prix is a Blitz Rating Open. It will take place on 23rd January 2026. Round 1 starts at 3:45 p.m. IST. There will be nine rounds. The total prize fund is ₹500000. The top three prizes are ₹100000 + Trophy, ₹75000 and ₹50000. Time control will be 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Prize fund and Grand Prix points break up | Source: Tournament circular

Entry fees

Entries received until November 30, 2025: ₹2250

Entries received from December 1, 2025 until January 19, 2026: ₹2500

Entries received after January 19, 2026 until January 21, 2026: ₹3000 (including late fee)

Entry fees is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Free entry to all GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs.

Click here to register

Event #2: ICA Blitz Chess Marathon Open - 23rd January 2026

The second event of GP series is ICA Blitz Chess Marathon. As mentioned in the circular, it is inspired by Pardubice Blitz Marathon to celebrate endurance, strategy, and the spirit of chess. It will also take place on 23rd January 2026. Round 1 starts at 5 p.m. About 4 Rounds will alternate with the Navaratna Blitz FIDE Rating Open to facilitate participation for both events. Dinner break – 8 pm to 9 pm. The top three prizes are ₹25000 + Trophy, ₹20000 and ₹15000. Time control will be 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Prize fund and Grand Prix points break up | Source: Tournament circular

Entry fees

- Early Bird (till Sep 15, 2025): ₹650

- Till Oct 31, 2025: ₹750

- Till Nov 30, 2025: ₹1000

- Till Dec 31, 2025: ₹1250

- Jan 1–23, 2026: ₹1500

Entry fees is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Free entry to all GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs.

Click here to register

Tournament Format

- Players will be divided into groups of 20, playing a double round-robin (each opponent twice).

- Top 10 from each group qualify for a 9-Round Swiss League.

- Each Swiss round features two games against the same opponent, with colors reversed.

- 15-minute break after every 5 rounds.

- In the event of fewer participants, the Organizer may adjust group sizes.

Event #3: Festival Caissa Crown Rapid Rating Open - 24th January 2026

The third of the five events part of the Grand Prix is a Rapid Rating Open. It will take place on 24th January 2026. Round 1 starts at 9 a.m. IST. There will be nine rounds. The total prize fund is ₹300000. The top three prizes are ₹25000, ₹20000 and ₹18000. Time control will be 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment.

Prize fund and Grand Prix points break up | Source: Tournament circular

Entry fees

Entries received until January 19, 2026: ₹1500

Entries received after January 19, 2026 until January 22, 2026: ₹2000 (including late fee)

Discounted entry fee for players registering to all 4 FIDE Rating Events – Navaratna, Crown, Chalice and Sceptre – ₹10000 (total discount of ₹1500) is valid until October 31, 2025.

Entry fees is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Free entry to all GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs.

Click here to register

Event #4: Festival Caissa Chalice Rapid Rating Open - 25th January 2026

The fourth of the five events part of the Grand Prix is another Rapid Rating Open. It will take place on 25th January 2026. Round 1 starts at 9 a.m. IST. There will be nine rounds. The total prize fund is ₹1000000. The top three prizes are ₹150000, ₹125000 and ₹100000. Time control will be 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment.

Prize fund and Grand Prix points break up | Source: Tournament circular

Entry fees

Entries received until January 19, 2026: ₹5000

Entries received after January 19, 2026 until January 23, 2026: ₹6000 (including ₹1000 late fee)

Discounted entry fee for players registering to all 4 FIDE Rating Events – Navaratna, Crown, Chalice and Sceptre – ₹10000 (total discount of ₹1500) is valid until October 31, 2025.

Entry fees is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Free entry to all GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs

Click here to Register

Event #5: Festival Caissa Sceptre Rapid Rating Open - 26th January 2026

The fourth of the five events part of the Grand Prix is another Rapid Rating Open. It will take place on 26th January 2026. Round 1 starts at 9 a.m. IST. There will be nine rounds. The total prize fund is ₹500000. The top three prizes are ₹100000, ₹75000 and ₹50000. Time control will be 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment.

Prize fund and Grand Prix points break up | Source: Tournament circular

Entry fees

Entries received until October 31, 2025: ₹2250

Entries received from November 1, 2025 until January 19, 2026: ₹2500

Entries received after January 19. 2026 until January 24. 2026: ₹3000 (including late fee)

Discounted entry fee for players registering to all 4 FIDE Rating Events – Navaratna, Crown, Chalice and Sceptre – ₹10000/- (total discount of ₹1500) is valid until October 31, 2025.

Entry fees is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Free entry to all GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs

Click here to Register

Organizer's note

My journey in chess now spans over 33 years. Long before I stepped into organizing at the professional level, I was organising chess tournaments at my own home between the ages of 16 and 21. Every Sunday, a small group of players would gather and play from morning till night. Those early years shaped my understanding of chess not just as a game, but as a community-driven pursuit.

At 18, I became the youngest Chief Arbiter in India, and later went on to introduce computerised pairings in Karnataka—a step that reflected my inclination toward modernising chess administration even at a young age.

I have always been unconventional in my thinking and unwilling to limit myself to existing frameworks. This led me to establish my own academy, with the sole intent of reinventing how chess could be taught, organised, and experienced.

In the early 2000s, Bangalore had only a handful of active chess organisers, and tournament participation was modest. Recognising that long-term growth had to begin at the grassroots, I felt a strong need to take chess into schools. In 2006, I made the decisive choice to leave my job and commit myself full-time to chess. At one point, I was teaching in six schools simultaneously.

Today, I am directly involved with four schools and associated by name with three more. The underlying purpose has always remained the same—to create as many chess players as possible, and in the process, strengthen the foundation of the chess ecosystem itself.

Until COVID, my focus was largely on organising tournaments and constantly reinventing formats—introducing ideas such as doubles, mixed doubles, quads, and even blending rapid and blitz games within a single round. The emphasis was on experimentation and sustainability. One area I consciously did not invest in during this phase was bringing in Grandmasters and International Masters, largely because the model at the time had to remain financially viable.

Post-COVID, as you are aware, the chess landscape changed dramatically. The number of players increased significantly, and equally, there was a surge in individuals and institutions willing to organise tournaments. With more organisers in the ecosystem, securing dates itself became a challenge. Consequently, my focus is no longer on how many tournaments can be organised, but on what each tournament contributes to the larger chess ecosystem.

More importantly, my own thinking evolved. I reached a point where the question shifted from “Can this work financially?” to “Can this create an impact?” At this stage of my journey, impact matters more than margins. If an initiative can inspire players, set new benchmarks for organisation, and strengthen the ecosystem in a sustainable way, then it has served its purpose. For me, that is the most meaningful progression—both for chess, and for the role I seek to play within it.

I am now setting out to organise a FIDE-rated event at the All-India level after a gap of a two years, with the clear intention of creating an impact. This vision has taken shape as Festival Caissa.

Festival Caissa will comprise the following events:

Two Blitz tournaments — one FIDE-rated Blitz event and one Blitz Marathon.

Three Rapid FIDE-rated tournaments.

One Inter-School Chess Tournament (non-FIDE-rated).

One Children’s Tournament (non-FIDE-rated), held in memory of Aarav Ananth, a student of Innovators Chess Academy trained by Karthik Shetty.

Festival Caissa is anchored around three Rapid FIDE-rated events, one FIDE-rated Blitz event, and a Blitz Marathon, all of which carry Grand Prix points. Points are awarded across rating categories, with additional recognition for best veteran and best female players.

The top performer in each section (rating categories, best veteran, best female player)—including the overall tournament winner—can earn up to 100 Grand Prix points. Any player who accumulates 400 Grand Prix points during Festival Caissa will be awarded a ₹1 lac bonus prize.

The official total prize fund for Festival Caissa, excluding the Grand Prix Finals and bonus prizes, stands at ₹24.35 lacs, including the Blitz Marathon. The Grand Prix Finals will carry an additional ₹1 lac prize fund.

The hope is that as many players as possible qualify for the bonus prize.