"The Catalan Circuit" tour for aspiring chess players by My Chess Trip
My Chess Trip is presenting “The Catalan Circuit” to chess players. It’s a unique chance to play four back-to-back tournaments in Barcelona. With all the events lined up one after another, the players stay in tournament mode and gain rich experience in a short span. But most importantly, they don’t have to worry about the logistics. From flights and visas to accommodation, meals, and tournament registrations, everything is taken care of. This tour is led by Ankit Dalal and he will ensure that players can focus fully on their game without worrying about other things. What does this trip include, how much is the cost, and how can you apply; everything is covered in this article.
Journey before the tournament
Before playing in a tournament, there is a whole series of questions that come to a player’s or parent’s mind. Where do I even start? Which tournaments should I choose? How will I travel alone? What if something goes wrong? The thought of managing flights, visas, food, and safety is just overwhelming. Sometimes you might think that playing chess is the easy part. Everything else around it feels hard. And participating in a tournament, especially outside India, is a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Ankit Dalal's My Chess Trip helps to solve this problem.
My Chess Trip was founded with the intention to serve the Chess community and to make Chess borderless. It’s a platform where all Chess Players can find tournaments worldwide and find the way to play that tournament, also it will help you to choose the right logistics for the same. - Ankit Dalal, founder of My Chess Trip.
So far, many players have opted for Catalan circuit trips organized by Ankit Dalal. He has organized them 3 times in the year 2018, 2019 and 2024. In every tour, at least one player has achieved something remarkable. After the 2024 tour, CM Reyan Mohammad went on to win the National Under-13 Championship. Earlier, Kartavya Anadkat and Fatheema Abdeen won titles at the National Amateur Championships.
The Catalan Circuit will be an opportunity for chess players to play four back-to-back tournaments in Barcelona, Spain. All the events are lined up one after another.
Tournaments under The Catalan Circuit 2025
Name | Dates | Chessresults Link |
|---|---|---|
Barbera Del Valles Open | 4th July 2025 - 12th July 2025 | |
XXV International Open Sant Martí 2025 | 13th July 2025 to 21st July 2025 | |
49th International Chess Open “Vila de Sitges” | 22nd July 2025 - 30th July 2025 | |
49th Open Internacional “Ciutat de Badalona” 2025 | 3 August 2025 to 11 August 2025 |
Since most of the events are based around Barcelona, it will have certain benefits like:
Same accommodation throughout the trip
You don’t have to worry about packing and unpacking every few days. You will have a stable base for the entire tour. This will save your energy, and keep you focused and comfortable, especially when you are in a new country for the first time.
One round a day (usually in the evening)
You are not rushing from one round to another. You have time to prepare in the morning, discuss your games, and maybe do something else as well. This is a big advantage. And since rounds usually begin in the evening, you can take it easily.
A chance to make lifelong friends and unforgettable memories
Keeping the competition part aside, this is a great chance to meet like-minded people, share experiences, and explore together. Many of the players who went on previous trips have stayed friends even after returning to India. And the exposure to a new culture is an added bonus!
The Catalan Circuit 2025 tour will be led by Mr. Ankit Dalal. Ankit is a National Instructor (NI), National Arbiter (NA), and an active organizer. He also has a FIDE rating of 1815 Elo. Apart from Ankit, there will be a chef as well so that players will feel at home even in a foreign land! The accommodation will be in apartments with two players sharing each room. Boys and girls will have separate rooms.
What does My Chess Trip handle?
If you become a part of the My Chess Trip Catalan Circuit 2025 tour, you will receive support for the following things:
Accommodation, flights, visas, insurance, food (all taken care of by My Chess Trip)
Help with internal travel in Spain
Tournament registrations
Assistance with sightseeing if you want to explore
Round-the-clock motivation and personal guidance during the events
Ankit will be like a guardian for all the players on the team. He will do everything a parent usually does on such a long international trip. To make things even more reassuring, two parents will also be part of the group.
The cost of this trip will be Rs. 2,90,000 per person + GST + TCS (The total amount comes to Rs.3.1 lakh). This cost includes tournament entry fees, flight tickets, visa assistance, insurance, accommodation, and food.
Secure your spot for The Catalan Circuit
Limited spots available
First 14 applicants will be part of the fully managed My Chess Trip tour. One spot will be reserved for a player supported by HelpChess Foundation. The players who have already secured their spots are:
Name | Rating |
|---|---|
FM Kaivalya Nagare (Was part of the 2024 tour too) | 2321 |
Vijay Chauhan | 1849 |
Karthik Rajaa | 2330 |
Advaith Asokumar | 1836 |
Jyotsnav Tadulkar | - |
Note: The Catalan Circuit 2025 tour is being fully organised by MyChessTrip. ChessBase India is not involved in the logistics or management of the tour and is not responsible for the same. We are simply helping to spread the word so that more chess players can benefit from this opportunity.
Apply Now
Important links
My Chess Trip Official Website