Inias Vissenaekens 27.08.2026
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, the fourth edition of the Chess & Mates Festival will take place in Brussels, at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) and the Palace of Charles of Lorraine. There are tournaments for all levels, masterclasses, and simultaneous exhibitions against Judit Polgár, Daniel Dardha, and Ivan Sokolov.
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM | Rapid tournament — 7 rounds, 10 min + 3 sec | KBR |
| 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM | Youth tournament up to 12 years — 7 rounds, 10 min + 3 sec | KBR |
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Masterclass Ivan Sokolov — Playing the Legends | Palace |
| 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Photo and signing session Judit Polgár — max. 100 people | Palace |
| 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Simultaneous against Daniel Dardha or Ivan Sokolov — 10 places per Grandmaster | Palace |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Masterclass and Q&A Judit Polgár — From Curiosity to Checkmate | Palace |
| 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Blitz tournament — 7 rounds, 3 min + 2 sec | KBR |
| 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Simultaneous Judit Polgár — 20 Players vs. the Queen of Chess | Newspaper Room, KBR |
Registration for the photo and signing session opens on Saturday, August 30 at 1:00 PM. Please note: Polgár’s masterclass (3:00 PM – 4:00 PM) overlaps with the blitz tournament (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM).
Among the twenty challengers in the evening simultaneous is Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The day will be presented by Fiona Steil-Antoni (WIM).
The rapid and blitz tournaments are played in three rating categories: Red Mates (0–1000), Yellow Mates (1000–1500), and Black Mates (1500–2000). Your rating will be verified upon registration via your FIDE, Chess.com, or Lichess profile.
The tournament winners will receive a place in the simultaneous against Judit Polgár. In the youth tournament, the best boy and the best girl will receive a wooden tournament set from DGT.
Those who only wish to watch can buy a visitor ticket for €20 for one adult and one child. This grants access to the tournaments as well as the Polgár simultaneous.
The Exclusive Festival Experience (€150) includes both masterclasses, a place in the simultaneous against Dardha or Sokolov, a meet-and-greet with the Grandmasters, and lunch. There are ten places per Grandmaster.
Both locations are within walking distance of Brussels Central Station; parking is available in Interparking Albertine-Square. There are two entrances: via the KBR for the tournaments and the evening simultaneous, and via the Palace of Charles of Lorraine for the masterclasses, the photo session, and the simultaneous exhibitions against Dardha and Sokolov.