Bengbu's 198-Player Classical Tops Asia's November Calendar

Asia has 168 tournaments tracked for November 2026, and the classical events at the top of the list are spread from eastern China to western India to the Philippines.

The largest classical field among the listed events is at 2nd “the Belt and Road” China International Chess. It runs November 16 to 21 in Bengbu, Anhui, with 198 players registered. The Chinese Chess Association is the organizer.

Japan and Korea

The Japan Chess Federation stages the Japan Open at X Wave Makuhari in Chiba City from November 21 to 25. The Challenger section has 150 players registered. The Master section is much smaller, at 30.

Earlier in the month, the Korea International Chess Festival 2026 takes place at the Holidayinn in Incheon Songdo, November 3 to 6. Organized by the Incheon Chess Federation and Wiz Chess Academy, it has 99 players registered. Later, the 1st SCC Standard OPEN in Goyang runs November 28 to 30 with 24 entries.

India’s open circuit

India supplies several of the longer classical events. The Resurrection Race-III Open International in Kharagpur runs November 2 to 7 and has 106 players registered.

The 3rd T-RERA Open FIDE Rating International Chess in Agartala, Tripura, spans seven days, November 4 to 10, with 25 players. The All India Open Shantikumarji Firodiya Memorial in Ahilyanagar, November 11 to 15, has 46.

The QQCHESS International Open 1800 and Above FIDE starts November 26 in Quepem, Goa, and runs into December 1. Fourteen players are registered so far.

Philippines and Azerbaijan

Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental hosts a run of events at AMORAP. The 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess has 32 players for November 3 to 8, and the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Women Chess has 29 over the same dates. The Misamis Occidental Philippines International follows November 11 to 16 with 30.

In Azerbaijan, the Məmmədyarovlar Şahmat Mərkəzi / Zəfər Gününə Həsr runs seven days from November 14 to 20, tied with the Agartala event as the longest on this list.

The rapids

The biggest field of any listed event is rapid. The Jerusalem Rapid Open 2026, with a €45,000 prize fund, runs November 17 and 18 and has 410 players registered.

In Iran, the one-day Kazeroon Rapid Bishapoor Cup on November 9 has 317. The 1st CastleMasters International Open Rapid in Gurgaon, November 21 and 22, has 240.