Lyon · France · April 11–15, 2026
♛

Henri Rinck International Chess

Championnat International d'Échecs de Lyon

9 rounds · Classic time control · FIDE rated

9 Rounds
€4,000+ Prizes
FIDE Rated
Lyon, France
Tournament concluded — Results now available!
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0
Rounds
4000
€ Prize Pool
5
Days
90'
+ 30 sec / move
About the Tournament

Chess in the Heart of Lyon

The Henri Rinck International Chess Championship brings together players from across France and beyond for five days of intense competition in one of Europe's most vibrant cities. Hosted at the ECAM LaSalle campus on the hills of Lyon, the tournament carries the name of one of chess history's greatest endgame composers.

With over €4,000 in prizes, 9 rounds under FIDE classical time controls (1h30 + 30 seconds per move), and categories open to all levels — from GMs playing for free to ambitious juniors — this event is a landmark on the French chess calendar.

"Named in honour of Henri Rinck, the legendary Catalan-born chess problemist who spent much of his life in Lyon — a city that remains deeply woven into chess history."

Organised by the Lyon Olympique Échecs club, the championship offers a rare combination of competitive excellence and the incomparable hospitality of Lyon — the gastronomic capital of the world.

♞
Henri Rinck 1870 – 1952 Chess Endgame Composer · Lyon
Tournament Schedule

Five Days of Battle

Saturday April 11
  • Round 115:00
Sunday April 12
  • Round 209:30
  • Round 315:00
Monday April 13
  • Round 409:30
  • Round 515:00
Tuesday April 14
  • Round 609:30
  • Round 715:00
🔴 Today Wednesday April 15
  • Round 809:30
  • Round 915:00
  • 🏆 Award Ceremony20:00
Prize Fund

Over €4,000 to Win

🥇
1st PlaceOverall winner of the open tournament
Top Prize
🥈
2nd PlaceRunner-up
🥉
3rd PlaceThird place finish
✨
Category PrizesAdditional prizes across ranking positions
€4,000+ total
Entry Fees

Registration Categories

Adults €50
Juniors €25
MF (FM) Half price
GMI / MI Free
In the Lens

Moments from Lyon 2026

IM Muthaiah Al, champion of the Henri Rinck 2026
IM Muthaiah Al — Champion 2026 The Indian master, playing for Lyon Olympique Échecs, won the title unbeaten with 7½/9 and a performance of 2513 — a masterclass in focus and technique.
Award ceremony with organisers and top finishers
The Podium & Organising Committee The award ceremony brought together top finishers and the Lyon Olympique Échecs team, under the flags of the 14+ nations represented in the tournament.
The Vigevano delegation from the European Chess Club Grand Prix circuit
The Vigevano Delegation — ECC Grand Prix Circuit The Italian team from Scacchistica Vigevano (A.D.S.V.), representing the European Chess Club Grand Prix circuit — the same club that forged a twinning with S.O. SACH Thessaloniki at the 9th Vardaris just two months prior.
Final Results

The Champions

"A triumph for the host club: IM Muthaiah Al, an Indian player competing for Lyon Olympique Échecs for several years, claimed the title undefeated — conceding only three draws across nine rounds and posting a stunning performance rating above 2500. A player who also played a key role in the club's historic promotion to Top 16 in the N1 league."

🏆 Champion 2026
Muthaiah Al
IM · India · Lyon Olympique Échecs
7½
Points
2513
Performance
0
Losses
Muthaiah Al has been a pillar of Lyon Olympique Échecs for several years, contributing decisively to the club's promotion to Top 16 (N1) with key match wins. His Henri Rinck victory — unbeaten over nine rounds against a field including GMs and IMs — is a crowning achievement that perfectly reflects both his quality and the club's ambition.
♔  Open — Final Podium
🥇
Muthaiah Al IM · 2436 · Lyon Olympique · 7½/9 · Perf. 2513 · Unbeaten
🥈
Emile Bassini IM · 2425 · C.E. Bois-Colombes · 7 pts · 4 draws · Perf. 2470
🥉
Christian Bauer GM · 2562 · Avinkha Club · 7 pts · Perf. 2507
4th Alexander Pak — 2254 · 7 pts · Perf. 2378
5th Tom Decuignière — IM · 2423 · 7 pts
6th Sanket Chakravarty — IM · 2355 · 7 pts
7th Adrien Nottola — FM · 2226 · 7 pts
8th Alessio Boraso — FM · 2267 · 7 pts 🇮🇹
9th Younes El Mchaouri Mas — 2112 · 7 pts
10th Baptiste Lissillour — FM · 2280 · 7 pts (Cadet!)
Category Prizes

Special Awards

♀ Best Female Player Anaëlle Afraoui 5.5 / 9 pts · Sundgau Échecs
🌟 Best Youth Player Amartya Saumitra Gupta 6.5 / 9 pts · First junior
⚔ Best Senior+ (U65) Nicolas Timotic 6 pts · A.C.E.L. Couzon
🏛️ Best Veteran Laurent Morelle 5 pts · Échiquier Diabolique de Canohes
🇪🇺 European Circuit Prize Alessandro Lucchi 6 pts · ECGP Italy 🇮🇹
📊 Elo 2000–2199 Shubh Atha 6.5 pts
📊 Elo 1800–1999 Diego Hu 6 pts · ECGP Italy 🇮🇹
📊 Elo 1600–1799 Ayaan Arora 5.5 pts
📊 Elo 1400–1599 Tigran Oganov 4 pts
🤝 A Familiar Face from Vigevano

Among the 172 competitors: Gianluca Melino (Elo 1704, ranked 100th), president of A.D.S.V. Scacchistica Vigevano from Italy — the very club that signed a historic twinning agreement with S.O. SACH Thessaloniki at the 9th Vardaris International Chess Tournament just two months earlier. His participation in Lyon is a beautiful illustration of the bonds that the international chess community weaves across Europe.

Full Classification

Top 30 Final Standings

#TitlePlayerEloClub / FederationPtsPerf
1IMMuthaiah Al 🏆2436Lyon Olympique Échecs7½2513
2IMBassini Emile2425C.E. de Bois-Colombes72470
3GMBauer Christian2562Avinkha Club d'Échecs72507
4Pak Alexander2254Lyon Olympique Échecs72378
5IMDecuignière Tom2423Vandoeuvre-Échecs72413
6IMSanket Chakravarty2355—72318
7FMNottola Adrien2226Échiquier de Montreuil72269
8FMBoraso Alessio2267ECGP Italy 🇮🇹72276
9El Mchaouri Mas Younes2112Lyon Olympique Échecs72258
10FMLissillour Baptiste2280Ste Foy Échecs (Cadet)72323
11Amartya Saumitra Gupta ⭐2084— (Best Youth)6½2264
12Bocquenet-Drouode Hugo2225Échecs de Vincennes6½2217
13Shubh Atha ⭐2004— (Cat. 2000–2199)6½2167
14Fayel Nicolas2072Lyon Olympique Échecs6½2127
15Lucchi Alessandro ⭐2064ECGP Italy 🇮🇹 (Circuit Prize)62260
16FMLe Corre Benjamin2284Échec et Max!62233
17Gennari Jacopo2182ECGP Italy 🇮🇹62185
18Dubourg Pierrick2252Sundgau Échecs62141
19FMGarde Guillaume2203Échecs Club Corbas Mions62151
20Joly Julien2241Oyonnax-Dortan62207
21Garrido Valentin2115Échiquier de Montreuil62078
22Monteiro Paulo Alexandre2217ECGP Portugal 🇵🇹62152
23Timotic Nicolas ⭐1954A.C.E.L. Couzon (Best Senior+)62098
24Ouardi Imad2110Lyon Olympique Échecs62094
25Hu Diego ⭐1954ECGP Italy 🇮🇹 (Cat. 1800–1999)62101
26Kassab Chadi2060Tour Prends Garde! Besançon62067
27Bessey Nicholas2038Esbarres Bonnencontre61875
28Briata Federico2163ECGP Italy 🇮🇹5½2136
29Ouchichi Ilies2126Tour Prends Garde! Besançon5½2133
30Arousstamian Albert2053Lyon Olympique Échecs5½1981

⭐ = category prize winner · Complete classification: 172 players · Source: Fédération Française des Échecs

With Gratitude

Our Partners

The success of the Henri Rinck International Championship would not have been possible without the generous support of the institutions and companies who believe in chess as a vector of culture, education, and international exchange.

🏫 ECAM LaSalle

Host venue and long-standing partner. Together they have signed university partnerships in Armenia and India. Their support enables sports-study programs for young talents.

🏙️ Métropole de Lyon

Supporter of the tournament and of chess development in the greater Lyon metropolitan area.

🏛️ Ville de Lyon & 9th Arrondissement

Municipal support from the city and the local town hall, reinforcing the tournament's deep roots in the Lyon community.

🌍 Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Regional institutional backing, acknowledging the event's importance as a landmark on the national chess calendar.

🏢 JTI

A faithful partner of Lyon Olympique Échecs for several years, supporting the club's major events and development projects.

💼 GAIA · Numérobis Rénovation · Holistik

Corporate partners contributing to the organisation of large-scale events like the Henri Rinck Championship.

🏨 Séjours & Affaires Aparthotel

Preferred accommodation partner. Visiting players and guests are warmly recommended to stay here on future visits to Lyon.

Location

Playing in Lyon

🏫
Venue Salle de jeu ECAM LaSalle
Campus de Lyon
📍
Address 40 Montée Saint-Barthélémy
69005 Lyon, France
📞
Phone 04 78 28 85 87
✉️
🏛️
Organiser Lyon Olympique Échecs
🗺️

ECAM LaSalle
40 Montée Saint-Barthélémy
69005 Lyon — Fourvière hill

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Located on the historic Fourvière hill overlooking Lyon, the ECAM LaSalle campus offers a spectacular backdrop — steps from Roman amphitheatres and the iconic Basilica. A chess venue unlike any other.

À la prochaine

Champion: IM Muthaiah Al

Lyon Olympique Échecs · 7½ / 9 · Performance 2513 · Unbeaten

Congratulations to all 172 players from 14+ countries who made the Henri Rinck 2026 an exceptional celebration of chess in the city of Lyon.

♔
📅 Next Event
Closed Tournament — Lyon Olympique Échecs
End of June 2026 · Lyon, France
Stay tuned — the festival continues!