Answers to the questions we hear most about the Festival, registration, ratings and training.
The Festival is open to players of all ratings and nationalities. The Open section has no rating ceiling; Youth sections are grouped by age, and the Rapid and Team Cup events have their own eligibility notes published each year on the registration page.
No. If you don't have a FIDE ID, our registration team can request one for you as part of your entry — you'll just need your full legal name and date of birth as they appear on your passport or Emirates ID.
Yes. The Open, Rapid, Youth and Team Cup sections are all played under FIDE regulations and reported for rating after the event, on the timeline set out in FIDE's rating processing rules.
The Open section is norm-eligible for players who meet FIDE's title norm requirements, including minimum games against titled and foreign opposition. Contact the organising committee before the event if you are chasing a specific norm so pairings can be planned accordingly where possible.
Refund policy depends on how close to the event you withdraw; the exact schedule is published alongside the entry form. Contact the registration team as early as possible if your plans change.
We publish a list of partner hotels near the venue with festival rates ahead of each edition. See our guide to visiting Abu Dhabi for the Festival for travel tips.
Our First Moves group accepts children from age 5. Younger children are welcome to trial a session with a parent present before enrolling.
Most weekly club nights are open to non-members for a small guest fee, but members receive a discount and are the only players eligible for the club's internal rating list and Festival discounts.