Tournament Review: Vezerkepzo Budapest Closed Tournament

These Budapest tours were some of the most exciting tournaments for me, as they helped me gain a massive number of rating points, which in turn helped me complete my IM title in the next tournament.
Deciding to play in this event was itself a big decision, as you have to pay a high entry fee to participate in closed GM tournaments.

What are closed tournaments and how do they work?

Many times, players don’t get a chance to compete against opponents of a similar level once they reach a certain rating. For example, in India, we don’t have strict above-2200 events, so scoring norms and gaining rating points becomes quite difficult.
In GM closed tournaments, 10 players compete with each other. Out of those 10, at least 3 are GMs, and the rest of the players aim to increase their rating and achieve GM or IM norms.
I decided to play 2 tournaments – the first from 22nd to 28th April 2025, and the second from 30th April to 7th May 2025.

Organization

The tournament was organized by GM Czebe Attila. He’s a well-known player among Indian chess players, as he used to play in many GM tournaments in India. He’s a really nice guy. The tournament was held at St. George Residence – a peaceful venue located in one of the most touristic areas of the city.
The schedule was followed very accurately. There were three different halls for each category – GM, IM, and FM. Since this was a closed tournament, there weren’t strict fair play measures. Obviously, everyone was a strong player, so there was no need for intense fair play protocols in such events.

About the Hotel

I stayed with three friends – IM Moksh Doshi, FM Aniruddha Deshpande, and CM Akhilesh Nagare. We booked an Airbnb in a different area, which was around 25–30 minutes from the venue. We paid ₹1,68,000 for four people from 20th April to 8th May (₹45,000 per person).
The apartment was very big, spacious, and cozy. It was a typical Western European-style apartment in an old building. Our host was very nice and helpful.

About Budapest

I’ve played in Budapest twice before – in 2019 and 2024. As always, the city is incredibly beautiful and the people are very welcoming. I didn’t face any issues during the 20 days I was there.
We bought a Budapest Go Pass for one month, which cost around $25 per person. It allowed for unlimited travel throughout the city.

Ratings

• Organization: 9/10 (The lighting in the hall was a bit dim, otherwise no issues)
• Apartment: 10/10
• Food: 10/10 (We didn’t try much food, but the cafe experiences were top-notch)
• Safety: 10/10

Expense Breakdown

Here’s the expense breakdown for my 20-day tour in Budapest (conversion rate used: 1 USD = ₹85):

• Mumbai – Budapest – Mumbai flight: ₹60,000 / $705
• Budapest Stay: ₹45,000 / $530
• Entry Fee (Approx.): ₹75,000 / $880
• Budapest Go Pass: ₹2,000 / $25
• Taxi to Airports: ₹5,000 / $60
• Food & Other Expenses: ₹10,000 / $120

Total: ₹1,97,000 / $2,320

Photos: (All photos taken by Nikhil Dixit)