8th Bamberg Open 2026 – Prof. Dr. Robert Pfleger Memorial Tournament takes place on September 2–6, 2026, in Bamberg, Germany. The event offers two 7-round classical open tournaments and a FIDE-rated blitz tournament during the same chess week.
This is a chess tournament in Bamberg, Germany, in 2026. Players can compete in a FIDE-rated chess tournament with DWZ and Elo evaluation, a strong prize fund, and clear rating-based sections.
The tournament takes place at Klemens-Fink-Zentrum für Gehörlose. The playing rooms are partly air-conditioned and accessible, while nearby parking and bus links make arrival practical for local and traveling players.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Tournament | 8th Bamberg Open 2026 – Prof. Dr. Robert Pfleger Memorial Tournament |
| 📅 Dates | September 2–6, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Bamberg, Germany |
| 🏛️ Venue | Klemens-Fink-Zentrum für Gehörlose, Babenbergerring 1, 96049 Bamberg, Germany |
| ♟️ Format | Classical A-Open, Classical B-Open, and Blitz tournament |
| ⭐ Rating | A-Open and B-Open: FIDE-rated and DWZ-rated; Blitz: FIDE Blitz-rated |
| 🔢 Rounds | A-Open and B-Open: 7 rounds; Blitz: 11 rounds |
| ⏱️ Time control | Classical: 90 minutes/40 moves + 30 minutes + 30 seconds; Blitz: 3 minutes + 2 seconds |
| 💰 Prize fund | About €8,000, approximately $9,350, with at least 200 paying participants |
| 🔗 Chess-Results A-Open | https://s1.chess-results.com/tnr1359137.aspx |
| 🔗 Chess-Results B-Open | https://s1.chess-results.com/tnr1359144.aspx |
| 🔗 Chess-Results Blitz | https://s1.chess-results.com/tnr1359160.aspx |
| 👥 Player limit | Maximum 300 players |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Classical Tournaments
The A-Open and B-Open use a 7-round Swiss system. Each player receives 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move one.
The classical tournaments count for FIDE Elo and German DWZ rating. Therefore, the event gives players a serious classical chess tournament with international and national rating value.
The tournament rating number, or TWZ, is the higher value between a player’s Elo and DWZ. The latest FIDE and German Chess Federation databases determine section allocation and pairings.
Players may request one half-point bye for Round 1 or Round 2. The request must arrive by September 1, 2026, at 18:00. The default time is 30 minutes.
Tie-breaks follow this order: Buchholz Cut 1, average opponent rating with one cut, and number of wins.
Blitz Tournament
The blitz tournament takes place on September 4, 2026. It uses 11 Swiss-system rounds with a time control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move.
The blitz event counts for FIDE Blitz rating. As a result, it adds a fast and competitive blitz chess tournament to the Bamberg Open program.
💰 Prize Fund
The prize fund is about €8,000, approximately $9,350, with at least 200 paying participants. The total includes main prizes, category prizes, the guaranteed blitz first prize, and beauty prizes.
Cash prizes above €250 may be subject to a 15.825% withholding tax for players who are not taxable in Germany. Prizes are not cumulative, and only the higher prize is paid.
A-Open Main Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €1,000 |
| 2nd place | €750 |
| 3rd place | €600 |
| 4th place | €400 |
| 5th place | €300 |
| 6th place | €200 |
| 7th place | €150 |
| 8th place | €120 |
| 9th place | €100 |
| 10th place | €80 |
B-Open Main Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €400 |
| 2nd place | €300 |
| 3rd place | €250 |
| 4th place | €200 |
| 5th place | €160 |
| 6th place | €140 |
| 7th place | €120 |
| 8th place | €100 |
| 9th place | €80 |
| 10th place | €60 |
Blitz Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €250 guaranteed |
| 2nd place | €150 |
| 3rd place | €100 |
| Further prizes | Based on the number of participants |
A-Open Special Prizes
| Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| Best woman player | €150 |
| Best player born in 1961 or earlier | €150 |
| Best player born in 1976 or earlier | €150 |
| Best U18 player | €150 |
| 2nd best U18 player | €100 |
| Best rating group up to 2000 TWZ | €150 |
| Best rating group 2001–2200 TWZ | €150 |
B-Open Special Prizes
| Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| Best woman player | €100 |
| Best player born in 1961 or earlier | €100 |
| Best player born in 1976 or earlier | €100 |
| Best U18 player | €100 |
| Best U14 player | €100 |
| Best rating group up to 1400 TWZ | €100 |
| Best rating group 1401–1600 TWZ | €100 |
| Best rating group 1601–1700 TWZ | €100 |
Special and rating prizes require at least five players in the relevant category. Only players with FIDE Elo or DWZ can win rating prizes.
Beauty Prizes
| Prize | Amount |
|---|---|
| Best submitted game | €75 |
| 2nd best submitted game | €50 |
🧩 Sections / Groups
| Section | Eligibility | Rating status | Entry fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-Open | Players from 1800 TWZ | FIDE-rated and DWZ-rated | €85 |
| B-Open | Players up to 1900 TWZ | FIDE-rated and DWZ-rated | €70 |
| Blitz | Open blitz tournament | FIDE Blitz-rated | €15 |
A-Open players born in 2008 or later pay €50. B-Open players born in 2008 or later pay €35.
The A-Open and B-Open rating bands overlap between 1800 and 1900 TWZ. Players in that range should select their preferred eligible section during registration.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 31, 2026 | End of day | Registration and payment deadline |
| Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | 17:45 | Welcome |
| Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | 18:00 | Round 1 |
| Thursday, September 3, 2026 | 9:30 | Round 2 |
| Thursday, September 3, 2026 | 16:00 | Round 3 |
| Friday, September 4, 2026 | 12:00–12:30 | Blitz on-site registration |
| Friday, September 4, 2026 | 13:00 | Blitz tournament |
| Friday, September 4, 2026 | 17:30 | Round 4 |
| Saturday, September 5, 2026 | 9:30 | Round 5 |
| Saturday, September 5, 2026 | 16:00 | Round 6 |
| Sunday, September 6, 2026 | 9:30 | Round 7 |
| Sunday, September 6, 2026 | After Round 7 | Award ceremony |
📝 Registration
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| A-Open entry fee | €85 |
| A-Open youth entry fee | €50 for players born in 2008 or later |
| B-Open entry fee | €70 |
| B-Open youth entry fee | €35 for players born in 2008 or later |
| Blitz entry fee | €15 |
| Late payment surcharge | €10 after August 17, 2026 |
| Final A/B registration deadline | August 31, 2026, including bank receipt |
| Online registration | https://bamberg-open.de |
| Payment recipient | Schachclub Bamberg |
| Bank | Sparkasse Bamberg |
| IBAN | DE67 7705 0000 0303 0583 90 |
| BIC | BYLADEM1SKB |
| Payment reference | Player name, first name, and selected tournament |
| Free entry | GM and IM players |
| Refund deadline | Full refund for cancellation by August 17, 2026 |
Registration for A-Open and B-Open takes place only online. The entry becomes valid only after the entry fee reaches the club account.
On-site registration for A-Open and B-Open is not available. However, blitz players may register on site on September 4, 2026, from 12:00 to 12:30.
Players need a FIDE ID to take part. German players may ask the organizer for support with FIDE ID creation, while foreign players should contact their national FIDE rating officer.
🏛️ Organizer
Schachclub 1868 Bamberg e.V. organizes the 8th Bamberg Open 2026. The club continues a major Franconian chess tradition and offers players a well-structured tournament week with classical chess, blitz, rating opportunities, and a large prize program.
📍 Venue
Klemens-Fink-Zentrum für Gehörlose, Babenbergerring 1, 96049 Bamberg, Germany
The venue is located on the southwestern edge of Bamberg in the direction of Stegaurach. The playing rooms are partly air-conditioned and accessible, which helps players manage the long classical rounds more comfortably.
🏨 Accommodation
Players arrange accommodation individually.
Bamberg and the surrounding area offer many hotel, guesthouse, and apartment options. Since the event takes place near the end of the Bavarian school holiday period, early booking is recommended.
🚆 How to Get There
Players can reach the venue by car, local bus, or taxi from central Bamberg.
Free parking is available about 200 meters from the playing venue. In addition, the Würzburger Straße shopping center is about 400 meters away.
The nearest listed bus stop is Waizendorfer Straße. Bus lines 908, 912, and 937 serve the area.
ℹ️ Other Information
The tournament uses DGT-2010 clocks. Pairings and results run through Swiss-Manager and Chess-Results.
Players should write scoresheets clearly, since photographic game recording is planned again.
All prizes are awarded only to players who attend the award ceremony. The organizer does not award double prizes.
Electronic devices must follow FIDE rules. In addition, players accept the use of tournament data, games, photos, reports, and results for tournament communication when they register.
The organizer does not take responsibility for players under 18 during the event.
The 8th Bamberg Open 2026 offers a strong classical chess week with blitz action, rating value, and a historic chess setting in Bamberg.
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $9,350
Organizer
♟️ Club Identity
Schachclub 1868 Bamberg e.V. is a historic chess club in Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany. Founded in 1868, the club belongs to the long-standing traditions of German chess and has shaped chess life in Upper Franconia for many generations. Its official club address is at Babenbergerring 1, where players find a stable local base for training, club evenings, team matches, and youth chess. The club’s history includes major names connected with German and international chess, including Lothar Schmid, Dr. Helmut Pfleger, and Hans-Günter Kestler. Moreover, Bamberg earned national attention through its strong team achievements, including German team championship titles and long participation in high-level German league chess. Today, the club combines this deep tradition with regular activity for local players, families, improving juniors, and competitive tournament participants.
🏆 Tournament Activity
Schachclub 1868 Bamberg e.V. runs a broad tournament program for classical, rapid, and blitz chess. Its flagship event is the Bamberg Open, which attracts players to a multi-day festival with A and B tournament sections and a blitz event. The club also organizes open city championships, rapid championships, blitz championships, Christmas blitz events, and internal club tournaments. In addition, its teams compete across the Bavarian and Upper Franconian league structure. The 2025/2026 season includes several active teams, from the first team in Landesliga Nord to additional squads in regional, district, and local leagues. The club also fields youth teams, including U16 and U20 activity. Therefore, players in Bamberg can join both individual tournament chess and structured team competition through the same club environment.
🌱 Coaching and Community Activity
Schachclub 1868 Bamberg e.V. supports youth chess and community chess through regular training, open playing opportunities, and club-based social activity. Youth training takes place for beginners and more advanced young players, while regular club evenings give members and guests a place for casual games, analysis, and tournament preparation. The club also promotes online chess through its lichess.org community and offers additional training activity for players who want to improve. Beyond formal competition, the club maintains a wider community program with Wednesday meetings, open chess sessions, walking group activity, and social club life. Its youth work also connects with the Bamberger Jugend-Open, an established junior event organized together with regional chess partners. As a result, the club gives new players, juniors, adult club members, and ambitious competitors a clear chess home in Bamberg.
Venue on the Map
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
