9th Sparkassen Schach Open Leer 2026 – NSV Grand Prix
9th Sparkassen Schach Open Leer 2026 – NSV Grand Prix takes place from October 29 – November 1, 2026, at Hotel Ostfriesen-Hof in Leer, Germany. The event offers three tournament sections and a 7-round Swiss format.
This is a chess tournament in Leer, Germany, in 2026. Players can choose between A Open, B Tournament, and C Tournament according to Elo and DWZ rating limits.
The tournament combines classical chess, guaranteed prize money, hotel-based playing conditions, and practical services for players. In addition, coffee and tea are available during the event.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Tournament | 9th Sparkassen Schach Open Leer 2026 – NSV Grand Prix |
| 📅 Dates | October 29 – November 1, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Leer, Germany |
| 🏛️ Venue | Hotel Ostfriesen-Hof |
| 📌 Address | Groninger Straße 109, 26789 Leer |
| ♟️ Format | 7-round Swiss tournaments |
| 🧩 Sections | A Open, B Tournament, C Tournament |
| ⭐ Rating | Elo and DWZ rated; C Tournament has no Elo rating |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 15 minutes to finish, plus 30 seconds per move |
| 👥 Player Limit | 200 players in A + B; 50 players in C |
| 👨⚖️ Arbiters | Johan Zwanepol and Dirk Rütemann, FIDE Arbiters |
| 💰 Prize Fund | €5,575 / approx. USD 6,470 |
| 📝 Registration | Online portal or email registration |
| ⏳ Default Time | 30 minutes |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves. After that, they receive 15 minutes for the rest of the game. In addition, each move adds a 30-second increment.
All sections use a 7-round Swiss system. The tournament also uses Buchholz and Buchholz Sum as tie-breaks.
A player loses the game after arriving more than 30 minutes late. Therefore, players should reach the board before each round starts.
The event allows one half-point bye in Rounds 1–3. However, players must request the bye before the first round.
💰 Prize Fund
The published total prize fund is €5,575, which equals approximately USD 6,470. All cash prizes are guaranteed, and players cannot receive double prizes.
Prize Fund Overview
| Prize Area | Amount |
|---|---|
| A Open main prizes | €2,900 |
| A Open women’s prizes | €1,500 |
| A Open U18 prizes | €225 |
| B Tournament main prizes | €500 |
| B Tournament women’s prizes | €225 |
| B Tournament U18 prizes | €225 |
| Total published prize fund | €5,575 / approx. USD 6,470 |
A Open Main Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €700 |
| 2nd place | €600 |
| 3rd place | €500 |
| 4th place | €400 |
| 5th place | €300 |
| 6th place | €200 |
| 7th–8th place | €100 each |
A Open Women’s Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €500 |
| 2nd place | €300 |
| 3rd place | €200 |
| 4th place | €150 |
| 5th–6th place | €100 each |
| 7th–8th place | €75 each |
A Open U18 Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €100 |
| 2nd place | €75 |
| 3rd place | €50 |
B Tournament Prizes
| Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €200 |
| 2nd place | €150 |
| 3rd place | €100 |
| 4th place | €50 |
| Women’s 1st place | €100 |
| Women’s 2nd place | €75 |
| Women’s 3rd place | €50 |
| U18 1st place | €100 |
| U18 2nd place | €75 |
| U18 3rd place | €50 |
The C Tournament offers non-cash prizes for youth players, women players, and the open category. Rating prizes also use non-cash awards.
🧩 Sections / Groups
The event has three sections. A Open is for players with at least 1800 Elo or DWZ. B Tournament is for players rated up to 1850 Elo or DWZ.
C Tournament is for players rated up to 1500 Elo or DWZ. This section does not count for Elo rating, but it still gives developing players a structured tournament format.
The organizer uses the higher value between Elo and DWZ as the tournament rating. As a result, players should check both ratings before choosing a section.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, October 29 | 16:00 | Registration begins, if places remain |
| Thursday, October 29 | 17:00 | Registration closes |
| Thursday, October 29 | 17:30 | Welcome and first-round pairings |
| Thursday, October 29 | 18:00 | Round 1 |
| Friday, October 30 | 09:30 | Round 2 |
| Friday, October 30 | 15:30 | Round 3 |
| Saturday, October 31 | 09:30 | Round 4 |
| Saturday, October 31 | 15:30 | Round 5 |
| Sunday, November 1 | 09:00 | Round 6 |
| Sunday, November 1 | 15:00 | Round 7 |
| Sunday, November 1 | 19:30 | Prize ceremony |
Players should complete registration and check-in on time. In addition, personal attendance at the prize ceremony is required to receive prize money.
📝 Registration
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration Method | Online portal or email |
| Registration Email | veranstaltungen@spass-mit-sport.de |
| Adult Entry Fee – A Open | €80 |
| Adult Entry Fee – B Tournament | €75 |
| Adult Entry Fee – C Tournament | €60 |
| Youth Entry Fee – A + B | €50 |
| Youth Entry Fee – C | €35 |
| Late Fee | +€10 from October 1, 2026 |
| Free Entry | GM, WGM, IM, and WIM players |
| Refund Rule | Refunds only until October 1, minus €10 administration fee |
| FIDE ID | Required for Elo rating |
Players can register through the online portal or by email. However, they should register early because the player limit applies to all sections.
👥 Organizer
Spaß mit Sport organizes the tournament with support from the chess section of Fortuna Logabirum. Edzard Wirtjes is responsible for the event organization.
Phone: +49 491 9791930
Email: info@spass-mit-sport.de
🏛️ Venue
Hotel Ostfriesen-Hof – Groninger Straße 109, 26789 Leer, Germany
The tournament takes place at Hotel Ostfriesen-Hof in Leer. Since the playing venue is also the main accommodation option, players can combine tournament play, meals, and rest in one location.
The hotel restaurant offers lunch options and a special chess menu during the event. In addition, coffee is free for participants, while tea is sponsored for the tournament.
🛏️ Accommodation
Hotel Ostfriesen-Hof offers special rates for chess players under the keyword “Schachturnier.” The published rates are €120 for a double room, or €60 per person, and €79 for a single room.
The room rate includes breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and use of the swimming pool and sauna during opening hours. A block of 35 rooms remains reserved until September 1, 2026.
Non-hotel guests can use the sauna and swimming pool for a special price of €10. The City of Leer also charges a city tax of 3% of the overnight price.
🚆 How to Get There
Players should travel to Leer and continue toward Hotel Ostfriesen-Hof on Groninger Straße 109. The venue works especially well for players who want accommodation and tournament play in the same place.
Visitors who need other accommodation options can contact Tourist Information Leer at Ledastraße 10. The tourist office can also help players plan their stay in the city.
Tourist Information Phone: +49 491 91969670
Tourist Information Email: touristik@leer.de
9th Sparkassen Schach Open Leer 2026 offers a clear four-day chess schedule, three rating-based sections, and strong practical conditions in a hotel venue.
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $6,470
Organizer
♟️ About the Organizer
Spaß mit Sport is a sports event organizer based in Leer, Lower Saxony, Germany. Edzard Wirtjes leads the organization from Am alten Handelshafen 2, where the business also operates as a specialist running and endurance sports store. Although the organizer’s wider activity comes from endurance sports, it also has a clear and verified role in chess tournament organization through the Schach Open Leer.
The organizer works in partnership with the chess department of Fortuna Logabirum for the Leer chess open. This cooperation gives the event a practical structure that combines local chess knowledge with experienced event management. As a result, players get a tournament that uses a dedicated chess website, online registration, published results, live boards, and clear communication before and during the event.
🏆 Chess Events and Activities
Spaß mit Sport organizes the Schach Open Leer, a recurring classical chess tournament at Hotel Ostfriesenhof in Leer. The event has developed from its first edition in 2017 into a recognized autumn chess open in northern Germany. Recent editions have attracted around 200 players, while earlier years also reached larger fields.
The tournament normally uses a seven-round Swiss format with classical time controls. It includes rating-based sections such as A-Open, B-Tournament, and C-Tournament, which helps players find a suitable competitive level. In addition, the event offers DWZ and Elo evaluation, guaranteed prize funds, youth prizes, women’s prizes, and live game coverage when available.
The organizer also keeps a strong archive of results through Chess-Results links for past editions. This gives players a reliable record of tournament history and makes the event easier to follow. Therefore, the Schach Open Leer serves ambitious club players, titled players, youth competitors, and regional players who want rated classical chess in Lower Saxony.
🌍 Player Experience and Community
Players can expect a well-organized weekend chess tournament in Leer with direct registration channels, published schedules, clear bye rules, and a stable hotel venue. Hotel Ostfriesenhof provides the playing hall, accommodation options, and a practical location for multi-day tournament chess. Moreover, the tournament website keeps essential information in one place, including entries, results, photos, schedules, and prize details.
The event also benefits from the organizer’s broader experience with large public sports events. Spaß mit Sport runs and manages several non-chess events in East Frisia, so its chess tournament work benefits from strong planning habits, participant communication, and local sponsor coordination. At the same time, Fortuna Logabirum adds chess-specific support, which keeps the playing conditions and tournament structure connected to local chess practice.
For visiting players, the Schach Open Leer offers a clear route into Elo-rated chess in northern Germany. The tournament combines a compact holiday-weekend format, rating sections, live boards, and a friendly East Frisian setting. Overall, Spaß mit Sport gives chess players a serious but accessible event in Leer, with a strong local identity and a growing tournament tradition.
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