Talvfelagið Rókur

Janus Open III 2027

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The Janus Open III 2027 takes place from January 8–10, 2027, in Eiði, Faroe Islands. Talvfelagið Rókur organizes the annual memorial tournament at Kolshøll.

The tournament honors Janus í Løðuni, who played an active role in the club and the Faroese chess community. Moreover, the event brings children, adults, experienced competitors, and newcomers together in one open playing group.

Players complete eight Swiss-system rounds over three days. The first four rounds use a rapid time control, while the final four rounds use a standard time control. In addition, the organizer offers a total prize fund of DKK 28,000, approximately $4,330.

📌 Event Details

Event Detail Information
🏆 Tournament Janus Open III 2027
🕯️ Memorial Janus í Løðuni
📅 Dates January 8–10, 2027
📍 Location Eiði, Faroe Islands
🏟️ Venue Kolshøll – Kolsvegur 8, 470 Eiði, Faroe Islands
🏛️ Organizer Talvfelagið Rókur
♟️ Format Mixed rapid and standard Swiss tournament
🔢 Rounds 8
⚡ Rapid Rounds Rounds 1–4
🕰️ Standard Rounds Rounds 5–8
⭐ Rating International rating calculation
⏱️ Rapid Time Control 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment from move one
⏱️ Standard Time Control 60 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one
👥 Maximum Capacity 150 players
👤 Tournament Director Rógvi Egilstoft
⚖️ Chief Arbiter Ingolf Gaard
🌐 Official Tournament Page https://www.janusopen.fo/en
♟️ Chess-Results https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1351452.aspx?lan=1&turdet=YES&SNode=S0

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The organizer runs the event over eight Swiss-system rounds. Therefore, players meet opponents with similar scores as the tournament progresses.

Rounds 1–4 use a rapid time control of 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move. The organizer schedules all four rapid rounds during the Friday evening session.

Rounds 5–8 use a standard time control of 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. Consequently, the Saturday and Sunday games provide the longer portion of the competition.

Tournament Rule Details
♟️ Pairing System Swiss system
🔢 Number of Rounds 8
⚡ Rounds 1–4 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move
🕰️ Rounds 5–8 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move
⭐ Rating Calculation International rating
🧮 Pairing Software Swiss-Manager

The tournament remains open to players of every rating. However, the organizer states that standard games played by players rated above 2400 will not count toward FIDE rating.

🏆 Prize Fund

The tournament offers a total prize fund of DKK 28,000, approximately $4,330.

The leading three players receive the main prizes. In addition, the organizer awards two prizes in each published rating, age, and special category.

Overall Prizes

Place Prize
🥇 1st Place DKK 5,000 / approx. $780
🥈 2nd Place DKK 3,000 / approx. $470
🥉 3rd Place DKK 2,000 / approx. $310

Category Prizes

Each category offers DKK 1,000, approximately $160, for first place and DKK 500, approximately $80, for second place.

Prize Category 1st Award 2nd Award
Under 2200 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Under 2000 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Under 1800 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Under 1600 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Unrated DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Best Woman DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
U12 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Girl U12 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
U16 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Girl U16 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Over 50 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80
Over 65 DKK 1,000 / approx. $160 DKK 500 / approx. $80

♟️ Sections / Groups

Janus Open III uses one open playing section. Consequently, every participant competes in the same eight-round Swiss tournament.

Playing Section Format
🏆 Janus Open III One open group for players of all ages, experience levels, and ratings

The published rating, age, women’s, girls’, and unrated classifications determine additional prizes. However, they do not create separate pairing groups.

📅 Schedule

All times follow local time in the Faroe Islands.

Activity Date Time
Rounds 1–4 Rapid Session Friday, January 8, 2027 18:00
Round 5 Saturday, January 9, 2027 10:00
Round 6 Saturday, January 9, 2027 14:00
Round 7 Sunday, January 10, 2027 13:30
Round 8 Sunday, January 10, 2027 17:00

Friday features four consecutive rapid rounds. Therefore, players should arrive before the 18:00 session begins.

Meanwhile, Saturday and Sunday feature the four standard rounds. Round 8 concludes the tournament on Sunday evening.

📝 Registration

Registration closes on Thursday, January 7, 2027, at 12:00 noon. However, the organizer may close registration earlier after receiving 150 entries.

Registration Detail Information
💰 Entry Fee DKK 200 / approx. $40
📅 Registration Deadline January 7, 2027
🕛 Closing Time 12:00 noon
👥 Maximum Capacity 150 players

Players may contribute more than the standard entry fee when they wish to support the memorial tournament.

Registration Procedure

Players should complete the official online form:

https://www.janusopen.fo/en/registration-to-janus-open-iii

The form requests the player’s:

  1. Full name
  2. Date of birth
  3. Email address
  4. Phone number
  5. Additional message, when necessary

Registration becomes valid after the organizer receives payment. Because the official tournament pages currently display different account numbers, players should confirm the current payment details through the registration form or directly with the organizer before transferring funds.

Registration Contact

Email: janusopen@janusopen.fo

Phone: +298 271404

🏛️ Organizer

Contact Detail Information
🏛️ Organizer Name Talvfelagið Rókur
👤 Contact Person Rógvi Egilstoft
✉️ Email janusopen@janusopen.fo
📞 Phone Number +298 271404

📍 Venue

Kolshøll – Kolsvegur 8, 470 Eiði, Faroe Islands.

Kolshøll stands in Eiði on the island of Eysturoy. Moreover, the venue serves as the home of Talvfelagið Rókur and provides the central location for all eight rounds.

Accommodation

The organizer offers private accommodation in Eiði for tournament players and accompanying guests.

Players can request either a private bedroom in a shared house or an entire private house for a family, federation, or group. Because availability remains limited, participants should submit their accommodation requests early.

Official Accommodation Requests:
janusopen@janusopen.fo

The request should include the guest’s full name, arrival and departure dates, number of people, and preferred accommodation type.

Nearby Accommodation Options

The following recent advertised rates provide approximate starting prices. However, final prices depend on dates, occupancy, and availability.

Accommodation Location Approximate Starting Price
🏨 Gjáargarður Guesthouse Gjógv Gjógv From approx. $160 per night
🏡 Liljulon – Views – Location Ljósá From approx. $340 per night
🏡 Hotel Vík Wellness Townhouses Haldórsvík From approx. $510 per night

Players should first contact the Janus Open organizer because the private accommodation in Eiði places guests closest to the playing venue.

🚌 How to Get There

Players can reach Eiði by public bus, taxi, rental car, or private vehicle. Strandfaraskip Landsins operates the intercity bus network across the Faroe Islands.

Travel Option Recommended Route
✈️ From Vágar Airport by Car or Taxi Travel east from the airport toward Streymoy and Eysturoy. Afterwards, continue north to Eiði and Kolshøll on Kolsvegur.
🚌 From Vágar Airport by Public Transport Use an SSL airport bus toward Tórshavn. Afterwards, take Route 400 toward Oyrarbakki and transfer to Route 200 for Eiði.
🚌 From Tórshavn Take SSL Route 400 toward Klaksvík and leave the bus at Oyrarbakki. Then transfer to Route 200 for Eiði.
🚌 From Klaksvík Take Route 400 toward Tórshavn and leave the bus at Oyrarbakki. Afterwards, transfer to Route 200 for Eiði.
🚕 By Taxi Ask the driver to travel to Kolshøll, Kolsvegur 8, Eiði.
🚗 By Rental Car Rental cars are available at Vágar Airport. Continue through the connected road and tunnel network to Eiði.

Arrival Advice

The first session begins at 18:00 on Friday. Therefore, international players should allow enough time for possible winter weather, airport transfers, and bus connections.

Bus timetables may change before January 2027. Consequently, players should check the current SSL journey information shortly before travelling.

ℹ️ Other Information

Byes

Players may request up to three half-point byes.

A Round 1 bye must be requested in writing during registration. Afterwards, players must agree all other bye requests with the arbiter before the organizer publishes the next pairings.

Players cannot request a bye in Round 8.

Food and Refreshments

The organizer plans to provide free food between rounds throughout the weekend. In addition, players can enjoy complimentary coffee and cakes.

Memorial Tournament

Janus Open honors Janus í Løðuni, who actively supported Talvfelagið Rókur and Faroese chess.

The organizer uses the tournament to promote competition, community, friendship, and respect for the game. Moreover, Janus Open supports the continued development of girls’ and women’s chess in the Faroe Islands.

Rating Information

The tournament includes both rapid and standard games under international rating calculation.

However, the organizer states that standard games played by players rated above 2400 will not count toward FIDE rating.

Pairings and Results

Chess-Results publishes the registered players, pairings, standings, and results:

https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1351452.aspx?lan=1&turdet=YES&SNode=S0

Finally, players should review the official tournament website and Chess-Results before travelling.

Tournament organizer Talvfelagið Rókur Talvfelagið Rókur, also known in English as Rókur Chess Club, is a Faroese chess club serving Sundalagið, the area around Eiði, Oyrarbakki,… Read moreRead less

About Talvfelagið Rókur

Talvfelagið Rókur, also known in English as Rókur Chess Club, is a Faroese chess club serving Sundalagið, the area around Eiði, Oyrarbakki, Streymnes, and neighboring communities in the Faroe Islands. The club was originally founded in Oyri in 1974. After a period of inactivity, it was re-established in 1996 and has since developed into the main organized chess club for the wider Sundalag area.

Rókur combines national league competition with local chess activity and tournament organization. Its players include experienced Faroese competitors, juniors, recreational players, and newcomers. The club fields several teams in the Faroese league system and plays home matches in locations around Sundalagið, particularly Eiði and Oyrarbakki, with occasional activity in Streymnes. In recent years, Eiði has become an especially active center for the club.

Mortan Mørkøre is the current Chairman and principal public contact for Talvfelagið Rókur. The club’s most prominent current project is the Janus Open, an annual memorial tournament in Eiði that has rapidly become one of the largest chess gatherings in the Faroe Islands. After attracting 135 players in January 2026, Rókur has already announced Janus Open III for January 8–10, 2027.

History and Chess in Sundalagið

Talvfelagið Rókur was established in 1974 in Oyri and quickly became active within Faroese chess. One of its early successes came in 1978, when Bergur Johannesen became Faroese youth champion. The following year, Rókur organized the 1979 Faroese Individual Chess Championship at the newly built school in Oyrarbakki. This demonstrated the club’s ability to host national-level competition relatively early in its history.

Chess activity in the region has also included older clubs in Eiði and Streymnes. Eiðis Talvfelag was founded in 1956 and participated in early national team competition, while the former Streymur chess section produced a Faroese championship-winning team in 1986. Today, organized chess across this part of Sundalagið is largely concentrated within Talvfelagið Rókur, bringing players from these neighboring communities together under one club structure.

Faroese Team Chess

Rókur remains an active participant in the Faroese national team championship, organized by Talvsamband Føroya. During the 2025–2026 season, the club fielded teams across several divisions. Talvfelagið Rókur 1 competed in the Second Division, while Rókur 2 played in the Fourth Division and Rókur 3 competed in the Fifth Division. Rókur 2 produced the club’s strongest divisional result that season, finishing second in the Fourth Division. The number of teams also demonstrates the depth of the club’s current playing community and gives less experienced players opportunities to enter organized league chess.

The club’s player lists include both longstanding Faroese competitors and newer members, supporting a mix of competitive ambition and community participation.

Janus Open

The Janus Open is Talvfelagið Rókur’s flagship tournament. It is held in memory of Janus í Løðuni, a committed member of Rókur and an enthusiastic supporter of Faroese chess who died on July 6, 2024, aged 46. The inaugural Janus Open in 2025 attracted more than 100 players and set a new participation record for a chess tournament in the Faroe Islands. The second edition, held from January 9–11, 2026, grew further to 135 participants.

More than 30 players in the 2026 field came from Rókur’s own northern Sundalag area, including several relative newcomers to competitive chess. International participation was also strong. Símun Þórhallsson of Iceland won Janus Open II with 7/8, while fellow Icelander Dagur Ragnarsson finished second. Faroese champion Høgni Egilstoft Nielsen shared the next points group and placed third on tiebreak.

Women’s and Junior Chess

Rókur has placed particular emphasis on encouraging girls and women to participate in chess through the Janus Open. Nine female players participated in the inaugural tournament, while that number increased to 15 in 2026. The organizers have stated that one of their longer-term goals is to help create stronger conditions for women’s chess in the Faroe Islands.

Janus Open II also included a separate girls’ chess tournament and attracted young Nordic players alongside experienced adults. Therefore, the event functions not only as a competitive tournament but also as a development platform for juniors and newer players.

Janus Open III 2027

The third Janus Open is scheduled for January 8–10, 2027, at Kolshøll in Eiði. The tournament will consist of eight rounds in a mixed-time-control format. The first four rounds use 10 minutes plus five seconds per move, while rounds five through eight use 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. The published prize fund is DKK 28,000, with prizes for the overall standings as well as rating categories, women, U12 and U16 players, girls, and senior competitors.

Participation is open to players of all levels, from beginners to experienced tournament competitors, with organizers permitted to close entries once the field reaches 150 players.

Organization and Leadership

Mortan Mørkøre currently serves as Chairman of Talvfelagið Rókur and is listed by Eiði Municipality as the club’s official representative. Tournament organization also involves other experienced members of the Faroese chess community. Rógvi Egilstoft, for example, has served as a Rókur team contact and is involved in Janus Open organization, while the 2027 edition lists him as Tournament Director.

The club’s ability to combine several league teams with a rapidly growing international tournament reflects the renewed strength of organized chess in Sundalagið.

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