The 12th Andreas Schaar Memorial – 37th Nordhorn Chess Festival will take place from November 27–29, 2026, in Nordhorn, Germany. Schachklub Nordhorn-Blanke organizes the traditional five-round classical tournament as part of the 2026 NSV Grand Prix.

Players compete in two sections. The A-Tournament is open to all players and counts for both FIDE Standard rating and German DWZ. Meanwhile, the B-Tournament is restricted to players with DWZ below 1800 and counts for DWZ only. The classical time control gives players 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, another 15 minutes for the rest of the game, and a 30-second increment from move one.

The published cash prize structure totals €2,625 (approximately $3,010). In addition to six main prizes in each section, the organizers offer DWZ rating prizes in the A-Tournament and both rating and youth prizes in the B-Tournament.

♟️ Event Details

The festival combines a long-running Nordhorn chess tradition with the current Niedersachsen Chess Federation Grand Prix series.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

Both sections play five rounds under the Swiss System.

Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves. Afterwards, they receive another 15 minutes for the remainder of the game. Moreover, every player receives a 30-second increment from move one.

The official regulations do not publish requested bye rules. Therefore, players who expect to miss a round should contact the tournament organizer before registering.

🏆 Prize Fund

The complete published prize schedule totals €2,625 (approximately $3,010).

The A-Tournament provides €1,500 in listed prizes. Meanwhile, the B-Tournament provides €1,125.

A-Tournament – Open

The six main prizes total €1,200.

A-Tournament Rating Prizes – DWZ <2000

A-Tournament Rating Prizes – DWZ <1900

Therefore, the full published A-Tournament prize allocation reaches €1,500 (approximately $1,720).

B-Tournament – DWZ <1800

The six main prizes total €825.

B-Tournament Rating Prizes – DWZ <1600

B-Tournament Youth Prizes

Consequently, the complete B-Tournament prize allocation reaches €1,125 (approximately $1,290).

Prize Rules

Players cannot win two prizes.

In addition, players without a rating cannot receive the DWZ rating prizes.

If players finish level on points, the organizers use Buchholz as the first tiebreak. If players remain tied, they use the sum of Buchholz scores as the next criterion.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The organizers divide the tournament into two groups.

The A-Tournament receives both FIDE Standard and DWZ calculation. Therefore, every A-Tournament player must hold a valid FIDE ID by the start of the event.

The B-Tournament receives DWZ calculation only.

Rating Prize Eligibility

The A-Tournament contains separate prize categories for:

• DWZ below 2000;
• DWZ below 1900.

Meanwhile, the B-Tournament includes:

• DWZ below 1600;
• youth players.

Players without a rating cannot receive the DWZ rating prizes.

🗓️ Schedule

The event begins on Friday evening and concludes on Sunday afternoon.

Friday, November 27

Saturday, November 28

Sunday, November 29

Because the event contains two classical rounds on both Saturday and Sunday, players should allow the full weekend for tournament play.

📝 Registration

Players can register through the official NSV Grand Prix registration system.

Official registration and entry list:

https://nsv-online.de/anmeldung/grandprix-nordhorn/

Advance Entry Fees

The reduced advance fees apply when the organizer receives the bank transfer by November 20, 2026.

The published youth cutoff date is January 1, 2007.

Payment on Tournament Day

Players who pay cash at the venue pay €10 more.

Free Entry

The organizers waive the entry fee for:

• Grandmasters;
• International Masters;
• current members of the NSV squad.

Bank Transfer

Advance payment goes to SK Nordhorn-Blanke at Kreissparkasse Nordhorn.

Players entering the A-Tournament must also make sure that they have a valid FIDE ID before the tournament begins.

👥 Organizer

Schachklub Nordhorn-Blanke organizes the tournament and continues the long-running Nordhorn Chess Festival tradition.

Telephone enquiries should be made between 16:00 and 21:00.

📍 Venue

The tournament takes place at:

Mensa des Gymnasium Nordhorn – Stadtring 29, 48527 Nordhorn, Germany

Gymnasium Nordhorn confirms the Stadtring 29 address. The tournament uses the school cafeteria as its playing hall.

The venue lies within Nordhorn itself rather than at a hotel or remote conference center. Therefore, participants can combine tournament play with accommodation elsewhere in the city.

The organizers have not published tournament-specific parking arrangements. Drivers should consequently follow the local signs and legal parking restrictions when they arrive.

🏨 Accommodation

The tournament regulations do not name an official hotel or special accommodation package.

However, several hotels operate close to the playing venue. Two practical options are located on the same Stadtring as the school.

Hotel am Stadtring also advertises complimentary hotel parking.

These prices are recent public indications rather than confirmed November 27–29 tournament rates. Therefore, players should check the exact weekend price and cancellation policy before booking.

The official Nordhorn tourist information service also maintains a broader accommodation directory with hotels, apartments, and other options:

https://www.vvv-nordhorn.de/planen-informieren/uebernachten

🚆 How to Get There

Nordhorn has its own railway station and local bus network.

By Train

The RB56 Regiopa Express connects:

Bad Bentheim – Nordhorn – Neuenhaus

Therefore, players arriving from outside the region can use rail connections toward Bad Bentheim and continue to Nordhorn on the RB56.

Nordhorn station also combines the railway platform with the local bus network.

Players should check their exact November weekend connection shortly before departure because timetables and engineering work can change.

From Nordhorn Station

Local buses serve the Gymnasium/Stadtring area.

The most useful destination stop for the tournament is:

Nordhorn Gymnasium/Stadtring

From there, players can continue to the school at Stadtring 29.

For live local connections, use the VGB or regional journey planner:

https://www.vgb-mob.de/

By Car

Use the full tournament address:

Gymnasium Nordhorn – Stadtring 29, 48527 Nordhorn, Germany

The organizers do not publish reserved tournament parking. Therefore, drivers should allow extra time before the 18:30 Friday registration deadline and follow all local parking restrictions.

ℹ️ Other Information

Part of the NSV Grand Prix 2026

The tournament forms part of the Niedersächsischer Schachverband Grand Prix 2026.

Therefore, the weekend contributes not only individual tournament prizes but also to the wider Niedersachsen tournament series.

FIDE Registration

FIDE lists the A-Tournament as a rated event under:

FIDE Event ID 495254

The FIDE registration names the competition:

12. Andreas-Schaar-Gedenkturnier 2026 Gruppe A

The B-Tournament, by contrast, receives DWZ calculation only.

A Long Nordhorn Tradition

The 2026 competition marks the 37th Nordhorn Chess Festival and the 12th tournament held in memory of Andreas Schaar.

The club had already organized the festival for decades before introducing the memorial name.

Andreas Schaar devoted substantial time to chess and, in particular, to youth work at Schachklub Nordhorn-Blanke. He died in 2011 at only 49 years of age. The club subsequently attached his name to its traditional festival, which now continues as the Andreas Schaar Memorial.

2025 Champions

The 2025 edition produced perfect scores in both sections.

FM Tobias Vöge won the A-Tournament with 5/5, ahead of local player CM Fabian Stotyn.

Meanwhile, Wiebke Veelders also scored 5/5 to win the B-Tournament. Her sister Sarah Veelders finished second after a strong attacking performance.

The 2026 regulations change some important rating boundaries from that edition. Most notably, the B-Tournament expands from DWZ below 1600 to DWZ below 1800.

Photography and Video

By registering, participants consent to the organizers taking photographs and video during the tournament.

The organizers may publish this material in print media and online.

Important

A-Tournament players must have a valid FIDE ID before the event begins.

In addition, players who want the lower advance entry fee should complete the bank transfer by November 20, 2026. Everyone must complete on-site registration by 18:30 on Friday, November 27, before Round 1 begins at 19:00.