Players who like compact weekend tournaments can travel to Burgdorf, Switzerland for the 24th Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open 2026 from Friday, February 13 to Sunday, February 15, 2026. You play five classical rounds in the Hotel Stadthaus right in the town center, where the organizers divide the field into three rating groups and use FIDE rules throughout. The event offers a solid prize fund, clear section limits, and a friendly but competitive atmosphere in a traditional Swiss open.

You compete in Section A (open), Section B (Elo under 1850) or Section C (Elo under 1600), with junior awards in each group and extra prizes for younger players. The organizers require a FIDE ID for every participant and add a small federation fee for Swiss residents without a Swiss Chess Federation license, so you enter a fully rated tournament that counts toward your international rating. With convenient prepayment options and a defined capacity of 166 players, the Stadthaus-Open gives you a well organized way to play a full weekend of Swiss chess in a historic venue.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizers offer a broad prize structure with main prizes, rating-related awards and junior prizes. They guarantee the full prize fund when at least 90 players participate and award each player only one prize, so you cannot combine multiple prizes.

Section A – Open

Section B – Elo under 1850

Section C – Elo under 1600

Juniors U16 are born in 2010 or later, and juniors U12 are born in 2014 or later. The organizers do not allow players to claim more than one prize.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

• You play every game with 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment from move 1, so both players receive extra time on every move.

• The tournament uses a 5-round Swiss system, and arbiters apply FIDE rules for all sections.

• The event applies a 30-minute default time: if you arrive more than 30 minutes after the round starts, you lose the game.

• The organizers pair all rounds using Swiss principles and rate the tournament with FIDE, so your results influence your international rating.

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

The Stadthaus-Open follows a compact three-day schedule with one evening round on Friday and double rounds on both Saturday and Sunday.

📝 Registration

You register for the 24th Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open 2026 through the online form:

https://www.burgdorfopen.com/Anmeldung/

You complete the form, submit your entry and then pay the entry fee by bank transfer to secure the prepayment tariff. When you both register and transfer the entry fee before February 9, 2026, you pay the lower prepayment rate (CHF 100 for adults, CHF 80 for juniors U16). The organizers then add you directly to the official start list and pair you automatically, so you no longer need to attend the presence control.

If you register but do not pay yet, the organizers place you on the waiting list. They only move you to the start list once they receive your payment, following a “first paid, first listed” principle. On the Monday before the tournament, they fill any remaining free places with players from the waiting list, giving priority to those who already transferred the entry fee.

Swiss residents over 20 years old who do not hold a Swiss Chess Federation (SSB) license must pay an additional CHF 20 tournament fee on top of the regular entry fee. Juniors U16 (born in 2010 or later) benefit from reduced entry fees, especially when they use prepayment.

You send prepayments to:

• Account holder: René Tanner, 3400 Burgdorf

• Bank: UBS

• IBAN: CH46 0023 5235 FJ11 5289 2

• BIC: UBSWCHZH80A

If you need a deposit slip or further banking details, you can request them by email from the organizer.

👥 Organizer

Schachclub Kirchberg organizes the Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open and runs the tournament in cooperation with Hotel Stadthaus in Burgdorf. The club brings long-standing experience with Swiss events, FIDE-rated tournaments and youth categories, so you can expect clear regulations, punctual rounds and a friendly playing atmosphere.

• Organizer: Schachclub Kirchberg

• Contact person: René Tanner

• Email: burgdorfopen@besonet.ch

• Website: https://www.burgdorfopen.com/

🏨 Venue

You play all rounds in Hotel Stadthaus, Kirchbühl 2, 3400 Burgdorf, Switzerland. The Stadthaus offers a dedicated playing hall with enough space for up to 166 participants, along with hotel services and central-town surroundings. The historic building in Burgdorf’s old town provides a pleasant setting for concentrated tournament games, short breaks between rounds and social analysis with other players.

🚗 How to Get There

You can reach Burgdorf comfortably by Swiss public transport. Regular trains run from larger Swiss cities to Burgdorf railway station, and from there you can walk or take a short local bus ride to Hotel Stadthaus in the town center.

If you drive, you follow the main Swiss motorways toward the Burgdorf area and then use local roads and signs that lead into the town center and Kirchbühl. Nearby public parking and hotel parking options allow you to leave your car within walking distance of the venue, so you can arrive in good time for the Friday presence control and every round.

You can enjoy a concentrated weekend of FIDE-rated chess, clear sections and generous prizes when you join the 24th Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open 2026 in Burgdorf.