29th Wertheraner Schachfestival – Schloss-Open 2026
Werther/Westfalen will host the 29th Wertheraner Schachfestival – Schloss-Open 2026 from Thursday, March 26 to Sunday, March 29, 2026 in Werther/Westfalen, Germany. Schachklub Werther will run multiple Swiss sections with clear rating bands, including a 7-round A-Open and five-round weekend opens for B, C, and D. The festival also offers a separate U14 Youth Open for young players with lower ratings.
Competitors will play under FIDE rules with a classical time control and a 30-minute grace period. The organizers will evaluate A and B for FIDE Elo and will evaluate all open sections for DWZ, using March 2026 Elo and the DWZ list dated Wednesday, March 25, 2026 for group placement. The published cash prize pool totals €4,445 for the A–D opens, and the youth tournament awards trophies, certificates, and prizes in kind.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | Thursday, March 26 to Sunday, March 29, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Werther/Westfalen, Germany |
| ♟️ Format | Swiss system (A-Open 7 rounds; B/C/D 5 rounds; Youth Open 7 rounds) |
| ⭐ Rating | A- and B-Open: FIDE Elo and DWZ evaluation · C- and D-Open: DWZ evaluation |
| 📂 Sections | A-Open · B-Open · C-Open · D-Open · U14 Youth Open |
| ⏱️ Time control | 90 minutes for 40 moves + 15 minutes to finish + 30-second increment per move from move 1 |
| 💳 Entry fee | Adults: A €50, B €35, C €30, D €25 · Under 18: A €40, B €25, C €20, D €15 · Youth Open: €12 |
| 💰 Prize fund | €4,445 cash (A–D opens) + youth trophies and prizes in kind |
| 👥 Capacity | A–D opens: 200 players |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | The organizers assign groups by March 2026 Elo and DWZ dated Wednesday, March 25, 2026 and use the higher number when both exist |
🏆 Prize Fund
The organizers published a €4,445 total cash prize fund for the A–D opens. The organizers will award special prizes only when at least three participants exist in the relevant category.
A-Open cash prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €800 |
| 2nd | €500 |
| 3rd | €300 |
| 4th | €200 |
| 5th | €100 |
| Rating prize (≤2200) | €80 |
| Best woman | €80 |
| Best 59+ | €80 |
| Best U18 | €80 |
B-Open cash prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €350 |
| 2nd | €220 |
| 3rd | €150 |
| 4th | €80 |
| 5th | €50 |
| Rating prize (≤1900) | €50 |
| Best woman | €50 |
| Best 59+ | €50 |
| Best U18 | €50 |
C-Open cash prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €200 |
| 2nd | €150 |
| 3rd | €100 |
| 4th | €70 |
| 5th | €30 |
| Rating prize (≤1650) | €30 |
| Best woman | €30 |
| Best 59+ | €30 |
| Best U18 | €30 |
D-Open cash prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €150 |
| 2nd | €110 |
| 3rd | €80 |
| 4th | €40 |
| 5th | €25 |
| Rating prize (≤1350) | €25 |
| Best woman | €25 |
| Best 59+ | €25 |
| Best U18 | €25 |
Prize rules
The organizers will not award double prizes; a player will receive only one prize.
Players without an official rating number are not eligible for cash prizes.
The organizers require prize winners to attend the award ceremony to receive prize money.
The organizers guarantee the listed prize money only when at least 150 participants play.
Youth Open prizes
The organizers will award trophies, certificates, and prizes in kind.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The organizers will run the tournament under FIDE rules and pair rounds with Swiss-Chess.
Time control:
90 minutes for 40 moves
15 minutes to finish
30-second increment per move from move 1
Pairing and ranking:
The organizers will use Buchholz, Sonneborn-Berger, and number of wins as the stated tie-break order.
The organizers will evaluate A and B for Elo and will evaluate all open sections for DWZ.
Arrival rule:
The organizers will apply a 30-minute grace period after the scheduled round start.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating / target group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A-Open | Elo/DWZ (or NWZ) over 1900 | 7 rounds; Elo and DWZ evaluation |
| B-Open | Elo/DWZ (or NWZ) 1700–2100 | 5 rounds; Elo and DWZ evaluation |
| C-Open | Elo/DWZ (or NWZ) 1400–1800 | 5 rounds; DWZ evaluation |
| D-Open | Elo/DWZ (or NWZ) under 1500 | 5 rounds; DWZ evaluation |
| U14 Youth Open | Born after January 1, 2012 and Elo and DWZ under 1300 | 7 rounds; separate venue |
📅 Schedule
Schedule – A-Open
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2026 | Thursday | 17:00 | Check-in deadline |
| March 26, 2026 | Thursday | 17:30 | Round 1 |
| March 27, 2026 | Friday | 11:00 | Round 2 |
| March 27, 2026 | Friday | 17:30 | Round 3 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 | Round 4 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 16:00 | Round 5 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 09:00 | Round 6 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 15:00 | Round 7 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 20:30 | Prize ceremony |
Schedule – B-Open, C-Open, D-Open
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2026 | Friday | 17:00 | Check-in deadline |
| March 27, 2026 | Friday | 17:30 | Round 1 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 | Round 2 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 16:00 | Round 3 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 09:00 | Round 4 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 15:00 | Round 5 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 20:30 | Prize ceremony |
Schedule – U14 Youth Open
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2026 | Friday | 17:00 | Check-in deadline |
| March 27, 2026 | Friday | 17:30 | Round 1 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 | Round 2 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 13:00 | Round 3 |
| March 28, 2026 | Saturday | 16:00 | Round 4 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 09:00 | Round 5 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 12:00 | Round 6 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | 15:00 | Round 7 |
| March 29, 2026 | Sunday | After Round 7 | Prize ceremony |
📝 Registration
Players must register by transferring the entry fee and submitting the online form.
Registration:
Payment details:
IBAN: DE16 4806 2051 0510 0799 01
BIC: GENODEM1HLW
Late payment surcharge:
The organizers will add €10 when payment arrives after Wednesday, March 18, 2026 or when a player pays cash at check-in.
The organizers will add €5 for Youth Open payments that arrive after Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
Entry confirmation and refunds:
The organizers will add players to the participant lists only after the entry fee arrives.
The organizers will refund the entry fee only when a player cancels by Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
👥 Organizer
Schachklub Werther organizes the Schloss-Open as its annual multi-section festival and manages entries, pairings, and prize ceremonies throughout the weekend.
Phone: +49 157 52242590
Website: https://wp.skwerther.de/schloss-open/
🏨 Venue
The A–D opens will take place at Bürgerbegegnungsstätte Haus Werther, Schloßstr. 36, 33824 Werther/Westfalen, Germany. The Youth Open will take place at Grundschule Werther, Mühlenstr. 8, 33824 Werther/Westfalen, Germany, about a short walk from the main playing site.
🚗 How to Get There
You can reach Werther/Westfalen in the Bielefeld area by car or regional public transport and continue locally to Schloßstr. 36 for Haus Werther. You can also walk to the youth venue at Mühlenstr. 8 from the main site.
Join the Schloss-Open 2026 and play a full weekend of serious Swiss-system chess in Werther/Westfalen.
🧾 Other
By entering, participants agree to tournament photography and the use of personal data strictly in connection with the event.
The organizer may limit liability for costs beyond already paid entry fees if authorities restrict or cancel the tournament.
Additional Details
Prize Fund - €4,445
Regulations -
Organizer
Schachklub Werther 1949 e.V. is a traditional chess club from Werther (Westf.), near Bielefeld in Germany. Founded in 1949, it has been a stable part of the regional chess scene for many decades and unites ambitious club players, juniors and hobby enthusiasts under one roof. The club is best known as the organiser of the Wertheraner Schachfestival – Schloss-Open, a multi-group open held each year shortly before Easter.
The Schloss-Open has grown into a full chess festival with separate A, B, C and D Opens plus a large children and youth open. It uses long time controls, Swiss pairings and both FIDE and DWZ rating. Therefore, it is attractive for a wide field of players, from titled guests to local talents. At the same time, the club runs league teams, training evenings and youth work in Werther and nearby schools, so local players can prepare properly for this and other tournaments.
In its organisation, Schachklub Werther combines clear regulations with a friendly festival atmosphere. The Bürgerbegegnungsstätte Haus Werther and nearby school venues offer short walking distances and good playing conditions. In addition, the club provides simple online registration through its Schloss-Open pages and communicates practical details such as schedule, participant limits and prize structure very transparently. As a result, many players return to Werther year after year.
Address: Alte Bielefelder Str. 14, 33824 Werther (Westf.), Germany
Email: b.sahrhage@skwerther.de
Phone: +49 5203 9187694
Tournament phone (Schloss-Open): +49 157 52242590
Website: https://www.skwerther.de
Schloss-Open page: https://wp.skwerther.de/schloss-open/