Discover four days of competitive spring chess at the 1. Heidenauer Schach-Open, running April 30-May 3, 2026 in Heidenau, Germany. The tournament offers six Swiss rounds under FIDE rules with an accelerated start, giving ambitious club players and titled competitors a structured path to strong Elo and DWZ results. You can expect a focused playing atmosphere, clear round times, and a practical format that rewards steady performance across every round.

The event features €1,140 in guaranteed cash prizes (from 40 participants) with both placement prizes and multiple category prizes. Schachklub Heidenau e.V. hosts the tournament at the Drogenmühle Heidenau and provides an accessible backup venue when needed. If you want serious classical chess near Dresden with defined policies and a compact schedule, this open fits the plan.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

Placement prizes

Category prizes (awarded in order)

The organizers award prizes only to players who attend the award ceremony, and they do not award prizes twice. When a player qualifies for multiple prizes, the player receives only the higher prize, and the organizers pass category prizes on in order of eligibility. TWZ uses Elo before DWZ for category assignment.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament runs 6 rounds under FIDE rules as a Swiss System event with an accelerated system in the first two rounds, using one virtual point for the upper half of the table. Games use 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 minutes to finish, with 30 seconds increment from move 1. The default time is 30 minutes.

Tie-breaks follow this order: Points, average opponent TWZ (one discard), then Buchholz (one discard).

A player may request to sit out one round by informing the tournament management no later than the end of the previous round. The tournament grants this option once in rounds 1–4 and scores it as a 1/2-point bye. An unexcused no-show for a round counts as withdrawal from the tournament.

📂 Sections / Groups

The event runs a single open section with accelerated Swiss pairings in the first two rounds.

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

Register online and complete payment by bank transfer.

Registration deadline: February 28, 2026
Registration page: https://www.schachklub-heidenau.de/turniere/

Bank transfer (reference: “Open2026, Last name, First name”)
Schachklub Heidenau e.V.
Volksbank Pirna eG
IBAN: DE62 8506 0000 1000 8476 07
BIC: GENODEF1PR2

Late entry after February 28, 2026 is possible only if places remain and requires an additional €5 late fee.

If you withdraw, the organizers refund the entry fee minus a €5 processing fee.

👥 Organizer

Schachklub Heidenau e.V. organizes the 1. Heidenauer Schach-Open as a classical Swiss event with DWZ and Elo evaluation and a structured prize program. The tournament team manages registration, round administration, and player requests through the club’s official contact and on-site tournament leadership.

• Email: info@schachklub-heidenau.de

• Website: https://www.schachklub-heidenau.de/

🏨 Venue

Drogenmühle Heidenau, Dresdner Straße 26, 01809 Heidenau, Germany
The tournament plays at the Drogenmühle Heidenau and the venue is not barrier-free. When needed, the organizers can move play to an alternative venue with barrier-free access: Schachpalast Heidenau, Am Sportforum 2, 01809 Heidenau.

🚗 How to Get There

Travel to Heidenau and plan local transport to Dresdner Straße 26. Arrive early on Thursday to complete on-site registration before the opening and Round 1.

Play six classical rounds with disciplined time management and let consistent decision-making carry you into the prize places.

🧾 Other

The organizer does not provide supervision outside the rounds and accepts no liability; each participant is responsible for any damage they cause. By registering, participants (or guardians) consent to photography during the event and to the organizer’s use of those photos, including after the tournament ends.