Escape to island chess with the 5th Borkumer Caféhaus Challenge, running May 29-31, 2026 in Borkum, Germany. This open tournament targets hobby and club players who want a concentrated weekend Swiss with serious thinking time and a clean, practical schedule. The organizer submits the event for DWZ evaluation and uses a classic café setting that keeps the atmosphere relaxed while still supporting competitive, over-the-board play.
The tournament plays six rounds with a clear default time policy, structured tie-breaks, and a published top-prize payout. The organizer caps the field at 18 players and awards seats on a first-come, first-served basis, so timely registration matters. You complete payment on site during registration, then you start Round 1 on Friday evening and finish early enough on Sunday to catch the last listed connection to Emden.
🗓️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | May 29-31, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Borkum, Germany |
| ♟️ Format | 6-round Swiss System |
| ⭐ Rating | DWZ rated |
| 📂 Sections | Single section (Open) |
| ⏱️ Time control | 75 minutes for 30 moves, then 20 minutes to finish, with 10-second increment per move from move 1 |
| 💳 Entry fee | €30 if you register by May 15, 2026; €40 after May 15, 2026 |
| 💰 Prize fund | €250 cash |
| 👥 Capacity | 18 players |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | The organizer uses a 30-minute default time and pairs rounds with ChessManager. |
🏆 Prize Fund
| Place | Cash prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €120 |
| 2nd | €80 |
| 3rd | €50 |
The organizer guarantees cash prizes when at least 10 players participate. The organizer posts additional prizes in the tournament hall.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament runs six Swiss rounds and uses 75 minutes for 30 moves, then 20 minutes to finish, with a 10-second increment per move from move 1. The organizer applies a 30-minute default time from the round start. The organizer ranks players by points, then Buchholz Cut 1, then Sonneborn-Berger.
📂 Sections / Groups
The event runs one Open section for hobby and club players.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Friday | 7:00 PM | On-site registration opens |
| May 29, 2026 | Friday | 7:50 PM | Opening |
| May 29, 2026 | Friday | 8:00 PM | Round 1 |
| May 30, 2026 | Saturday | 9:30 AM | Round 2 |
| May 30, 2026 | Saturday | 2:00 PM | Round 3 |
| May 30, 2026 | Saturday | 6:30 PM | Round 4 |
| May 31, 2026 | Sunday | 8:15 AM | Round 5 |
| May 31, 2026 | Sunday | 12:00 PM | Round 6 |
| May 31, 2026 | Sunday | Around 3:45 PM | Prize ceremony |
📝 Registration
Register by email, phone, or on site. Include your name, club, and DWZ when you register by email.
Email: r-p.reinhard@live.de
Phone: +49 177 7229172
Pay in the tournament hall during registration. The organizer charges €30 when you register by May 15, 2026 and €40 after May 15, 2026. The organizer limits the field to 18 players on a first-come, first-served basis.
👥 Organizer
Ralf-Peter Reinhard directs the Borkumer Caféhaus Challenge and manages entries, on-site registration, and tournament operations throughout the weekend at Café zur Heide on Borkum.
Email: r-p.reinhard@live.de
Phone: +49 177 7229172
Website: https://www.schachbund.de/turnierdetails/5-borkumer-cafehaus-challenge.html
🏨 Venue
Café zur Heide, Störtebekerweg 8, 26757 Borkum, Germany
The tournament plays at Café zur Heide on Borkum. The organizer offers drinks and snacks in the analysis area during the event.
🛎️ Accommodation
Use the official tourist information for lodging options on Borkum.
Website: https://www.borkum.de
Email: info@borkum.de
Phone: 04922/9330
🚗 How to Get There
Plan your travel to Borkum and route to Café zur Heide, Störtebekerweg 8, 26757 Borkum for the playing venue. On Sunday, plan your departure around the last listed connection to Emden at 4:30 PM from Borkum Bahnhof.
Play six focused rounds, manage your time confidently, and finish your Borkum weekend with a clean tournament score.
🧾 Other
The organizer offers drinks and snacks in the analysis area and does not allow consumption of your own food or drinks.
Organizer
Ralf-Peter Reinhard is an independent tournament organizer based in Borkum, Germany. Today, he coordinates entries, player support, and on-site operations for weekend events. Over the years, he has refined a practical system that combines early communication, simple registration steps, and clear round planning, so visiting players understand fees, start times, and rules before traveling to the island and can arrive prepared instead of improvising details at the last minute. As a result, his events are known for calm direction and consistent fair-play standards.
Moreover, he directs the Borkumer Caféhaus Challenge at Café zur Heide on Borkum. The 5th Borkumer Caféhaus Challenge is built as a compact six-round Swiss with classical time controls, published tie-breaks, and a limited number of seats, which keeps pairings manageable, supports focused games, and helps players plan their weekend schedule, analysis time, and departure connections without uncertainty. In addition, he confirms entries by email or phone and completes payment during on-site registration. He also prioritizes punctual round starts and transparent pairings throughout the tournament.
At the same time, the venue creates a café tournament atmosphere that feels relaxed between games. Therefore, many participants treat the trip as both a competitive chess test and a short North Sea getaway, because the island setting, concentrated timetable, and limited field encourage early planning, friendly post-game analysis, and steady pacing, while the tournament structure still rewards disciplined time management and accurate play over six serious rounds. Ralf-Peter Reinhard communicates updates promptly and keeps instructions easy to follow. Consequently, players can focus on the board, enjoy the venue, and leave Borkum with a clear event experience.
Email: r-p.reinhard@live.de
Phone: +49 177 7229172
Website: https://www.schachbund.de/turnierdetails/5-borkumer-cafehaus-challenge.html