SV UNION Raiding

♟️ About SV UNION Raiding

SV UNION Raiding is a chess club based in Raiding, Burgenland, Austria. The club belongs to the SPORTUNION network and provides regular over-the-board chess for players from Raiding and the surrounding Oberpullendorf district. Its official club seat is at Franz Liszt Platz 1, 7321 Raiding, while chess sessions use local facilities including the Lisztbibliothek and municipal meeting rooms. The club combines regular training, recreational chess, youth development, and tournament organization. Its weekly Schachtreff welcomes both beginners and experienced players, while younger competitors can gain tournament experience through the Burgenländische Jugendschachrallye. SV UNION Raiding has hosted a stage of this regional youth rapid series in both 2025 and 2026, strengthening its role in junior chess within Burgenland. Stefan Schekolin is the principal contact person for SV UNION Raiding and is also directly involved in tournament organization. The club’s role has expanded significantly in 2026: after hosting the Raiding stage of the Burgenländische Jugendschachrallye on March 21, 2026, it is now preparing the Offene Burgenländische Schach-Landesmeisterschaft 2026, scheduled for October 23–26, 2026 in Raiding. Schekolin is named as Tournament Director for the championship.

🎓 Youth Chess and Jugendschachrallye

Youth chess is one of the club’s most visible activities. SV UNION Raiding joined the Burgenländische Jugendschachrallye as a tournament host in 2025, when the Raiding stage took place on March 22 at the Lisztbibliothek. That first event attracted 38 children. The series is designed specifically to make competitive chess accessible to children and teenagers, including beginners who do not yet belong to a chess club. SV UNION Raiding continued as a host in 2026. The Raiding tournament was held on March 21 at Pfarrheim Raiding, Dr. Paul Iby-Platz 1. The wider rally includes beginner and advanced categories covering age groups from U8 upward. Through these events, young players can learn tournament procedures, use chess clocks, experience Swiss-system competition, and meet players from other Burgenland clubs.

♜ Regular Chess and Training

SV UNION Raiding maintains a regular Friday chess meeting for both beginners and experienced players. SPORTUNION lists the current program for the period from November 2025 through October 2026, with sessions generally available between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM. The main meeting point is associated with the Lisztbibliothek at Franz-Liszt-Platz 1. Depending on availability and the size of the group, training may also take place at Lokal Liszt am Bach or in a municipal meeting room. The club welcomes a broad age range and focuses on playing, training, and practical chess development. Moreover, members can progress from informal club sessions into youth events and official Burgenland competitions.

🏆 Burgenländische Schach-Landesmeisterschaft 2026

SV UNION Raiding will host one of its most significant events to date when it stages the Offene Burgenländische Schach-Landesmeisterschaft 2026 from October 23–26, 2026. The tournament will take place at Pfarrheim Raiding, Dr. Paul Iby-Platz 1, 7321 Raiding. The Open Burgenland Championship and the Senior Championship will be played together in one field. The competition consists of seven Swiss-system rounds. Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment from move one. Participation is limited to 150 players. Stefan Schekolin serves as Tournament Director, while the event operates within the structure of the Burgenländischer Schachverband. The championship will officially open with Raiding Mayor Markus Landauer, and local sponsors support individual rounds of the event.

🤝 Chess in the Raiding Community

SV UNION Raiding maintains close connections with the local community. Its use of facilities around the Franz Liszt cultural center of Raiding gives the club a visible presence in a municipality internationally associated with composer Franz Liszt. The club also cooperates with other Burgenland chess organizations through regional tournaments and youth events. The Jugendschachrallye, for example, connects Raiding with organizers in Bad Sauerbrunn, Oberwart, Neufeld-Steinbrunn, Pamhagen, Antau, and Purbach. Consequently, SV UNION Raiding serves both as a local place to learn and play chess and as an increasingly active tournament organizer within the wider Burgenland chess community.