Tourist Information Bischofsgrün

♟️ About Kur- und Tourist Information Bischofsgrün

Kur- und Tourist Information Bischofsgrün is the municipal tourism office of Bischofsgrün, Bavaria, Germany, a recognized climatic health resort in the Fichtelgebirge. It operates from the Kurhaus on Jägerstraße and manages visitor information, accommodation assistance, local events, guided activities, and destination services. In chess, it acts as the local host and official organizer of the annual Bischofsgrün chess festival rather than functioning as a conventional chess club. The tourism office launched a new annual chess-festival program in 2023. The inaugural edition included the 1st North Bavarian Senior Championship and the 1st Franken Open, while later editions developed the senior competition into the Fränkisches Seniorenderby and expanded the festival with additional open tournaments. The Kurhaus provides the principal playing venue, while IA and IO Wolfgang Fiedler manages the technical tournament organization. This structure combines professional chess administration with accommodation and visitor support from the tourism office. Wilhelm Zapf is the current Team Manager of Kur- und Tourist Information Bischofsgrün and is the most relevant institutional contact for the organizer. Angelika Schmidt and Susanne Steinlein complete the current tourism-office team. The organization is particularly active today, August 29, 2026, as the 4th Fränkisches Seniorenderby Bischofsgrün and 2nd Ochsenkopf Open begin at the Kurhaus. The chess-festival program continues through September 6 and also includes blitz, rapid, and alternative-format side events.

📜 Development of the Bischofsgrün Chess Festival

Bischofsgrün introduced its current chess festival in September 2023. The first program centered on the 1st Nordbayerische Seniorenmeisterschaft, accompanied by a rating-limited Franken Open. Franz Geisensetter won the inaugural North Bavarian senior title. The municipality continued the concept in 2024, when the festival became an established annual event. The principal senior competition developed into the Fränkisches Seniorenderby, while the tournament program continued to evolve according to player demand. The 2025 festival again took place at the Kurhaus. Karl-Johan Laustsen won the senior event, finishing ahead of a field that included players from numerous German clubs and international federation representatives. By 2026, the festival had expanded further. The main classical program now combines the fourth Seniorenderby with the second Ochsenkopf Open, while several shorter chess events take place during the same week.

♟️ Tourism-Based Chess Organization

The Kur- und Tourist Information brings a different organizational model to chess than a traditional sports club. Its staff handles the destination side of the tournament, including visitor information, accommodation assistance, local coordination, and the use of the Kurhaus. Meanwhile, Wolfgang Fiedler provides the specialist chess expertise. He serves as Tournament Director and Chief Arbiter for the principal 2026 competitions and holds both International Arbiter and International Organizer credentials. The festival also benefits from municipal support. Michael Schreier, Mayor of Bischofsgrün, serves as patron of the 2026 Seniorenderby and Ochsenkopf Open. This partnership allows visiting players to combine a multi-day chess tournament with a stay in the Fichtelgebirge. Therefore, the project functions both as a competitive chess festival and as part of Bischofsgrün’s wider event and tourism program.

🏆 2026 Fränkisches Schachfestival-Woche

The principal 2026 festival runs from August 29 to September 6 in the Großer Saal of the Kurhaus. The 4th Fränkisches Seniorenderby Bischofsgrün is a nine-round Swiss competition for senior players. Games use 130 minutes + 30 seconds per move, and the tournament is submitted for both German DWZ and FIDE rating. Running alongside it is the 2nd Ochsenkopf Open. This competition also uses nine Swiss rounds but has a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move. Current Chess-Results records confirm both national and international rating calculation for the Open. The first round is scheduled for August 29, while rounds two through nine continue through September 6. Wolfgang Fiedler serves as Tournament Director, with Thomas Rondio assisting on the arbiting team.

⚡ Blitz, Rapid and Additional Chess Events

The 2026 festival week extends beyond the two principal classical competitions. The Ochsenkopf Blitz Open 2026 is scheduled for September 4, adding a short-format evening competition to the program. On September 5, Bischofsgrün hosts the Ochsenkopf Active Chess OPEN 2026. The week concludes on September 6 with the FibC GAMBELO-OPEN 2026, giving players another alternative competition alongside the final day of the classical tournaments. Consequently, Bischofsgrün has developed from hosting a single senior championship in 2023 into a broader chess-festival destination with classical, rapid, blitz, and additional tournament formats.