12. Internationales Arber-Open runs from August 1-9, 2026 in Bodenmais, Germany. This is a chess tournament in Bodenmais, Germany, in 2026. The event takes place in the Bavarian Forest at Pfarrzentrum Bodenmais, and it forms part of the wider Arber Chess Festival.

The tournament uses a 9-round Swiss system with a full 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 minutes to finish, plus a 30-second increment from move one. Because of that structure, the event suits players who want a full classical format rather than a short weekend open.

The open section has no rating limit and counts for both FIDE Elo and DWZ. In addition, the event includes rating-group prizes, youth, women’s, older-player, and TWZ-group awards, while the best player from the Bavarian Forest receives the special “König des Bayerwaldes” trophy.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament follows a classical Fischer format. Each player receives 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 more minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move one. As a result, players get a serious long-play schedule across the full festival week.

Pairings use a 9-round Swiss system, and the event allows a 30-minute forfeit time. Moreover, the tournament submits results for both international Elo and German DWZ rating. When players finish on the same score, the event uses opponents’ average rating as the listed tie-break method.

🏆 Prize Fund

The main open awards EUR 500, 400, 300, 200, and 100 to the top five finishers. In addition, the event offers further cash and material prizes for youth, women, older players, and TWZ groups. Rating groups are formed after the tournament starts, and each group pays EUR 40, EUR 20, and a material prize, provided the group has at least five participants.

The event also gives the best player from the Bavarian Forest the special “König des Bayerwaldes” trophy. Therefore, the prize structure rewards both the overall standings and several additional player categories.

👥 Sections / Groups

This page covers the 12. Internationales Arber-Open, which is the unrestricted main section of the festival. At the same time, the wider Arber Chess Festival also includes the 12. Internationaler Arber-Senioren-Cup and a separate Breitenschachturnier for players up to 1750 TWZ.

🗓️ Schedule

The event starts with registration and opening procedures on Saturday, then continues with one classical round each day through Sunday, August 9. Therefore, the schedule stays clear, steady, and easy to plan around for both players and accompanying guests.

📝 Registration

Players can register through the official festival website. The standard entry fee for the open is EUR 90. FIDE Masters pay EUR 70, and players born in 2007 or later also pay EUR 70. Grandmasters and International Masters do not pay an entry fee, and titled players should apply by email.

Players who need a FIDE ID must arrange it before the tournament starts. In addition, the event applies the German Chess Federation rules on fair play and the use of technical assistance.

🏢 Organizer

SC Gardez Viechtach organizes the Arber Chess Festival, while Wolfgang Fiedler leads tournament direction and event operations. The official festival website also handles registration, participant lists, pairings, and results.

Email: fiedlerw@t-online.de
Website: official festival website available through the German Chess Federation listing

📍 Venue

Pfarrzentrum Bodenmais, Lehmgrubenweg 42, 94249 Bodenmais, Germany

The tournament plays in the Glück-Auf-Saal at Pfarrzentrum Bodenmais. The venue sits inside the resort town of Bodenmais, so players stay close to local accommodation, restaurants, and tourism services throughout the festival week.

🚆 How to Get There

Bodenmais is easy to reach by rail and road. The local train station stands behind the new town hall at Bahnhofstraße 56, and the Waldbahn RB37 runs hourly from Bodenmais to Zwiesel, where passengers can continue toward wider regional connections. In addition, overnight guests in Bodenmais can travel free of charge by bus and forest train in the Bayerwald ticket area with the local GUTi guest card.

This Bavarian Forest tournament is a strong choice for players who want a full classical open in a scenic holiday setting.