The 12th Heusenstamm Sparkassen Open 2026 takes place from November 19–22, 2026, at the Kultur- und Sportzentrum Martinsee in Heusenstamm, Germany. Schachclub Heusenstamm e.V. organizes three parallel seven-round Swiss tournaments: the A Open, B Open, and the junior J Open.

The A and B Opens run from Thursday through Sunday and use a classical two-stage time control with a 30-second increment from move one. Both competitions count for FIDE Standard and German DWZ rating. Meanwhile, the J Open runs from Friday through Sunday, uses 60+30, and counts for DWZ rating only.

The organizer guarantees a combined cash prize fund of €8,500 (approximately $9,760). The A Open carries €6,200, the B Open €1,800, and the J Open €500. Moreover, the tournament has developed into one of Germany’s largest recurring open chess events; the 2025 edition attracted a record 474 players from 26 nations.

♟️ Event Details

The festival gives stronger players, club players, and juniors separate competitive options while keeping all three events at the same Martinsee venue.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

All three competitions use a seven-round Swiss system. However, the A/B Opens and the junior tournament follow different time controls and schedules.

A Open and B Open

Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game. In addition, the clock adds 30 seconds after every move starting with move one.

A player who arrives more than 30 minutes after the scheduled round start loses by default.

J Open

The junior tournament uses a shorter classical control. Nevertheless, players still receive a 30-second increment from the first move.

The J Open does not count for FIDE Elo.

Ranking and Tiebreaks

When players finish on equal points, the organizer uses the following order to determine final ranking:

For A and B, the organizer uses the higher of a player’s DWZ and FIDE Elo as the TWZ for starting-order and rating-category purposes.

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer guarantees €8,500 (approximately $9,760) across the three tournaments.

A Open – Main Prizes

The A Open carries the largest share of the prize fund.

The organizer distributes the eight A Open main prizes according to its published Hort system.

A Open – Rating Prizes

The higher of DWZ and FIDE Elo determines the player’s TWZ category.

In approximate USD terms, those awards range from $60 to $410.

A Open – Special Prizes

B Open – Main Prizes

B Open – Rating Prizes

B Open – Special Prizes

J Open Prizes

The €500 junior fund rewards U14 and U12 players as well as girls and teams.

Players cannot receive multiple cash prizes, except for team awards.

For A and B, players no longer need to attend the closing ceremony unless they finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. The organizer transfers other prize money using the address information connected with the entry payment.

However, J Open players must attend the prize ceremony to receive their awards.

Foreign players who are not subject to German taxation may have a flat withholding tax of up to 20% deducted from prize money.

Approximate USD equivalents use the current exchange rate and are rounded upward to the next $10.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The tournament offers two adult/general sections plus a dedicated junior competition.

A Open

The A Open accepts players with DWZ or FIDE Elo of 1800 or higher.

B Open

The B Open accepts players rated below 2000.

Because the two rating windows overlap, players rated from 1800 through 1999 meet the published eligibility limits for both A and B.

J Open

The J Open gives U14 players a separate seven-round event.

The junior competition also contains U12 and girls’ prize classifications. However, these remain award categories within the single J Open rather than separate playing sections.

🗓️ Schedule

The A and B Opens follow the same four-day schedule. Meanwhile, the J Open begins one day later and fits seven rounds into Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

A Open and B Open

J Open

📝 Registration

Players can register through the official online forms or contact the tournament team by email. However, registration becomes binding only after the organizer receives the entry-fee payment.

Entry Fees

The published standard fees apply to registrations completed by November 9, 2026.

Women’s FIDE titles receive the corresponding conditions of the equivalent open titles.

After November 9, the organizer adds €10 (approximately $20) to the applicable entry fee.

Because previous editions have filled quickly, the organizer may introduce a waiting list again.

Official Registration

A Open:
https://schach-chroniken.net/hso/2026/hsoa/anmeldung.php

B Open:
https://schach-chroniken.net/hso/2026/hsob/anmeldung.php

J Open:
https://schach-chroniken.net/hso/2026/hsoj/anmeldung.php

Official tournament website:

https://schach-chroniken.net/hso/

Payment

Players should transfer the entry fee to the published Schachclub Heusenstamm account and include their name and club or place of residence in the payment reference.

Withdrawal and Refunds

If a player withdraws more than 10 days before the tournament, the organizer keeps a €10 administration fee (approx. $20).

During the final 10 days before the event, the administration deduction rises to €20 (approx. $30).

However, a withdrawal or no-show on the tournament’s starting day results in the loss of the full entry fee.

👥 Organizer

Schachclub Heusenstamm e.V. organizes the annual Sparkassen Open and has built the tournament into a major international open in the Rhine-Main region.

📍 Venue

The tournament takes place at Kultur- und Sportzentrum Martinsee – Martinseestraße 2, 63150 Heusenstamm, Germany.

The municipal sports and cultural complex covers more than 80,000 square meters and includes several halls, sports facilities, parking, bicycle spaces, and on-site gastronomy.

Moreover, the tournament provides a large analysis area for players. The attached Restaurant Martinsee offers a full menu as well as quicker and lower-cost food options for tournament participants.

Parking

The city provides approximately 250 car parking spaces directly in front of the main entrance. Bicycle parking is also available.

Therefore, players arriving by car have significantly more on-site parking than at many city-center chess venues.

🏨 Accommodation

The organizer does not currently advertise an official tournament hotel or room block. However, Heusenstamm has several accommodation options within the town.

Hotel Villa Sofie

Hotel Villa Sofie – Wiesenbornweg 1, 63150 Heusenstamm

The hotel publishes the following indicative room rates:

The hotel offers Wi-Fi and sits about a 10-minute walk from Heusenstamm S-Bahn station.

Website:

https://www.villa-sofie.de/

Mein SchlossHotel

Mein SchlossHotel – Frankfurter Straße 9, 63150 Heusenstamm

Current public room offers generally start from around €113 per room per night (approximately $130), although rates vary by date, room type, availability, and cancellation terms.

The hotel offers Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a minibar, and an on-site restaurant.

Website:

https://www.meinschlosshotel.de/

Hotel prices can change considerably by November. Therefore, players should verify the exact tournament-weekend rate and cancellation conditions before booking.

🚆 How to Get There

Heusenstamm lies east of Frankfurt am Main and has direct access to the Rhine-Main transport network. Consequently, the venue works well for both regional and international visitors.

By S-Bahn and Bus

Heusenstamm railway station sits on the S2 S-Bahn line, which connects the town with Frankfurt and other Rhine-Main destinations.

From Heusenstamm, local bus OF-30 serves the Heusenstamm Martinsee stop near the sports complex.

Players should check the final November timetable shortly before traveling because weekend engineering works can affect regional services.

From Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the nearest major international airport.

Travelers can continue into the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main rail network and then connect toward Heusenstamm. Therefore, public transport provides a practical option without requiring a rental car.

By Car

The tournament venue lies close to the A3 motorway. From the motorway area, signs direct drivers toward the Martinsee commercial and sports district.

Use the following destination:

Kultur- und Sportzentrum Martinsee – Martinseestraße 2, 63150 Heusenstamm

The venue provides approximately 250 parking spaces near the main entrance.

ℹ️ Other Information

2026 Entry List

Interest in the 12th edition is already strong. As of September 20, 2026, the organizer’s published participant lists contained:

The A field already includes grandmasters, international masters, FIDE masters, and players from several federations.

Tournament History

The Heusenstamm Open began in 2014, when GM Chao Li won the inaugural event. The tournament then expanded rapidly and developed three separate A, B, and J competitions.

The organizers had to cancel the 2020 edition because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the event returned in 2021 and quickly recovered its large participation numbers.

In 2024, 461 players from 21 nations competed, while Armenian GM Karen Grigoryan won the A Open.

The 2025 edition set a new tournament record with 474 players from 26 nations and three continents. FM Paul Hinrichs won the A Open, Mateo González Peisker won the B Open, and Olaf Guzdziol took the J Open.

Therefore, the 2026 tournament continues a series that has grown from 134 participants in its inaugural year into one of Germany’s largest recurring open chess events.

Arbiting Team

The published arbiting team includes:

• IA Hans-Uwe Hinrichs
• IA Dirk Windhaus
• FA Christian Giesselbach
• FA Peter Faiss
• FA Ralf Becker
• NA Mandy Kalina

The A and B Opens have separate FIDE registrations for the 2026 event.

Equipment and Analysis

The A and B Opens use wooden boards and pieces together with electronic DGT clocks.

The J Open also uses electronic clocks, while wooden boards and pieces are supplied where available.

In addition, players have access to a dedicated analysis area throughout the tournament.

Prize Rules

The tournament does not allow double cash prizes, except for team prizes.

For A and B, only the top three finishers must attend the prize ceremony. In contrast, J Open prize winners must be present at the closing ceremony to receive their awards.

The organizer may withhold up to 20% flat tax from prize money paid to foreign players who are not tax-liable in Germany.