Sun-soaked Lake Maggiore provides the backdrop for the 23rd International Amateur Standard-Open Ascona 2026, running from Sunday, March 1 to Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Ascona, Switzerland. The organizers stage this 7-round classical amateur open at the **Hotel Ascona, bringing players together for a full week of serious chess under FIDE rules. You can combine tournament play with a comfortable hotel setting in one of Ticino’s most scenic resort towns.

Schach-Freunde Pelikan and Schach – Rheinfelden e.V. run the event with a clear daily rhythm, a single classical time control, and triple rating submission for FIDE, Swiss, and DWZ lists. The tournament also includes a special guest program with GM Sebastian Bogner on Wednesday, adding training-style content and a relaxed evening blitz opportunity for participants.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

Main prizes:

Rating prizes:

The organizers also raffle hotel vouchers worth CHF 150.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament uses the CH-System (Swiss) over 7 rounds and applies FIDE Laws of Chess throughout the event. Each game uses a single classical time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move.

The event submits ratings in three systems: FIDE, Swiss, and DWZ.

📂 Sections / Groups

The tournament runs as a single amateur standard-open without separate rating sections.

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

Players register and book both the tournament and hotel through the official event pages.

Registration:
Website: https://www.sfpelikan.org/open-ascona/
Website: https://www.schach-rheinfelden.de/open-ascona

Players pay the entry fee of CHF 110 in cash on site at the Sunday reception. The playing hall seats 50 players, so early booking is recommended.

👥 Organizer

Schach-Freunde Pelikan and Schach – Rheinfelden e.V. organize the tournament and provide the tournament directors and arbiters for the full week.

Email: schach@sfpelikan.org
Phone: +41 76 7881 631 (from March 1)

🏨 Venue

The tournament takes place at the **Hotel Ascona, Via Signor in Croce 1, CH-6612 Ascona, Switzerland. The bright playing hall offers space for 50 players, includes a drinks buffet, and provides short access to on-site facilities inside the hotel.

🛎️ Accommodation

The **Hotel Ascona offers chess special rates for resident guests that include breakfast, half-board festive meals, free use of the sauna and jacuzzi, and a public transport ticket for Ticino, plus a tourist tax of CHF 4.50 per person per night.

🚗 How to Get There

You can reach Ascona in Ticino by road via the regional highway network around Locarno, then continue into Ascona and follow local signs to Via Signor in Croce. Travelers can also arrive by rail to Locarno and continue by local public transport within Ticino to Ascona.

Play a full week of classical chess beside Lake Maggiore and enjoy a relaxed Swiss-Italian atmosphere that blends competition with a true holiday setting.