27th NordWest-Cup 2026
Across northwestern Germany, ambitious players converge on the spa town of Bad Zwischenahn for the 27th NordWest-Cup 2026, a four-day international open that runs from Thursday, January 29 to Sunday, February 1, 2026. You compete in one of four rating groups (A, AS, B or C) over seven classical rounds in the Wandelhalle by the Kurpark, with panoramic views of the Zwischenahner Meer creating a unique setting for serious tournament play.
Organizers from SK Union Oldenburg and SC Schwarzer Springer Bad Zwischenahn guarantee a minimum prize fund of €7,000, offer separate rating, women’s, youth, and senior prizes, and cap the field at 380 players to keep conditions comfortable. With DWZ rating for all sections, FIDE Elo rating for A/AS/B, and free entry for GMs and IMs, the NordWest-Cup continues its tradition as one of Germany’s most popular winter weekend festivals.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | Thursday, January 29 to Sunday, February 1, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Wandelhalle am Kurpark Bad Zwischenahn, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany, directly by the Zwischenahner Meer |
| ♟️ Format | International open chess festival with four parallel Swiss tournaments (A-Open, AS-Open, B-Open, C-Open) |
| ⭐ Rating | DWZ rating in all groups; FIDE Elo rating in A-Open, AS-Open, and B-Open |
| 📂 Sections | A-Open, AS-Open, B-Open, C-Open (rating-restricted; tournament management assigns players) |
| ⏱️ Time control | A/AS/B: 90 minutes for 40 moves + 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with 30 seconds increment from move one; C-Open: 2 hours for the entire game |
| 🏁 Number of rounds | 7 rounds, Swiss system in every section |
| 💳 Entry fee | €70 standard; €40 for juniors under 18; grandmasters and international masters play free |
| 💰 Prize fund | Minimum total prize fund €7,000 across all sections, including rating, women’s, youth, and senior prizes |
| 👤 Eligibility | Open to all players with a valid rating; placement in A/AS/B/C depends on Elo/DWZ according to the regulations |
| 📈 Capacity | Total maximum 380 participants across all groups |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | Organizers split monetary prizes in case of equal points, do not allow double cash prizes, and offer one pre-announced bye (Rounds 1–4) |
🏆 Prize Fund
The 27th NordWest-Cup guarantees at least €7,000 in prizes. Monetary prizes may be split on equal points, and each player can only receive one cash prize.
A-Open (rating minimum 2000 Elo)
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €1,200 |
| 2nd | €800 |
| 3rd | €600 |
| 4th | €500 |
| 5th | €400 |
| 6th | €300 |
| 7th | €200 |
| 8th | €150 |
| 9th | €100 |
| 10th | €50 |
Additional A-Open prize pools:
Rating prizes: at least €700 in total
Women’s prizes: at least €200 in total
Senior prizes (age 60+): at least €250 in total
Youth prizes (born 2008 or later): at least €200 in total
Various book and material prizes
AS-Open and B-Open (separate prize lists in each tournament)
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €500 |
| 2nd | €300 |
| 3rd | €200 |
| 4th | €100 |
Additional AS/B prizes in each of these groups:
Women’s, youth, and senior prizes
Various book and material prizes
C-Open (maximum rating 1600 Elo)
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | €150 |
| 2nd | €100 |
| 3rd | €50 |
The C-Open also features additional book and material prizes for successful players. All guaranteed prizes assume minimum participation of 100 paying players in A-Open, 40 players in AS or B, and 20 players in C-Open.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The organizers run all four tournaments as 7-round Swiss events.
In A-Open, AS-Open, and B-Open, each player receives 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with 30 seconds increment from move one.
In the C-Open, each player receives 2 hours for the entire game without increment.
Results count for DWZ in all sections and for FIDE Elo in A-Open, AS-Open, and B-Open.
Tiebreaks use Buchholz, followed by total Buchholz.
The default (forfeit) time is 30 minutes after the scheduled start of each round.
Players may request one half-point bye for Rounds 1–4 by email no later than January 19, 2026.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating range / notes | Time control |
|---|---|---|
| A-Open | Players with Elo above 2000; top section for stronger and titled players | 90 min / 40 moves + 15 min + 30 s increment from move one |
| AS-Open | Players with Elo roughly 1850–1999; designed to bridge the gap between A and B | 90 min / 40 moves + 15 min + 30 s increment from move one |
| B-Open | Players with Elo approximately 1000–1849 according to the organizers’ criteria | 90 min / 40 moves + 15 min + 30 s increment from move one |
| C-Open | Players with maximum rating 1600 Elo; developing and club-level players | 2 hours for the entire game |
Tournament management makes the final decision on section placement based on Elo/DWZ lists and the official regulations.
📅 Schedule
All rounds take place in the Wandelhalle at the Kurpark in Bad Zwischenahn.
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 29, 2026 | Thursday | 1:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. | On-site registration and final check-in; registration deadline |
| January 29, 2026 | Thursday | 4:20 p.m. | Opening and welcome |
| January 29, 2026 | Thursday | 4:30 p.m. | Round 1 |
| January 30, 2026 | Friday | 10:00 a.m. | Round 2 |
| January 30, 2026 | Friday | 4:00 p.m. | Round 3 |
| January 31, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 a.m. | Round 4 |
| January 31, 2026 | Saturday | 4:00 p.m. | Round 5 |
| February 1, 2026 | Sunday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 6 |
| February 1, 2026 | Sunday | 3:00 p.m. | Round 7 |
| February 1, 2026 | Sunday | 8:00 p.m. | Prize-giving ceremony |
📝 Registration
You register for the NordWest-Cup exclusively online and complete your entry by paying the start fee via bank transfer.
Key points:
Registration deadline: January 19, 2026
No on-site entries on the first tournament day
Entry fees
Standard entry fee: €70
Juniors under 18: €40
GM and IM: free entry
How to register
Use the online registration form on the tournament page:
Submit all requested player data (name, club, rating, federation, contact details).
Transfer the entry fee no later than January 22, 2026 to the organizer’s bank account:
Account holder: SK Union Oldenburg e.V.
Bank: Landessparkasse Oldenburg
IBAN: DE02 2805 0100 0017 1016 01
BIC: SLZODE22XXX
Organizers consider your registration complete only after they receive both the online form and the bank transfer. They reserve the right to close registration earlier if the event reaches its 380-player capacity.
👥 Organizer
Two long-established clubs from Lower Saxony organize the 27th NordWest-Cup:
SK Union Oldenburg e.V. and SC Schwarzer Springer Bad Zwischenahn e.V. cooperate with ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH to deliver a large, well-organized open with clear sections, professional arbiters, and comfortable playing conditions right by the Zwischenahner Meer.
Organizing clubs: SK Union Oldenburg e.V. and SC Schwarzer Springer Bad Zwischenahn e.V.
Chess travel partner: ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH
Address (ChessOrg): Herbartstrasse 7, 26160 Bad Zwischenahn, Germany
Phone (ChessOrg office): +49 4403 1636
🏨 Venue
You play all rounds in the Wandelhalle am Kurpark Bad Zwischenahn, a spacious events hall located directly by the Kurpark and the Zwischenahner Meer. The venue offers ample room for all four tournaments, natural light, and the quiet surroundings of a traditional spa resort, which helps you focus on long classical games while still enjoying a scenic lakeside environment between rounds.
🛎️ Accommodation
The NordWest-Cup cooperates with ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH, which arranges partner hotels and guesthouses in Bad Zwischenahn for participants and accompanying guests.
ChessOrg provides dedicated hotel packages and recommendations for the NordWest-Cup.
You can review current partner options and booking details via the “Schachhotels” section on the ChessOrg website:
For personalized hotel advice and package information, you can contact ChessOrg directly by phone.
Staying in or near the Kurpark area keeps you within easy walking distance of the Wandelhalle and the lake promenade.
🚗 How to Get There
Bad Zwischenahn lies in Lower Saxony between Oldenburg and Leer and offers convenient rail and road connections.
By train: Travel to Bad Zwischenahn railway station (on the line between Oldenburg and Leer) and walk or take a short taxi ride to the Kurpark and Wandelhalle.
By car: Use the A28 motorway and take the exit for Bad Zwischenahn, then follow local signs toward “Kurpark” and “Wandelhalle”; parking is available in the spa and town-center area.
By air: You can fly to nearby airports such as Bremen or Hamburg, then continue by train or rental car to Bad Zwischenahn.
Plan to arrive on Thursday early afternoon so you can complete registration by 3:30 p.m. and sit down for Round 1 in a relaxed state.
You can spend four focused days by the Zwischenahner Meer, fight for a share of a strong prize fund in well-matched rating groups, and enjoy classic German tournament hospitality at the 27th NordWest-Cup 2026 in Bad Zwischenahn.