The 2nd Herkules Cup 2027 is scheduled for January 22–24, 2027, in Kassel, Germany. This three-day chess Open takes place at Future Space, a centrally located educational and community venue on Wilhelmsstraße 2. The competition follows the first CAISSA Kassel x Future Space Herkules Cup, which brought over-the-board chess to the city’s accessible learning space in late 2025.

The January 2027 tournament is listed on the international chess calendar and has a dedicated entry on the Chess-Results tournament server. The location is convenient for visitors arriving by train because Kassel’s main city-center station, tram network, restaurants and a range of hotels are nearby. Players can combine a full weekend at the chessboard with visits to the historic center of Kassel and its museums.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The Herkules Cup is a multi-day, over-the-board chess competition rather than a one-day rapid event. The second edition has its own January 22–24, 2027 calendar listing. For the practical details of play, competitors should use the current Chess-Results event entry and the edition’s tournament documentation before making arrangements based on exact round times.

The first Herkules Cup, held in November 2025, used five Swiss-system rounds with FIDE Elo and German DWZ evaluation and a time control of 90 minutes plus a 15-second move increment. That is useful historical context for returning players, but the 2027 competition must be governed by its own announcement. The current edition’s final clock settings, round starts, default time and rating registration take precedence over the first event’s procedures.

Swiss-system events pair players with reference to their accumulated scores, normally giving everyone a chance to play throughout the tournament without elimination after a single loss. Players should bring their normal tournament equipment and identification details if requested by the organizer. Familiarity with the standard FIDE rules, clock etiquette and result reporting will make it easier to settle into a serious multi-day chess event.

♟️ Tournament Format & Participants

The event is listed as an Open in Kassel. The first Herkules Cup welcomed club players and other chess enthusiasts and connected the local CAISSA chess community with the Future Space project. The name Herkules Cup refers to Kassel’s famous Hercules monument, one of the city’s landmarks, while the playing venue itself is in the downtown district.

Because the 2027 tournament has a dedicated entry in the Chess-Results database, players can use that page to review published entry information, participant updates and—when uploaded by the tournament administrators—pairings and standings. These are especially useful for a weekend Open, where knowing the correct first-round information and your assigned board helps avoid delays when arriving from another city.

Players competing in a German chess event may encounter both an international FIDE Elo and the national DWZ rating system. The applicability of each rating system to the second Herkules Cup should be taken from the 2027 announcement. Visitors from abroad should verify any required FIDE ID, federation membership or local registration conditions through the organizer’s official tournament contact before travel.

📅 Schedule

The 2027 competition takes place over three consecutive calendar days, beginning on Friday, January 22 and ending on Sunday, January 24. This format can work well for visitors who arrive in Kassel on Thursday evening or Friday morning and remain for the weekend. The central playing venue also makes it practical to return to a nearby hotel between sessions.

For planning purposes, the complete weekend is best treated as a chess commitment until the 2027 playing timetable is finalized. The first edition had both morning and afternoon rounds, but visitors should not assume that its exact pattern will be repeated. Confirm the current first-round check-in and the final-day finishing arrangements before booking a nonrefundable train ticket.

📝 Registration

For tournament entry information and the participant list, start with the 2nd Herkules CUP 2027 Chess-Results page. The previous tournament was organized through Bauernwalze and SVG CAISSA Kassel in association with Future Space. The official contact for that tournament initiative has been kontakt@bauernwalze.com; entrants should confirm the responsible contact and the updated payment instructions for the 2027 edition through the current tournament announcement.

When requesting entry information, include your full name, federation, club, and rating identification details if you have them. For family groups or junior participants, it is helpful to indicate the number of players and any accessibility needs. Those facts help the organizers answer questions about eligibility and the space available at the downtown venue.

Do not assume that an old entry fee, bank account or payment deadline applies to the new edition. For comparison, the first Herkules Cup used a separate advance-payment arrangement, but tournament charges and instructions can change between editions. Register only through the method listed for 2027 and keep the entry confirmation with your travel documents.

🏛️ Organizer

The first Herkules Cup was hosted by SVG CAISSA Kassel e.V. and the tournament initiative Bauernwalze, working with Future Space. CAISSA is a chess club active in North Hesse, with regular club evenings, youth chess, team competition and open community events. Its normal club meeting point in the Harleshausen district is distinct from the downtown Future Space playing venue.

Future Space is a nonprofit educational initiative that offers accessible activities in science, technology, mathematics and chess. Its weekly chess sessions make the collaboration a natural connection between tournament chess and local chess education. Learn more through the SVG CAISSA Kassel organizer profile and the Future Space chess program. Use the edition-specific 2027 listing for the final event administration.

📍 Venue

Future Space, Wilhelmsstraße 2, 34117 Kassel, Hesse, Germany

Future Space occupies a central location in the Wilhelmsstraße shopping and cultural district of Kassel. It is an educational and community learning space rather than a conventional chess hotel. The building is a few streets away from the city hall (Rathaus), the major tram stops and the pedestrian streets around Obere Königsstraße, making it straightforward to reach without a car.

The venue is maintained as a welcoming learning environment with opportunities for hands-on workshops and chess. The city of Kassel confirms that the Future Space site offers barrier-free access. On arrival, use the Wilhelmsstraße 2 address, identify the designated Herkules Cup playing area, and follow any entry instructions supplied by the tournament administrators. Normal public opening hours are not a substitute for the chess event’s own check-in schedule.

For directions and venue questions, the official Future Space contact page lists Wilhelmsstraße 2, 34117 Kassel. The organization also identifies Kassel Hauptbahnhof, Rathaus, Scheidemannplatz and Ständeplatz as nearby public transport reference points. Paid parking is available in central Kassel, including parking facilities in the Wilhelmsstraße district.

🏨 Accommodation

For a three-day tournament in central Kassel, staying within walking distance of Wilhelmsstraße can simplify both the first morning and the final day. Unlike a congress center attached to a hotel, Future Space is not an accommodation property, so competitors need to reserve a separate room or apartment. The locations below are all in central Kassel and provide different advantages, from an apartment with a kitchen to conventional hotel breakfast service.

The individual booking links are set to Thursday, January 21 check-in and Monday, January 25 check-out, 2027, providing a flexible extra night before and after the competition. Guests can change these dates in the booking process. Room inventory, cancellation terms and final nightly prices depend on the exact travel dates and chosen room type.

Limehome Kassel Wilhelmsstraße is on the same street as the playing hall and may suit players who want a simple independent stay. Hotel am Rathaus is another nearby option in the pedestrian district. Stadthotel Kassel offers traditional hotel accommodation and a central location near other city services. Compare amenities, breakfast and check-in conditions alongside the displayed rates; cheaper rooms may not always include the services you need before a chess round.

🍽️ Nearby Restaurants & Cafés

Central Kassel has several restaurants within a short walk of the playing venue. This is convenient for a multi-day chess event because players can get lunch, coffee or dinner without using public transport. The options below cover different cuisines, allowing participants to choose either a quick meal or a more relaxed sit-down experience after their games.

Restaurant hours can change on Fridays and Sundays, and a long chess game does not always finish at a predictable moment. Check opening times and consider reserving a table for a group. For shorter breaks between games, a nearby café or takeaway may be easier than a full restaurant meal.

🚆 How to Get There

The address to use is Future Space, Wilhelmsstraße 2, 34117 Kassel. The venue is in downtown Kassel, close to several tram and bus lines and within reach of the main city railway station. Visitors arriving on German long-distance trains may use Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe, the main ICE stop, then take a tram toward the city center.

If this is your first trip to Kassel, distinguish Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe (the major ICE railway station) from Kassel Hauptbahnhof (the central city station). Both connect to the downtown area, but the best final route depends on where your train stops. Allow extra time for winter weather and for locating the correct tournament room inside Future Space.

ℹ️ Other Information

Kassel is associated with the Herkules monument and the UNESCO-listed Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, while the town center offers museums, shopping and restaurants. The Herkules Cup takes its name from this local landmark, but the chess event itself is in the city center, not at the monument. Players hoping to visit Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe should plan that trip outside their scheduled chess games.

The first Herkules Cup took place in November 2025 at Future Space and combined a local chess-club initiative with an accessible city-center venue. The 2027 edition continues the same event name at a convenient location for train travelers. For current participant information and any updated rules, check the 2027 Chess-Results listing and the local CAISSA Kassel website.

When planning a tournament weekend in January, book accommodation with appropriate flexibility, confirm how to reach the venue, and keep the organizer’s registration confirmation accessible. A downtown location makes a car optional for many visitors, but the exact start of each game should be determined by the official event notice rather than by general business hours at Future Space.