33rd Rhein-Ahr-Mosel Youth Open 2026 The 33rd Rhein-Ahr-Mosel Youth Open 2026 will take place at Pellenzhalle Nickenich on Saturday, September 5. The long-running youth rapid tournament welcomes players born in 2008 or later and separates the field into five age groups.
Seven Swiss rounds are played at 15 minutes plus a five-second increment per move. The U18, U14, U12, U10 and U8 groups compete separately, allowing participants to play against opponents close to their own age.
Every player receives a material prize and certificate, while the top three players in each age group receive trophies. The organizer also provides affordable lunch, drinks, coffee and cake at the venue.
📌 Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Date | September 5, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Nickenich, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany |
| 🏛️ Venue | Pellenzhalle Nickenich |
| ♟️ Format | 7-round Swiss rapid |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 15 minutes + 5 seconds per move |
| 🎂 Eligibility | Players born in 2008 or later |
| 🏁 Age Groups | U18, U14, U12, U10 and U8 |
| 💶 Entry Fee | €10 |
| 🕚 Start | 11:00 a.m. |
| 🏅 Awards | Prize and certificate for every player; trophies for top three in every age group |
| 🌐 Official Flyer | https://www.schachbund.de/turnierdetails/33-rhein-ahr-mosel-jugend-open.html?file=files%2Fdsb_rm%2Fmember_calendar%2FFlyer-Schachtreff-Nickenich-2026-klein.pdf |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The event uses seven Swiss rounds. All games use 15 minutes plus a five-second increment from move one.
Age groups play separately: U18 covers 2008–2011, U14 covers 2012–2013, U12 covers 2014–2015, U10 covers 2016–2017 and U8 covers 2018 or later.
Registered players must confirm attendance by 10:45 a.m. A player arriving after the confirmation deadline starts in Round 2.
The regulations do not publish a separate default-time rule beyond the attendance procedure, so players should be present before 10:45 a.m.
🏆 Prize Fund
| Place / Category | Prize / Award |
|---|---|
| Every participant | Material prize and certificate |
| U18 | Trophies for 1st–3rd |
| U14 | Trophies for 1st–3rd |
| U12 | Trophies for 1st–3rd |
| U10 | Trophies for 1st–3rd |
| U8 | Trophies for 1st–3rd |
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section / Group | Eligibility | Format / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U18 | Born 2008–2011 | Separate age-group competition |
| U14 | Born 2012–2013 | Separate age-group competition |
| U12 | Born 2014–2015 | Separate age-group competition |
| U10 | Born 2016–2017 | Separate age-group competition |
| U8 | Born 2018 or later | Separate age-group competition |
🎖️ Eligibility, Titles & Qualification
| Route / Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Age requirement | Born in 2008 or later |
| Age-group assignment | Based on the published birth-year ranges |
| Registration status | Advance entry plus attendance confirmation by 10:45 a.m. |
| Late arrival | Player begins in Round 2 |
🗓️ Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| September 4 | End of day | Advance registration deadline |
| September 5 | By 10:45 a.m. | Attendance confirmation |
| September 5 | 11:00 a.m. | Round 1 |
| September 5 | Daytime | Rounds 2–7 |
| September 5 | Approximately 5:30 p.m. | Awards ceremony |
📝 Registration
| Registration Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Entry fee | €10 |
| Advance deadline | September 4, 2026 |
| Payment | Bank transfer to Schachfreunde Nickenich e.V. |
| IBAN | DE76 5765 0010 0022 0018 87 |
| BIC | MALADE51MYN |
| Confirmation | Registered players must report by 10:45 a.m. |
| Tournament website | https://schachtreff-nickenich.de/ |
👤 Organizer
| Organizer Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Organizer | Schachfreunde Nickenich e.V. |
| Contact person | Chairman Jens Wohde |
| Phone | +49 2652 934928 |
| info@schachtreff-nickenich.de | |
| Patron | Sebastian Busch, Mayor of Verbandsgemeinde Pellenz |
| Organizer website | https://schachtreff-nickenich.de/ |
| German Chess Federation listing | https://www.schachbund.de/turnierdetails/33-rhein-ahr-mosel-jugend-open.html |
📍 Venue
Pellenzhalle Nickenich – Kolpingstraße, 56645 Nickenich, Germany.
Parking is available on Kolpingstraße and Jahnstraße. The hall is near the primary-school area, and organizer signage should be followed on arrival.
🚗 How to Get There
| Travel Option | Practical Details |
|---|---|
| By train | Use Andernach or Koblenz as the principal rail hubs. Check services through https://int.bahn.de/en. |
| By regional bus | Confirm the Saturday connection from Andernach or Kruft to Nickenich. |
| By air | Cologne Bonn Airport is a practical international airport: https://www.cologne-bonn-airport.com/en/. |
| By car | Approach through the A61/A48 regional network and use Kolpingstraße for navigation. |
| Parking | Use the published parking areas on Kolpingstraße and Jahnstraße without blocking school or emergency access. |
Transport timetables, engineering work, road conditions and parking rules may change. Players should verify the final route shortly before departure and retain the organizer’s contact details.
🏨 Accommodation Near the Venue
| Accommodation Option | Details / URL |
|---|---|
| Seehotel Maria Laach | https://www.seehotel-maria-laach.de/en/ |
| Hotel Am Martinsberg, Andernach | https://www.hotel-am-martinsberg.de/ |
| PURS, Andernach | https://www.purs.com/en/ |
| Practical note | Nickenich, Andernach and the Maria Laach area are practical bases; verify Saturday transport and parking |
Accommodation is not included unless the official regulations state otherwise. Before payment, confirm the exact property, dates, room type, taxes, cancellation terms, breakfast hours, accessibility, parking and travel time to the venue.
🛂 Visa & Travel Documents
International participants should confirm German and Schengen entry requirements for their nationality before travel.
The tournament does not publish a dedicated invitation-letter procedure. Any documentation request should be sent directly to the organizer well before the entry deadline.
ℹ️ Other Information
The organizer provides affordable lunch, drinks, coffee and cake. Participants should notify the organizer in advance about any important dietary or accessibility requirement.
Registration includes consent to the event’s published data-processing provisions. For players under 16, the parent or legal guardian provides the required consent.
Parents and guardians should plan supervision and collection for the full tournament day.
The age-group structure should be checked carefully when submitting the entry. The four-year U18 range differs from the two-year bands used in the younger groups, and the player’s birth year—not current school class—determines placement. Parents should include accurate birth information so the organizer can prepare separate pairings and awards correctly.
The 10:45 attendance confirmation is operationally important. Advance payment secures the registration, but the player still needs to report on time. A participant arriving after that cutoff does not join the first-round pairing and begins with Round 2, which can materially affect the final score in a seven-round event.
The organizer’s food service makes it possible to remain at Pellenzhalle throughout the day, but families should still confirm allergies and special dietary needs in advance. Parents of younger children should also decide who will supervise the player between rounds and who is authorized to collect the child after the expected 5:30 p.m. awards ceremony.
Each age group has its own trophy places, while every participant receives a material prize and certificate. The event therefore emphasizes both competitive results and broad youth participation. The public flyer does not advertise a cash fund, so no monetary prize total is entered in the import field.
✅ Final Checks Before Travel
Before travelling, players should complete the following checks against the latest organizer information.
| Check | Action |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Confirm that the player was born in 2008 or later and has been entered in the correct U18, U14, U12, U10 or U8 age group. |
| Entry | Complete advance registration by September 4 and retain the organizer’s confirmation. |
| Arrival | Plan to be at Pellenzhalle before the 11:00 start, allowing time for check-in and parking. |
| Equipment | Bring any personal items requested by the organizer and verify whether chess clocks are supplied. |
| Food and travel | Carry cash or another suitable payment method for venue catering and check the final journey plan before leaving. |
🔗 Official Resources
| Resource | Official URL |
|---|---|
| Official DSB tournament listing | https://www.schachbund.de/turnierdetails/33-rhein-ahr-mosel-jugend-open.html |
| Official regulations PDF | https://www.schachbund.de/turnierdetails/33-rhein-ahr-mosel-jugend-open.html?file=files%2Fdsb_rm%2Fmember_calendar%2FFlyer-Schachtreff-Nickenich-2026-klein.pdf |
| Organizer website | https://schachtreff-nickenich.de/ |
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.