56th Pokal des Handwerks Seiffen 2027
The 56th Pokal des Handwerks Seiffen 2027 will take place from March 1–7, 2027 in the traditional German toy-making town of Kurort Seiffen. The tournament returns to the Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe, where players will compete in seven rounds of classical chess alongside a week-long programme of social and chess activities.
The event is organized by Handwerker-Sportvereinigung Eintracht Seiffen e.V., with Simone Frübing serving as Tournament Director and Dr. Andreas Herold as Chief Arbiter.
The tournament is limited to 80 players and is already fully booked. The organizer has therefore opened a waiting list for players who would still like the opportunity to participate.
♟️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 1–7, 2027 |
| Playing Dates | March 1–6, 2027 |
| Country | Germany |
| City | Kurort Seiffen |
| Venue | Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe |
| Rounds | 7 |
| System | Swiss System |
| Time Control | 90 min/40 moves + 30 min + 30 sec/move |
| Rating | DWZ rated |
| Maximum Players | 80 |
| Current Status | Fully booked – waiting list active |
| Entry Fee | €50 / approx. $60 |
| Tournament Director | Simone Frübing |
| Chief Arbiter | Dr. Andreas Herold |
| Organizer | Handwerker-Sportvereinigung Eintracht Seiffen e.V. |
| Chess-Results | https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1467950.aspx?SNode=S0&lan=2&turdet=YES |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament is played over seven rounds using the Swiss system.
The time control is:
90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment per move from move one.
The tournament results will be submitted for German DWZ rating calculation.
The official Chess-Results listing does not currently indicate FIDE rating calculation.
Forfeit Time
The waiting time is 30 minutes.
A player arriving more than 30 minutes after the scheduled start of a round may therefore lose the game by forfeit.
🏆 Prize Fund
The organizers have not announced a monetary cash prize fund.
Instead, the tournament continues its traditional prize format based on trophies and products from the famous Seiffen folk-art and handicraft tradition.
Main Awards
The following players receive a travelling Pokal des Handwerks trophy for one year:
- Best overall male player
- Best overall female player
- Best-placed player with a DWZ below 1900
A player who wins the same travelling trophy three times becomes its permanent owner.
The highest-placed participants also receive material prizes consisting of products of Seiffen folk art and craftsmanship.
🧩 Sections / Groups
The Pokal des Handwerks is played as one open Swiss-system tournament rather than separate rating groups.
Players of different playing strengths compete together in the same seven-round event.
A separate special award is reserved for the best-placed player with a DWZ below 1900.
The current participant list includes experienced club players and titled competitors from Germany and neighbouring countries.
📅 Schedule
The tournament combines one classical round per day on most days with several social and side events.
Monday – March 1
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| By 15:00 | Personal Registration |
| After Registration | Pairing / Draw |
| 16:00 | Opening Ceremony |
| Immediately After Opening | Round 1 |
Tuesday – March 2
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Round 2 |
| 15:00 | Afternoon of Remembrance at the Sportlerheim |
| 20:00 | Recreational Bowling |
Players taking part in the bowling evening should bring appropriate sports shoes.
Wednesday – March 3
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Round 3 |
| 15:30 | Round 4 |
Thursday – March 4
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Round 5 |
| 15:00 | Chess Quiz Afternoon with Frank and Nico |
| 19:00 | Individual Blitz Tournament |
Friday – March 5
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Round 6 |
| 14:30 | Excursion |
| 19:00 | Four-Player Team Blitz Tournament |
An additional participation charge may apply to accompanying persons joining the excursion.
Saturday – March 6
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Round 7 |
| 14:00 | Skat |
| 19:00 | Closing Evening & Awards Ceremony |
Sunday – March 7
Departure Day
📝 Registration
The tournament has a maximum capacity of 80 participants.
According to the latest official update, the 56th Pokal des Handwerks 2027 is already fully booked, and further interested players are being placed on a waiting list.
Entry Fee
The standard entry fee is:
€50 / approx. $60
The regular payment period runs from January 1 to February 1, 2027.
Where a place becomes available, later registration may be possible up to shortly before the tournament. A late-entry surcharge of:
€5 / approx. $10
applies.
A €5 administration fee is also charged for cancellations.
Registration Contact
Players interested in joining the waiting list should contact:
Simone Frübing
Email: Pokal.des.Handwerks@gmail.com
Mobile: +49 174 8345868
Registration information should include:
- First and last name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Chess club
- DWZ rating
👤 Organizer
Organizer Name: Handwerker-Sportvereinigung Eintracht Seiffen e.V.
Contact Person: Simone Frübing
Email: Pokal.des.Handwerks@gmail.com
Phone: +49 174 8345868
📍 Venue
Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe – Jahnstraße 23, 09548 Kurort Seiffen, Germany
The Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe is located on a hill above Kurort Seiffen in the Ore Mountains.
The hotel provides the playing venue as well as accommodation, restaurant facilities, Wi-Fi, parking, wellness facilities, and other services for guests.
🚆 How to Get There
Kurort Seiffen is located in the Ore Mountains of Saxony, south of Dresden and close to the Czech border.
✈️ By Air
Dresden Airport (DRS) is the most practical major German airport for the tournament and is approximately 65 km from the venue.
From Dresden, players can continue by rental car or public transport toward Seiffen.
🚆 By Public Transport
One public-transport option from Dresden is to travel by train from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Freiberg, then continue toward Kurort Seiffen by regional bus.
Bus 737 serves Kurort Seiffen from the Freiberg area.
Other regional services, including bus 452, also connect Seiffen with nearby towns.
The final part of the journey to the hotel is easiest by local bus or taxi because the Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe is situated above the town.
🚗 By Car
Kurort Seiffen is approximately 65–70 km from Dresden by road.
The hotel has on-site parking and is located at:
Jahnstraße 23, 09548 Kurort Seiffen
ℹ️ Other Information
🏨 Official Tournament Hotel
The tournament is played at the Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe, which also serves as the principal accommodation option for participants.
Players wishing to stay at the tournament hotel must arrange their rooms directly with the hotel.
The tournament announcement asks players to complete their hotel booking by:
January 18, 2027
When booking, players should quote:
“Schachturnier Pokal des Handwerks”
Hotel contact details:
Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe
Jahnstraße 23
09548 Kurort Seiffen
Germany
Phone: +49 37362 1400
Email: wettiner-hoehe@travdo-hotels.de
Website: https://wettiner-hoehe.travdo-hotels.de/
♟️ Side Events
The Pokal des Handwerks is designed as more than a classical chess tournament.
The week includes several additional activities:
- Individual Blitz Tournament
- Four-Player Team Blitz Tournament
- Chess Quiz Afternoon
- Recreational Bowling
- Organized Excursion
- Skat
- Closing Evening and Awards Ceremony
These activities form an important part of the traditional social character of the event.
📸 Photos & Data Protection
By registering for the tournament, participants consent to the publication of:
- tournament reports;
- results;
- photographs taken during the event.
This consent also applies to publication after the tournament has finished.
🏔️ Kurort Seiffen
Kurort Seiffen is internationally known for its traditional wooden toys and Christmas handicrafts.
This connection is reflected directly in the tournament’s prize tradition, with leading players receiving locally produced Seiffen folk-art items rather than a conventional cash prize fund.
🌐 Official Links
Official Tournament Website:
https://sites.google.com/view/pokaldeshandwerks2025
2027 Regulations:
https://sites.google.com/view/pokaldeshandwerks2025/ausschreibung
Chess-Results:
https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1467950.aspx?SNode=S0&lan=2&turdet=YES
Organizer
♟️ About Pokal des Handwerks Seiffen
Pokal des Handwerks Seiffen is a long-running chess tournament organization based in Kurort Seiffen, Saxony, Germany. Its principal event is the annual Pokal des Handwerks, a traditional multi-day chess tournament that brings players from across Germany and neighbouring countries to the Ore Mountains. The tournament is organized in connection with HSV Eintracht Seiffen e.V., a local multi-sport association whose activities include chess alongside football, badminton, bowling, volleyball, equestrian sport, and other disciplines.
The tournament has developed a distinctive identity through its connection with Seiffen, a town internationally known for its traditional wooden craftsmanship. The name “Pokal des Handwerks” reflects this local heritage. In addition to competitive chess, the event has traditionally included social activities that encourage players to spend several days together in Seiffen. Therefore, the tournament combines serious competition with the atmosphere of a long-established community chess event.
Simone Frübing is the Tournament Director for the 2027 edition and serves as the main contact for tournament participation. She is also an active player associated with HSV Eintracht Seiffen. The event continues to attract a strong field of experienced club players, titled competitors, and regular participants from different parts of Germany.
🏆 Tournaments & Activities
The organization’s flagship competition is the annual Pokal des Handwerks, held in Kurort Seiffen. The tournament is normally played over seven rounds using a classical Swiss-system format.
The 56th Pokal des Handwerks Seiffen 2027 is scheduled for March 1–7, 2027 at the Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe. The tournament has already reached its planned capacity, and the organizers opened a waiting list well before the event.
Alongside the classical competition, previous editions have included additional chess and social activities. These have included blitz tournaments, bowling, and other informal events during the tournament week. This format has helped create a strong community around the competition and contributes to the high number of returning participants.
📜 History & Achievements
The Pokal des Handwerks has been organized for more than five decades, making it one of the established recurring chess tournaments in Saxony. The 55th edition took place in March 2026, when 88 players competed in Seiffen.
The tournament has built its reputation through continuity, a stable playing venue, and close links with the regional chess community. Local craftspeople and businesses have also supported the competition, with trophies and prizes reflecting the traditional character of the Seiffen region.
The 2026 tournament marked the first edition under the tournament leadership of Simone Frübing. The event continued successfully, and preparations for the 56th edition began well in advance. Strong demand resulted in the 2027 tournament becoming fully booked months before the first round.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
