Chess players head to Germany’s famous spa resort for the 5th International Baden-Badener Faschings-Open 2026, played from February 13-17, 2026 in Baden-Baden, Germany. You spend five days at the elegant Kulturhaus LA8 on the Lichtentaler Allee, play nine classical rounds in one of three rating groups, and fight for a share of a €7,150 prize fund in a strong international field.

You choose freely between the A-Open (open to all), the B-Open (DWZ under 1800), or the C-Open (DWZ under 1400) and enjoy a modern 90+30 time control, clear prize structures, and the chance to score FIDE norms in the top sections. The Schachzentrum Baden-Baden e.V. runs the festival during the Baden-Württemberg winter carnival holidays, offers special prizes for women, youth, seniors, and teams, and uses DWZ and Elo rating so every game matters for your rating progression.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

Overall prize distribution

The first prize in each open is guaranteed. The organizers pay the remaining prizes in the A-Open from 50 paying participants, in the B-Open from 25, and in the C-Open from 15. They do not allow double cash prizes; each player receives only one prize (the highest-value one they qualify for).

Special prizes

A-Open

B-Open

Special prizes are paid when at least 5 players compete in the relevant category. The organizers require prize winners to attend the closing ceremony to receive prize money.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

• All three opens use the same classical time control: 90 minutes for the whole game plus 30 seconds increment per move from move one.

• The festival runs as a 9-round Swiss in each section.

• The organizers rate all events for DWZ, and they also rate the A-Open and B-Open for FIDE Elo, so strong performances can yield Elo gains and title norms.

• In case of equal points, Buchholz decides the prize order; the organizers do not split prizes.

• You may request one half-point bye in the first five rounds (Rounds 1–5). You must request the bye before the end of the previous round; for a Round 1 bye, you must both pay the entry fee and request it by February 6, 2026.

• The arbiters apply the current FIDE Laws of Chess and German Chess Federation regulations throughout the event.

📂 Sections / Groups

For players without DWZ or Elo, the tournament director assigns the appropriate section based on playing strength; the organizers request advance registration in those cases.

📅 Schedule

The organizers start the prize-giving immediately after the last round, and prize winners need to stay until the end of the ceremony.

📝 Registration

You secure your place by pre-registering and paying the entry fee by bank transfer before the deadline; you still must check in at the venue on the first day.

Entry fees (when paid by February 6, 2026)

• Supplement for payment on the tournament day (until 6:00 p.m.): +€10 per player in each section (A: €90/70, B: €80/60, C: €70/50).

• GM, IM, and players with Elo ≥2400 enter the A-Open free of charge.

Bank transfer

• Account holder: Schachzentrum Baden-Baden e.V.

• IBAN: DE65 6625 0030 0030 2291 40

• Bank: Sparkasse Baden-Baden Gaggenau

• BIC: SOLADES1BAD

When you pay, you include your full name, date of birth, and club in the reference line. You report to the tournament office in person by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026, even if you pre-registered and paid, so the organizers can confirm your participation in the pairings.

👥 Organizer

The Schachzentrum Baden-Baden e.V. runs the 5th International Baden-Badener Faschings-Open and brings extensive experience in organizing high-level tournaments and training events in one of Germany’s most famous chess towns. An experienced arbiter team led by international and FIDE arbiters ensures professional conditions and fair play across all three opens.

• Organizer: Schachzentrum Baden-Baden e.V.

• Tournament director: Sven Noppes

• Chief arbiter / arbiters: Michael Rütten (International Arbiter), WGM Hanna Marie Klek (FIDE Arbiter), Sven Noppes (FIDE Arbiter)

• Email: td@schachzentrum-baden-baden.de

• Website: https://www.schachzentrum-baden-baden.de/

🏨 Venue

You play all rounds at Kulturhaus LA8, Lichtentaler Allee 8, 76530 Baden-Baden, Germany. The building lies directly on the famous park-lined boulevard by the Oos river and offers bright, spacious playing halls, a central location in the spa district, and easy access to cafés, restaurants, and the city’s main attractions between rounds.

🚗 How to Get There

Baden-Baden sits in southwestern Germany near the Rhine and the Black Forest and offers excellent transport connections.

• By train: Travel to Baden-Baden Hauptbahnhof, then continue by local bus or taxi toward the city center and Lichtentaler Allee; Kulturhaus LA8 lies a short walk from the center.

• By car: Use the A5 motorway and take the Baden-Baden exit, then follow the signs to the city center and Lichtentaler Allee. You find parking options in nearby public garages and street parking zones.

• By air: Fly into Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB) or Stuttgart and continue by train, bus, or rental car toward Baden-Baden.

You plan to arrive early on Friday afternoon so you can check in before 6:00 p.m., settle at the board, and start Round 1 in a relaxed frame of mind.

You can turn the carnival holidays into a focused chess getaway, play nine serious classical games in a beautiful spa town, and chase rating gains and prizes at the 5th International Baden-Badener Faschings-Open 2026.

🧾 Other

• The organizers rate all sections for DWZ and rate the A-Open and B-Open for FIDE Elo; norms may be possible in the top sections when conditions are met.

• They do not split cash prizes and use Buchholz as the deciding tiebreak factor when players share the same score.

• Special-category prizes (youth, seniors, women, teams) pay out when at least five players or one qualifying team enter the respective category.

• For prize payments, the organizers require the personal presence of the prize winner at the closing ceremony; otherwise, they forfeit the right to cash prizes.