The Åpent Finnmarksmesterskap NGP 2026 takes place from October 9 to 11, 2026, at Scandic Hammerfest in Hammerfest, Norway. Hammerfest Sjakklubb welcomes players to the annual open Finnmark championship for a five-round weekend tournament.

The competition uses the FIDE Dutch Swiss system, with all players competing in one group. Moreover, the championship forms part of the Norwegian Grand Prix as an NGP90 tournament, where eligible competitors can earn up to 90 NGP points.

The tournament is open to members of Norges Sjakkforbund (NSF). However, only players who belong to a chess club in Finnmark can receive the official Finnmark Champion title.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The organizer runs five rounds using the FIDE Dutch Swiss system.

The time control changes during the weekend. Rounds 2, 3, and 4 use 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move from move one. However, the organizer shortens the opening and final rounds to 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move.

The official invitation explains that the shorter Friday evening and Sunday final-round time controls make travel easier for players coming from outside Hammerfest.

Tie-Breaks

Players are ranked according to the following criteria, in order:

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer publishes the following overall prizes. However, this prize schedule is subject to a minimum field of 20 participants.

In addition, the organizer awards class prizes. At least 50% of the collected entry fees goes toward prizes in accordance with the NGP regulations.

♟️ Sections / Groups

All participants initially compete in one combined group.

Although the tournament is open to NSF members generally, the Finnmark Champion title can only go to a player who belongs to a chess club in Finnmark.

The organizer notes that the single-group format may change if circumstances require it. Therefore, players should check the official TournamentService page for any later update.

📅 Schedule

The tournament runs from Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026.

Round 5 starts approximately 30 minutes after Round 4 finishes.

The organizer deliberately uses a shorter time control for Friday’s first round and Sunday’s final round to simplify travel for visiting players.

📝 Registration

Online registration closes on Friday, October 9, 2026 at 17:00.

Players should register by October 9 to avoid an increased entry fee. The official invitation does not specify the amount of the increased fee.

Entry Fees

Players can pay the entry fee through Vipps from the TournamentService registration interface.

Players who withdraw at least one week before the tournament can receive a refund of their entry fee. However, they must notify the organizer about the withdrawal.

Official tournament and registration page:

https://www1.tournamentservice.com/invitation.aspx?TID=ApentFinnmarksmesterskap2026-HammerfestSjakklubb

🏛️ Organizer

📍 Venue

Scandic Hammerfest – Sørøygata 15, 9600 Hammerfest, Norway.

The championship takes place in the spacious event facilities at Scandic Hammerfest. The hotel sits in central Hammerfest, approximately 0.1 km from the city center.

Scandic Hammerfest has meeting and conference facilities, as well as accommodation, a restaurant, bar, and accessible public areas. Therefore, players who stay at the tournament hotel can also play the event in the same property.

🏨 Accommodation

The tournament invitation offers special accommodation in cooperation with the tournament hotel. It refers to the property by its former name, Rica Hotel Hammerfest; the hotel now operates as Scandic Hammerfest.

The organizer must submit one combined room booking by September 9, 2026. Therefore, players who want the tournament accommodation should tell the organizer how many rooms they require and which room type they prefer before that deadline.

Tournament Accommodation Rates

The rates come directly from the tournament invitation and apply to the organizer’s group accommodation arrangement.

Official hotel website:

https://www.scandichotels.com/en/hotels/scandic-hammerfest

✈️ How to Get There

From Hammerfest Airport

Hammerfest Airport (HFT) is the local airport serving the city. Widerøe operates the airport’s scheduled flights, including direct connections with destinations such as Tromsø and Alta.

Players arriving by air can continue from the airport toward central Hammerfest, where Scandic Hammerfest is located.

Official Hammerfest Airport information:

https://www.avinor.no/en/airport/hammerfest/

Local Public Transport

Finnmark county operates public transport in Hammerfest under the Snelandia brand. The network includes buses and other regional public transport services.

Because schedules can change before October, players should use the official Snelandia journey planner before travelling.

https://snelandia.no/

ℹ️ Other Information

🏅 NGP90 Status

The 2026 Finnmark championship is an approved Norges Grand Prix NGP90 tournament.

Consequently, players who compete in the Norwegian Grand Prix can earn up to 90 NGP points from the event.

🏆 Finnmark Champion

The tournament itself is open to members of Norges Sjakkforbund. However, the Finnmark Champion title has a narrower eligibility requirement.

Only a player who belongs to a chess club in Finnmark can receive the championship title.

♟️ Tournament Format

The competition is an individual five-round tournament. All participants initially play in the same group, and the organizer uses the FIDE Dutch Swiss pairing system.

🔗 Official Tournament Information

Official TournamentService invitation:

https://www1.tournamentservice.com/invitation.aspx?TID=ApentFinnmarksmesterskap2026-HammerfestSjakklubb

FIDE tournament record:

https://ratings.fide.com/tournament_information.phtml?event=487106

Official venue website:

https://www.scandichotels.com/en/hotels/scandic-hammerfest