Honor a Canterbury chess legend at the Arie Nijman Memorial 2026 on May 15-17, 2026 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Canterbury Chess Club runs a 6-round Swiss that counts for FIDE and NZCF rating and uses a serious classical time control with increment. The event also incorporates the All Canterbury Championships and offers a $1,000 guaranteed cash prize fund with both open and rating-band prizes. If you want a tightly scheduled weekend tournament with clear regulations and a friendly on-site atmosphere, this memorial open fits perfectly.

Crockfords Bridge Club hosts the games on Riccarton Road and supports players with complimentary hot drinks, water, and provided scoresheets and pens. The organizer publishes provisional pairings after each round but confirms official pairings 30 minutes before the next round start. You can take one half-point bye in the first four rounds, and you can register online with payment by bank transfer or credit card. The tournament limits the field to 64 players and uses a waiting list after it fills.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The tournament guarantees a total cash prize fund of $1,000 and may increase it if entries allow. The tournament shares prizes between players on the same number of points and does not use tie-breaks for prize decisions. A player may not win more than one open or grade prize, but a player may also win the All Canterbury Championship prize as an additional prize.

Open prizes

Rating prizes

All Canterbury Championship

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament runs a 6-round Swiss and pairs games with the assistance of Vega. Each game uses 90 minutes per player with a 30-second increment from move 1. The event submits results for FIDE and NZCF rating, and it bases pairings and rating-based prizes on NZCF ratings; the arbiter may assign a rating to players without an NZCF rating for the tournament. The organizer publishes provisional pairings after all games finish in a round, then confirms final pairings 30 minutes before the next round start. The default time is 30 minutes after the round start.

📂 Sections / Groups

The tournament runs a single open Swiss section and awards both open prizes and NZCF rating-based prizes within the same event.

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

Register using the online entry form:
https://forms.gle/jF5DVU2PacTPe5ne7

Pay by internet banking or credit card. For credit card payment (booking and processing fees apply), use:
https://events.humanitix.com/arie-nijman-memorial-2026/tickets

For online banking, pay to:
03 0802 0093915 000
Reference: Your name + Nijman
Account name: Canterbury Chess Club Incorporated

The organizer limits entries to the first 64 registrations and places additional entries on a waiting list if the event fills. Players who have not checked in by 6:30 PM may not be paired for Round 1, and players who cannot check in by 6:30 PM should send a text message to the organizer at 021 1289543.

New Zealand players who play two or more NZCF-rated tournaments in a calendar year must hold membership with an NZCF affiliate or associate member club, and Canterbury Chess Club offers membership options from $20. The event requires a FIDE ID; NZL players without a FIDE ID receive an automatic assignment, and non-NZL players must obtain a FIDE ID from their national federation.

👥 Organizer

Canterbury Chess Club organizes the Arie Nijman Memorial as a FIDE- and NZCF-rated weekend open and incorporates the All Canterbury Championships within the same event. The organiser and chief arbiter coordinates entries, round operations, and tournament decisions, including appeals and pairing publication, through the official event channels and direct contact.

• Email: canterbury@chess.org.nz

• Phone: 021 1289543

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/arienijmanmemorial

🏨 Venue

Crockfords Bridge Club, 218 Riccarton Road, Christchurch, New Zealand
Crockfords Bridge Club hosts the tournament in a dedicated club venue on Riccarton Road. The organizer provides hot drinks and water throughout the event and supplies NZCF carbon scoresheets and pens. The tournament requires notation for all games.

🛎️ Accommodation

Riccarton Motor Lodge (next to the venue)
https://riccartonmotorlodge.co.nz/

Fyffe on Riccarton (next to Riccarton Motor Lodge)
https://fyffeonriccarton.co.nz/

Golden Hotel Christchurch (across the road from the venue)
https://www.goldenhotel229.com/

🚗 How to Get There

Arrive in Christchurch and travel to 218 Riccarton Road for Crockfords Bridge Club. A bus stop sits outside the venue and another sits across the road with frequent services on multiple routes. Check routes and timetables here:
https://www.metroinfo.co.nz/

Play six focused classical games, chase the guaranteed prizes, and help celebrate a legacy event in Canterbury chess.

🧾 Other

The tournament allows one half-point bye in any of the first four rounds, and a player may not take more than one half-point bye; request a Round 1 bye in the entry form or by email, and request later byes before the completion of the previous round. Players may appeal an arbiter decision in writing before making another move or within 15 minutes after the game ends; the organizer charges a $50 fee and may refund it when the appeal succeeds or at the discretion of the Appeals Committee. Players may not have a mobile phone, electronic communication device, or any device capable of suggesting moves on their person in the playing venue during a game; a player may store switched-off devices in a bag or jacket left under the table or on the back of the chair unless the arbiter grants permission, and a breach results in loss of game unless the arbiter decides otherwise. Spectators may take photos during the first five minutes of a round. If a player withdraws prior to 15 May, the organizer refunds the entry fee; if a player is removed from the tournament or cannot continue on or after 15 May, the organizer pays no refund. If the tournament cancels after 50% of scheduled rounds, it awards prizes based on standings at that point and does not refund entry fees; if it cancels before that point, it refunds entry fees to the maximum extent possible after covering costs and awards no prizes.