Chessence Open – February 2027 takes place from February 12 to February 14, 2027 at Sauerland Stern Hotel in Willingen (Upland), Germany. The weekend tournament offers five rounds of classical chess across four rating-based groups: Chessence Masters and Premium Open A, B and C.
Chessence submits all four groups for DWZ rating. In addition, the organizer submits Chessence Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B for FIDE Elo rating. Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves and another 15 minutes for the rest of the game. Moreover, a 30-second increment applies from move one.
Cash prizes are guaranteed in every group with at least six participants. In addition, Chessence organizes a separate FIDE-rated Midnight Blitz Tournament on Saturday evening.
♟️ Event Details
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | February 12–14, 2027 |
| 🌍 City / Country | Willingen (Upland), Germany |
| 📍 Venue | Sauerland Stern Hotel – Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland), Germany |
| ♟️ Format | Classical |
| 🔢 Rounds | 5 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 👥 Groups | Chessence Masters, Premium Open A, Premium Open B, Premium Open C |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes for 40 moves + 15 minutes for the rest + 30 seconds per move |
| 📊 DWZ Rating | All four groups |
| 🌐 FIDE Elo Rating | Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B |
| 💶 Entry Fee | €49 |
| ⚡ Side Event | FIDE-rated Midnight Blitz on February 13 |
| 👥 Organizer | Chessence GmbH |
Official Tournament & Registration:
https://kurse.chessence.de/turnier-anmeldung-1/
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
All four classical groups play five rounds using the Swiss system.
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Initial Time | 90 minutes for 40 moves |
| ⏱️ Additional Time | 15 minutes for the remainder of the game |
| ➕ Increment | 30 seconds per move from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 5 |
| 🧩 Pairing System | Swiss system |
| 📊 DWZ Rating | All groups |
| 🌐 FIDE Elo Rating | Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B |
| ⌛ Default Time | 30 minutes |
Chessence follows the applicable FIDE Laws of Chess.
Players must reach their board no later than 30 minutes after the scheduled start of the round. Otherwise, they lose the game by forfeit.
⚖️ Tie-Breaks
Chessence ranks players according to:
- Points
- Sonneborn-Berger
- Additional tie-break criteria if required
⏸️ Half-Point Bye
Players may request one half-point bye in Round 1.
The deadline for requesting the bye is:
February 11, 2027 at 20:00
However, a bye request does not replace attendance confirmation. Therefore, players who request a bye must still confirm their participation by telephone shortly before the tournament.
🏆 Prize Fund
Chessence guarantees cash prizes in every group that reaches at least six participants.
Prizes per Qualifying Group
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 🥇 1st Place | €120 |
| 🥈 2nd Place | €80 |
| 🥉 3rd Place | €40 |
| Total per Group | €240 |
The same prize structure applies to:
Chessence Masters · Premium Open A · Premium Open B · Premium Open C
Chessence does not publish a fixed overall prize fund. Instead, the total guaranteed amount depends on how many groups reach the six-player minimum.
Moreover, the organizer may increase the prize money depending on the number of participants.
🧩 Sections / Groups
Chessence plans four separate rating-based tournaments.
👑 Chessence Masters
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🎯 Standard Eligibility | DWZ and/or FIDE Elo 2000+ |
| 🔄 Optional Entry | Players rated 1950+ may choose Masters |
| ⭐ Membership | Excellence members may enter |
| 📊 Rating | DWZ + FIDE Elo |
| 🆔 FIDE ID | Required |
Normally, players with DWZ and/or FIDE Elo of at least 2000 enter Chessence Masters.
However, players with a DWZ and/or FIDE Elo of at least 1950 may choose between Premium Open A and Chessence Masters during registration.
In addition, holders of the Chessence Excellence membership may enter the Masters group.
🔵 Chessence Premium Open A
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🎯 DWZ Range | 1750–1999 |
| 📊 Rating | DWZ + FIDE Elo |
| 🆔 FIDE ID | Required |
🟠 Chessence Premium Open B
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🎯 DWZ Range | 1500–1749 |
| 📊 Rating | DWZ + FIDE Elo |
| 🆔 FIDE ID | Required |
🟢 Chessence Premium Open C
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🎯 DWZ Range | Below 1500 |
| 📊 Rating | DWZ |
Chessence assigns players automatically according to the rating information entered during registration.
If a player has neither a DWZ nor a FIDE Elo rating, the Tournament Director determines the appropriate group.
Chessence aims for at least 10 participants in each group. Therefore, the Tournament Director may make reasonable adjustments to group assignments when necessary.
For example, Chessence may move a player to another group to avoid an odd number of participants. In addition, the organizer may combine two groups if participation numbers are too low.
🆔 FIDE ID
Players in Chessence Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B need a valid FIDE ID because Chessence submits their games for FIDE Elo rating.
Therefore, Chessence recommends applying for a FIDE ID at least two weeks before the tournament if the player does not already have one.
Premium Open C receives DWZ evaluation but not FIDE Elo evaluation.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| February 11 | 19:00–20:00 | Personal or telephone attendance confirmation |
| February 12 | 08:00–08:45 | Personal or telephone attendance confirmation |
| February 12 | 09:30 | Round 1 |
| February 12 | 15:30 | Round 2 |
| February 13 | 09:00 | Round 3 |
| February 13 | 15:00 | Round 4 |
| February 13 | 21:00 | Midnight Blitz Tournament |
| February 14 | 09:00 | Round 5 |
| February 14 | 14:30 | Prize Ceremony |
Players must confirm their presence in addition to completing the online registration.
Therefore, Chessence cannot guarantee participation in Round 1 if a player misses the attendance-confirmation period.
📝 Registration
Chessence handles all official tournament registrations directly.
Official Registration:
https://kurse.chessence.de/turnier-anmeldung-1/
Registration Conditions
| Registration Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 💶 Entry Fee | €49 |
| ⭐ Free Entry | Chessence Premium and Excellence members |
| ↩️ Refund Deadline | January 29, 2027 |
| 🌐 Online Registration Deadline | February 11, 2027 at 19:00 |
| 📞 Telephone Registration | From February 11 at 19:00 |
| ⏳ Final Registration Deadline | February 12, 2027 at 08:00 |
| ✉️ Questions | kontakt@chessence.de |
Players may register online until February 11 at 19:00.
After that time, Chessence accepts new entries only by telephone. Finally, registration closes completely on February 12 at 08:00.
However, players who have already registered must still confirm their attendance. They can do so on February 11 from 19:00–20:00 or on February 12 from 08:00–08:45.
♟️ Chess Club Membership
Every participant must belong to a chess club.
Chessence specifically warns that players in Premium Open C cannot participate if they have not joined a club by the tournament start.
However, players without a club may join SC Chessence 64 e.V. through the link on the official tournament page.
👥 Organizer
| Organizer Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 👥 Organizer | Chessence GmbH |
| ✉️ Email | kontakt@chessence.de |
| 🌐 Website | https://chessence.de/ |
Players can send tournament questions to:
Chessence will display a telephone number on the official tournament page shortly before the event for tournament-day contact and last-minute registrations.
📍 Venue
Sauerland Stern Hotel – Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland), Germany
The Chessence Open takes place directly at Sauerland Stern Hotel in Willingen.
Therefore, players who choose the tournament accommodation can stay, eat and play at the same location. Moreover, Willingen railway station lies within walking distance of the hotel.
🚆 How to Get There
Venue address: Sauerland Stern Hotel – Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland), Germany
| Travel Option | Distance / Route | Information |
|---|---|---|
| 🚗 By Car | Direct to hotel | Enter Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland) into the navigation system. |
| 🅿️ Tournament Parking | At the hotel | Chessence tournament participants can park free of charge after registering their vehicle through the tournament QR code. |
| 🚆 Willingen Station | Approx. 500 m | The nearest railway station and the simplest rail option for most players. |
| 🚆 Brilon-Wald Station | Approx. 5 km | Alternative regional railway station. |
| 🚄 Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe | Approx. 70 km | Major ICE station for longer-distance rail connections. |
| ✈️ Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport | Approx. 50 km | The nearest airport option listed by the hotel. Continue to Willingen by road transfer. |
🅿️ Free Parking for Tournament Participants
Sauerland Stern Hotel introduced general parking charges on July 15, 2026.
However, Chessence has arranged special conditions for its tournament participants in 2026 and 2027. Therefore, Chessence players can park free of charge after completing the special tournament registration.
To activate free parking:
- Park the vehicle.
- Note the licence plate number.
- Scan the Chessence QR code on the calendar day of arrival.
- Enter the licence plate number.
- Confirm the registration.
Chessence provides the QR code at the tournament desk.
The parking registration remains valid for seven days. Players who remain beyond the validity period must register the vehicle again.
ℹ️ Other Information
🏨 Official Tournament Accommodation
Chessence offers special full-board accommodation at Sauerland Stern Hotel, which also hosts the tournament.
The special allocation covers a maximum of 50 rooms.
| Room / Service | Tournament Rate |
|---|---|
| Single Room + Full Board | €140 per person / night |
| Double Room + Full Board | €120 per person / night |
| Tourist Tax – age 15+ | €3 per person / night |
| Day Guest Meal | €30 per person / meal |
The double-room tournament offer requires a booking for at least two people.
🍽️ Full Board
The tournament hotel package includes:
- Overnight stay and breakfast
- Lunch including soft drinks for 1.5 hours
- Dinner including beer, wine and soft drinks for 1.5 hours
Therefore, players who choose the package can arrange both accommodation and tournament-day meals through Chessence.
📅 Hotel Booking Conditions
Chessence states that participants can use the special hotel conditions until 14 days before the tournament or until the allocation of 50 rooms is reached.
In addition, the online Chessence hotel booking form closes on January 31, 2027.
From February 1, Chessence can no longer guarantee the special conditions, room availability or meal availability. Therefore, participants who still need accommodation from that date should contact Sauerland Stern Hotel directly.
Players who prefer another room category or do not want full board may also book directly with the hotel. In that case, they should select “No” for hotel booking in the Chessence registration form.
🏨 Hotel Contact from February 1
Sandra Kurkowski
Phone: +49 5632 404953
Email: kurkowski@sauerland-stern-hotel.de
Hotel Website:
https://www.sauerland-stern-hotel.de/
⚡ Midnight Blitz Tournament
Chessence also organizes a separate FIDE-rated Midnight Blitz Tournament on:
Saturday, February 13 at 21:00
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 💶 Entry Fee | €5 |
| 🔢 Rounds | Maximum 11 |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move |
| 📊 Rating | FIDE Blitz |
| 🆔 FIDE ID | Required |
Therefore, players who want to participate in the Blitz need a valid FIDE ID.
🔗 Official Links
Official Tournament & Registration:
https://kurse.chessence.de/turnier-anmeldung-1/
Chessence Events:
https://chessence.de/chessence-events/
Chessence:
https://chessence.de/
Sauerland Stern Hotel:
https://www.sauerland-stern-hotel.de/
FIDE Ratings / FIDE ID Search:
https://ratings.fide.com/
Organizer
♟️ About Chessence
Chessence is a German chess school, training platform, and tournament organizer operated by Chessence GmbH and based in Marsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Grandmaster Niclas Huschenbeth founded Chessence in 2018 with the goal of providing structured chess education for players who want measurable improvement. Today, the organization describes itself as Germany’s largest online chess school and reports a community of more than 5,000 students.
Chessence combines digital chess education with live coaching and over-the-board competition. Its programs serve beginners, club players, ambitious tournament competitors, and players above 2000 Elo. Moreover, the organization works with experienced grandmasters, international masters, FIDE masters, and professional coaches to provide lessons covering openings, calculation, positional play, endgames, psychology, and practical game analysis.
Unlike a traditional local chess club, Chessence operates as a modern chess-education company with a nationwide and online community. However, practical tournament chess remains an important part of its training philosophy. Players can study systematically online and then test their progress in Chessence’s live tournaments, seminars, and training weekends.
🏆 Chessence Open and Live Tournaments
The Chessence Open has developed into the organization’s principal over-the-board tournament series.
Chessence regularly stages weekend tournaments at the Sauerland Stern Hotel in Willingen (Upland). These events use several rating-based sections so players can compete against opponents of comparable strength.
The standard format includes:
- Chessence Masters
- Chessence Premium Open A
- Chessence Premium Open B
- Chessence Premium Open C
All groups receive DWZ evaluation, while selected stronger sections also count for FIDE Elo. Furthermore, the organizer guarantees cash prizes when the minimum number of players enters a group.
The tournament weekends normally consist of five classical rounds from Friday through Sunday. In addition, Chessence often adds a Saturday-night blitz tournament and provides special hotel conditions for participants.
The series continues to expand in 2026. The 13th Chessence Open took place in June, followed by the 14th Chessence Open from August 28–30, 2026. The 15th Chessence Open is scheduled for December 11–13, 2026.
🎓 Chess Training and Player Development
Structured improvement forms the core of the Chessence concept.
The organization offers several training levels, beginning with programs for newcomers and continuing through advanced courses for strong club players. Its Chessence Masterclass provides a systematic training pathway with hundreds of hours of instructional material and thousands of exercises.
The Chessence Premium program adds regular live interaction. Members receive multiple group-training sessions each week, game analysis, webinars, workshops, seminars with Niclas Huschenbeth, and access to live tournaments.
For stronger players, Chessence Excellence focuses on competitors around and above 2000 Elo. The program includes advanced game analysis, opening preparation, calculation training, specialist coaching, and Elo-rated over-the-board tournaments.
Therefore, players can move through different training levels without leaving the same educational system. The combination of theory, exercises, coach feedback, and tournament practice creates a direct connection between learning and competitive performance.
👨🏫 Coaches and Chess Community
Chessence works with a broad group of experienced trainers.
Grandmaster Niclas Huschenbeth remains the central figure in the training program. However, the current coaching team also includes international masters and specialist trainers who provide live lessons, game analysis, webinars, and advanced preparation.
Chessence has featured training content from leading players and coaches including Elisabeth Pähtz, Karsten Müller, Christian Braun, Dirk Sebastian, Dirk Schuh, Steve Berger, Jakob Pajeken, and other experienced chess professionals.
The organization also maintains an active online community. Members interact through training sessions and digital platforms while participating in internal competitions and study groups.
The official Chessence Lichess team runs regular online rapid tournaments and provides another meeting point for members. Consequently, students can remain competitively active between live events.
♟️ SC Chessence 64 e.V.
Chessence’s tournament environment also connects players with SC Chessence 64 e.V.
German tournament regulations require participants in certain rated events to belong to an affiliated chess club. Therefore, Chessence Open participants who do not already have club membership can join SC Chessence 64 e.V. before the tournament.
This arrangement helps online students move into Germany’s official over-the-board chess structure. Moreover, it creates a practical bridge between digital chess training and federation-rated competition.
Chessence therefore operates across several complementary areas: commercial chess education through Chessence GmbH, online community activity, live seminars and tournaments, and access to organized club chess.
👤 Niclas Huschenbeth
Niclas Huschenbeth is the founder and one of the managing representatives of Chessence GmbH.
He became German Champion in 2010 at the age of 18 and won the national title again in 2019. Huschenbeth has held the Grandmaster title since 2012 and has represented Germany numerous times in international team competition.
His peak FIDE rating reached 2628, while his competitive career also includes a shared third-place finish at the 2019 European Individual Championship.
Beyond his own tournament career, Huschenbeth has worked as a professional coach and opening specialist. Most notably, he worked with elite Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura on opening preparation.
In 2018, Huschenbeth created Chessence to transform his coaching approach into a structured digital training system. Since then, the project has grown from an online course platform into a wider chess school offering coaching, seminars, memberships, community activities, and regular over-the-board tournaments.
