Chessence Open – June 2027 takes place from June 4 to June 6, 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 calculates DWZ ratings for all four groups. In addition, Chessence Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B count for FIDE Elo rating. Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves and another 15 minutes for the remainder of the game. Moreover, a 30-second increment applies from move one.
Cash prizes are available in every group that reaches at least six participants. In addition, Chessence organizes a separate FIDE-rated Midnight Blitz Tournament on Saturday evening.
♟️ Event Details
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | June 4–6, 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 June 5 |
| 👥 Organizer | Chessence |
Official Tournament & Registration:
https://kurse.chessence.de/turnier-anmeldung-2/
⏱️ 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 four groups |
| 🌐 FIDE Elo Rating | Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B |
| ⌛ Default Time | 30 minutes |
Chessence follows the applicable FIDE Laws of Chess throughout the tournament.
Players must reach their board within 30 minutes after the scheduled start of a 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 submitting a bye request is:
June 3, 2027 at 20:00
A Round 1 bye gives the player half a point.
However, players who request a bye must still confirm their participation by telephone during the official attendance-confirmation period.
🏆 Prize Fund
Cash prizes are awarded in every group with at least six participants.
| 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 and Premium Open C.
Depending on participation numbers, Chessence may increase the prize money.
🧩 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 |
Players with a DWZ and/or FIDE Elo of at least 2000 normally 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, Chessence Excellence members 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 to groups according to the ratings entered during registration.
If a participant 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 adjust individual group assignments when necessary.
In addition, Chessence may merge two groups if participation numbers are too low. The Tournament Director may also move individual players when this helps create suitable group sizes.
🆔 FIDE ID
Players in Chessence Masters, Premium Open A and Premium Open B need a valid FIDE ID.
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 counts for DWZ rating only.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| June 3 | 19:00–20:00 | Personal or telephone attendance confirmation |
| June 4 | 08:00–08:45 | Personal or telephone attendance confirmation |
| June 4 | 09:30 | Round 1 |
| June 4 | 15:30 | Round 2 |
| June 5 | 09:00 | Round 3 |
| June 5 | 15:00 | Round 4 |
| June 5 | 21:00 | Midnight Blitz Tournament |
| June 6 | 09:00 | Round 5 |
| June 6 | 14:30 | Prize Ceremony |
Players must confirm their presence in addition to completing the tournament registration.
Therefore, Chessence cannot guarantee participation in Round 1 if a player misses the attendance-confirmation period.
📝 Registration
Chessence handles official tournament registration directly.
Official Registration:
https://kurse.chessence.de/turnier-anmeldung-2/
Registration Conditions
| Registration Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 💶 Entry Fee | €49 |
| ⭐ Free Entry | Full Premium and Excellence members |
| ↩️ Refund Deadline | May 21, 2027 |
| 🌐 Online Registration Deadline | June 3, 2027 at 19:00 |
| 📞 Telephone Registration | From June 3 at 19:00 |
| ⏳ Final Registration Deadline | June 4, 2027 at 08:00 |
| ✉️ Questions | kontakt@chessence.de |
Players may register online until June 3 at 19:00.
After that time, Chessence accepts new registrations only by telephone. Finally, registration closes completely on June 4 at 08:00.
Registered players must also confirm their attendance. They can do so on June 3 from 19:00–20:00 or on June 4 from 08:00–08:45.
↩️ Cancellation & Refund
Players may cancel their tournament registration and receive a refund of the entry fee until:
May 21, 2027
⭐ Chessence Membership
Members of the full Premium programme and Excellence programme receive free tournament entry.
Eligible members should log into their Chessence account and complete the tournament registration there.
♟️ Chess Club Membership
Every participant must belong to a chess club.
In particular, Premium Open C players must have club membership by the start of the tournament.
Players without a club may join SC Chessence 64 e.V. through Chessence.
📋 Registration Information
The registration process includes information such as:
- Full name
- Email address
- Date of birth
- DWZ
- FIDE Elo
- FIDE ID
- Chess club
- Selected tournament group
- Membership status
- Round 1 bye request
- Accommodation requirements
- Arrival date
- Departure date
For registration questions, players can contact:
👥 Organizer
| Organizer Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 👥 Organizer | Chessence |
| 👤 Attendance Contact | Jürgen Kehr |
| ✉️ Email | kontakt@chessence.de |
| 🌐 Website | https://chessence.de/ |
Chessence provides the tournament telephone number shortly before the event for attendance confirmation, last-minute registration and tournament-day communication.
📍 Venue
Sauerland Stern Hotel – Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland), Germany
The tournament 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.
The hotel also lies within walking distance of Willingen railway station.
🚆 How to Get There
Venue address: Sauerland Stern Hotel – Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland), Germany
| Travel Option | Route / Distance | Information |
|---|---|---|
| 🚗 By Car | Direct to hotel | Enter Kneippweg 1, 34508 Willingen (Upland) into the navigation system. |
| 🅿️ Tournament Parking | Hotel parking | Chessence participants can park free of charge after registering their vehicle through the tournament QR code. |
| 🚆 Willingen Station | Approx. 500 m | The closest railway station and an easy walking option for players arriving by train. |
| 🚆 Brilon-Wald Station | Approx. 5 km | Alternative regional railway station. |
| 🚄 Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe | Approx. 70 km | Major ICE station for long-distance rail connections. |
| ✈️ Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport | Approx. 50 km | A nearby airport option. Continue to Willingen by taxi or another road transfer. |
🅿️ Free Tournament Parking
Chessence participants can use hotel parking free of charge during the tournament after completing the parking registration.
To register the vehicle:
- Park the vehicle.
- Note the licence plate number.
- Scan the Chessence parking QR code on the day of arrival.
- Enter the licence plate number.
- Confirm the registration.
Chessence provides the QR code at the tournament desk.
The parking authorization remains valid for seven days.
The parking QR code is intended for tournament participants and should not be shared with third parties.
ℹ️ Other Information
🏨 Official Tournament Accommodation
Chessence offers special full-board accommodation at Sauerland Stern Hotel, which also hosts the tournament.
The tournament allocation includes 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 rate requires at least two people.
🍽️ Full-Board Package
The tournament package includes:
- Overnight stay and breakfast
- Lunch with soft drinks for 1.5 hours
- Dinner with beer, wine and soft drinks for 1.5 hours
📅 Hotel Booking Conditions
The special hotel conditions remain available until 14 days before the tournament or until the allocation of 50 rooms fills, whichever happens first.
The online Chessence hotel booking form closes on:
May 23, 2027
From May 24, players who still need accommodation should contact Sauerland Stern Hotel directly.
🏨 Direct Hotel Booking
Players who prefer another room category or do not require the full-board package may book directly with Sauerland Stern Hotel.
In that case, they should select “No” for hotel booking during the Chessence tournament registration.
🏨 Hotel Contact
Sandra Kurkowski
Phone: +49 5632 404953
Email: kurkowski@sauerland-stern-hotel.de
Hotel Website:
https://www.sauerland-stern-hotel.de/
⚡ Midnight Blitz Tournament
Chessence organizes a separate FIDE-rated Midnight Blitz Tournament on:
Saturday, June 5 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 |
Players need a valid FIDE ID to participate in the Midnight Blitz.
🔗 Official Links
Official Tournament & Registration:
https://kurse.chessence.de/turnier-anmeldung-2/
Chessence:
https://chessence.de/
Chessence Events:
https://chessence.de/chessence-eve
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.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
