Gold-Cup Meran 2027 is the 54th edition of ChessOrg’s traditional holiday chess tournament in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy. The event takes place from April 8 to April 16, 2027, with nine classical rounds played over nine consecutive days.
The tournament combines competitive chess with a spring holiday in one of South Tyrol’s best-known resort towns. Players compete at Kolpinghaus Meran in the quiet Obermais district, within walking distance of Merano’s historic centre and promenades.
Alongside the chess programme, the organizer promotes several leisure activities and excursions around Merano and South Tyrol. The tournament is DWZ-rated and uses a nine-round Swiss system.
♟️ Event Details
| 🏷️ Event name | Gold-Cup Meran 2027 |
| 🏆 Edition | 54th Gold-Cup |
| 📅 Dates | April 8–16, 2027 |
| 🇮🇹 City / Country | Merano / Meran, South Tyrol, Italy |
| 📍 Venue | Kolpinghaus Meran – Cavourstraße 101, 39012 Merano (BZ), South Tyrol, Italy |
| ♟️ Format | Classical |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 System | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating | DWZ-rated |
| 👥 Organizer | ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH |
| 🌐 Official website | https://www.chessorg.de/index.php?page=meran&lang=de |
| 📄 Official announcement | https://www.chessorg.de/ausschreibungen/Gold-Cup_Meran_2027.pdf |
| 🏆 Chess-Results | https://chess-results.com/tnr1457665.aspx?lan=1 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Gold-Cup Meran 2027 consists of nine rounds played according to the Swiss system.
| ⏱️ Time control | 90 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game |
| ➕ Increment | 30 seconds per move from move 1 |
| 🔢 Rounds | 9 |
| 🧩 Pairing system | Swiss system |
| 📊 Rating evaluation | DWZ |
| ⏸️ Bye | Available through Round 6 |
Players who need a bye should arrange it with the organizer. The official announcement states that byes are possible up to and including Round 6.
Pairings, standings and results are published through Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1457665.aspx?lan=1
🏆 Prize Fund
The official announcement does not specify a cash prize fund.
Instead, the following awards are announced:
| 🏆 Award | 🎁 Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st place | Trophy |
| 2nd place | Trophy |
| 3rd place | Trophy |
| All participants | Prize in kind |
Therefore, players should not assume that cash prizes will be awarded unless ChessOrg publishes additional information before the tournament.
📅 Schedule
The tournament follows a one-round-per-day schedule.
| 📅 Date | ⏰ Time | ♟️ Activity |
|---|---|---|
| April 8, 2027 | 13:00–14:00 | Registration / check-in |
| April 8, 2027 | 14:30 | Round 1 |
| April 9, 2027 | 14:00 | Round 2 |
| April 10, 2027 | 14:00 | Round 3 |
| April 11, 2027 | 14:00 | Round 4 |
| April 12, 2027 | 14:00 | Round 5 |
| April 13, 2027 | 14:00 | Round 6 |
| April 14, 2027 | 10:00 | Round 7 |
| April 15, 2027 | 10:00 | Round 8 |
| April 16, 2027 | 10:00 | Round 9 |
| April 16, 2027 | After Round 9 | Award ceremony |
Rounds 2–6 begin at 14:00, while the final three rounds start at 10:00.
📝 Registration
The entry fee for Gold-Cup Meran 2027 is €120 (approximately $140).
Online registration is available through ChessOrg:
https://www.chessorg.de/index.php?page=anmeldung
ChessOrg generally accepts online applications until 24 hours before the tournament begins. After that point, registration may only be possible directly at the venue, provided that the tournament conditions allow late entries.
For registration questions, players can contact Jürgen Wempe.
👥 Organizer
| 👥 Organizer | ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH |
| 👤 Contact Person | Jürgen Wempe |
| ✉️ Email | wempe@chessorg.de |
| 📞 Phone | +49 177 9120251 |
📍 Venue
Kolpinghaus Meran – Cavourstraße 101, 39012 Merano (BZ), South Tyrol, Italy
The tournament is played at Kolpinghaus Meran in the Obermais / Maia Alta district of Merano. Kolpinghaus is a hotel, residential facility and event venue with several seminar and meeting rooms.
The venue is situated in a quiet part of Merano while remaining within walking distance of the historic centre, the Passer riverside promenades and other central attractions.
Coordinates: 46.6688405, 11.1729809
🚆 How to Get There
🚗 By Car
Players approaching from the north can travel via the A22 Brenner motorway. The organizer recommends leaving the motorway at Bolzano Sud / Bozen-Süd and continuing toward Merano.
An alternative approach is through the Reschen Pass via Landeck.
🚆 By Train
Merano has its own railway station and can be reached by train via Bolzano. Local public transport connects the railway station with different parts of Merano, including the Obermais area.
✈️ By Air
The organizer lists Bolzano, Verona and Bergamo among the practical airports for reaching the region. Players should compare onward train or bus connections before booking flights.
ℹ️ Other Information
🏨 Official Accommodation
ChessOrg recommends two accommodation options for tournament participants.
| 🏨 Hotel | 🛏️ Room / Board | 💶 Price per person / night | 💵 Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Bavaria **** | Single room, half board | €179 | approx. $210 |
| Hotel Bavaria **** | Double room, half board | €151 | approx. $180 |
| Hotel Bavaria **** | Double room for single use, half board | €186 | approx. $220 |
| Hotel Palma *** | Single room, half board | €157 | approx. $190 |
| Hotel Palma *** | Double room, half board | €142 | approx. $170 |
**Hotel Bavaria ****
Kirchsteig 15, 39012 Merano (BZ), Italy
**Hotel Palma ***
St.-Georgen-Straße 20, 39012 Merano (BZ), Italy
The accommodation prices published in the tournament announcement are per person, per night and include half board.
🌄 Leisure Programme
Gold-Cup Meran is promoted as a holiday chess tournament. ChessOrg lists several possible activities for players and accompanying guests during the tournament week:
- Hiking excursion to Schenna
- Visit to Bolzano
- Excursion to the Hirzer cable car
- Visit to a winery in Kaltern
The combination of one classical game per day and the later start times during the first part of the tournament leaves players time to explore Merano and the surrounding South Tyrol region.
🔗 Official Information
Tournament page:
https://www.chessorg.de/index.php?page=meran&lang=de
Official 2027 announcement:
https://www.chessorg.de/ausschreibungen/Gold-Cup_Meran_2027.pdf
Registration:
https://www.chessorg.de/index.php?page=anmeldung
Participant list:
https://www.chessorg.de/Listen/Meran-Teil.php
Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1457665.aspx?lan=1
Additional Details
Organizer
♟️ About ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH
ChessOrg Hoffmann Reisen GmbH, commonly presented as ChessOrg, is a German chess tournament organizer based in Bad Zwischenahn, Lower Saxony. It offers over-the-board events in Germany and abroad. Moreover, many tournament weeks combine classical chess with accommodation, leisure activities, and time to explore the host destination.
The organizer manages recurring competitions in Bad Zwischenahn, Bad Wörishofen, Bischofsgrün, Fischen-Langenwang, and Meran. Its event portfolio includes the Alpenpokal, NordWest-Cup, ChessOrg Chess Festival Bad Wörishofen, Gold-Cup Meran, and the Open Senior Individual Championship of Upper Franconia. In particular, the Alpenpokal has formed part of the chess calendar since 1975.
Jürgen Wempe leads ChessOrg as Managing Director and serves as its principal public contact. In addition, he appears as the registration contact for the Upper Franconian senior championship. ChessOrg supports participants through official regulations, online registration, entry lists, results links, hotel information, and practical travel details.
🏆 Long-Running Tournament Portfolio
ChessOrg’s annual program covers several tournament formats and player groups. The NordWest-Cup in Bad Zwischenahn uses several rating-based sections and attracts players from Germany and other countries. Meanwhile, the ChessOrg Chess Festival Bad Wörishofen offers an Open, a B-Open, and a dedicated senior tournament.
The Alpenpokal provides a nine-round chess week in the Allgäu region. Furthermore, the Gold-Cup Meran brings the chess-and-holiday concept to South Tyrol, Italy. These events give players a structured classical schedule while leaving room for local activities and relaxation.
For 2027, ChessOrg lists the 52nd Alpenpokal, the NordWest-Cup, the 42nd ChessOrg Chess Festival Bad Wörishofen, the 54th Gold-Cup Meran, and the 44th Upper Franconian senior championship. Therefore, players can choose between multi-section opens, senior competition, and destination-based chess weeks.
🧳 Chess Travel and Player Services
ChessOrg places practical player support alongside tournament administration. Players can register directly through the organizer’s website, normally until 24 hours before an event unless the regulations set another deadline. Moreover, the website provides tournament invitations, participant lists, rating links, downloadable game files, and event-specific hotel information.
The organizer also publishes details about accommodation, local transport, and accompanying programs. For example, the 2027 event in Bischofsgrün includes arranged collection from Bayreuth railway station and excursions in the Fichtel Mountains. Consequently, players and accompanying guests can plan both the competition and their wider stay from one central source.
🤝 Senior Chess and Regional Cooperation
Senior chess forms a visible part of ChessOrg’s tournament program. The Bad Wörishofen festival includes a separate senior section, while the Bischofsgrün event focuses entirely on older players. In addition, ChessOrg runs the open senior championship in cooperation with Schachbezirk Oberfranken.
The 2027 Bischofsgrün tournament uses nine Swiss-system rounds and counts for both FIDE Elo and German DWZ ratings. It also awards the Upper Franconian senior title to the leading eligible participant. As a result, the event combines an open senior tournament with an official regional championship.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
