Prague International Chess Festival 2027 – Open 28+
The Prague International Chess Festival 2027 β Open 28+ takes place from February 21β25, 2027, at Hotel Don Giovanni Prague in the Czech Republic. Organized by NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club, this five-day tournament is an independently paired part of the ninth Prague International Chess Festival, which also hosts elite invitation events and a separate nine-round Open.
Players born in 1999 or earlier may enter the Open 28+, which has five Swiss-system rounds and is rated for FIDE Standard Elo. Each player has 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move from move one. Games start at 9:00 AM on each playing day, leaving afternoons available for recovery or exploring Prague. Cash prizes total CZK 6,000, with additional material awards.
π Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| π Tournament | Prague International Chess Festival 2027 β Open 28+ |
| π Dates | February 21β25, 2027 |
| π City & Country | Prague, Czech Republic |
| βοΈ Organizer | NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club (1. NovoborskΓ½ Ε‘achovΓ½ klub) |
| ποΈ Venue | Hotel Don Giovanni Prague, VinohradskΓ‘ 157a, 130 20 Prague 3, Czech Republic |
| β±οΈ Time Control | 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move, from move one |
| π’ Rounds | 5 |
| β Rating Status | FIDE Standard (Classical) |
| π° Entry Fee | β¬42.50 through organizer-arranged accommodation; β¬64 otherwise |
| π Prize Fund | CZK 6,000 cash, plus material prizes |
| π¨ββοΈ Chief Arbiter | IA Pavel Votruba |
| π Official Website | 2027 Open 28+ official event page |
β±οΈ Time Control & Pairings
Open 28+ is a five-round Swiss tournament, not a separate rating-prize category within the larger nine-round Open. Players compete in one playing group, with pairings determined by the tournament’s Swiss rules. Unlike the main Open, Open 28+ limits participation by birth year: 1999 or earlier. There is no published minimum FIDE rating. When filling in the entry form, select Tournament F β Open 28+ rather than one of the other festival competitions.
The clock is 90 minutes per player for the full game, with 30 seconds added after every move from the beginning. There is no extra 30-minute period after move 40 in Open 28+; that additional time belongs to the larger nine-round Open. This distinction matters when preparing your time-management strategy. The organizer sets a one-hour default time, so late arrival beyond the permitted period can result in a loss.
Games count toward FIDE Standard ratings, and the published entry fee already includes the rating administration charge. The regulations give the tie-break sequence for Open 28+ as points, Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, SonnebornβBerger, and the greater number of games played with Black. Competitors should consult the official pairings and announcements at the venue for any procedural updates.
π Prize Fund
The Open 28+ offers CZK 6,000 in cash prizes (approximately $275 at the November 9, 2026 exchange rate). This is the complete advertised cash purse for the five-round competition. It is separate from the much larger prize fund of the nine-round Open taking place at the same festival.
| Placing | Cash Prize |
|---|---|
| π₯ 1st place | CZK 3,000 |
| π₯ 2nd place | CZK 2,000 |
| π₯ 3rd place | CZK 1,000 |
Material prizes are also announced for other participants. The tournament’s official regulations govern ties and the allocation of prizes. The organizer schedules the Open 28+ prize ceremony for 2:00 PM on February 25, after the final morning game. Players seeking awards should allow enough time to remain at the hotel for the ceremony.
π Schedule
This event follows a predictable five-day program: one classical round each morning at 9:00 AM, Prague local time. The official schedule also permits attendance and confirmation before the opening round, including a window the previous evening. These check-in sessions do not count as playing rounds, and the afternoon events elsewhere in the festival are separate competitions.
| Date & Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| February 17 Β· 5:00β8:00 PM | Early attendance confirmation |
| February 18 Β· 10:00 AMβ1:00 PM | Additional attendance confirmation |
| February 20 Β· 6:00β8:00 PM | Attendance window before Open 28+ begins |
| February 21 Β· 9:00 AM | Round 1 |
| February 22 Β· 9:00 AM | Round 2 |
| February 23 Β· 9:00 AM | Round 3 |
| February 24 Β· 9:00 AM | Round 4 |
| February 25 Β· 9:00 AM | Round 5 |
| February 25 Β· 2:00 PM | Open 28+ prize ceremony |
For visitors traveling internationally, arriving Saturday, February 20 gives time for hotel check-in and the last listed attendance window. Staying until Thursday afternoon allows players to attend the awards ceremony; a Friday departure offers further flexibility. As the first round begins promptly on Sunday morning, check the final festival notices and leave a comfortable margin for transport.
π Registration
Entry is open to players born in 1999 or earlier. Use the official 2027 festival registration form and select Open 28+. The form is separate from the main Open and the rating tournaments, which have different entry fees, prize structures and time controls. Make sure your final application shows the correct five-day event and your intended accommodation arrangement.
| Registration Category | Entry Fee / Rule |
|---|---|
| Organizer-arranged hotel accommodation | β¬42.50 |
| All other players | β¬64 |
| Entries made after February 2, 2027 | β¬13 additional charge |
| FIDE rating administration | Included in the entry fee |
February 2 is the cutoff for entering without the additional β¬13 fee; it is not an officially stated absolute registration-closing date. To qualify for the lower entry fee, accommodation must be booked through the festival organizer. An independently booked hotel room, even at Don Giovanni itself, does not automatically confer this discount. Ask for the organizer’s hotel arrangement if the reduced entry fee is important to you.
Compare the complete cost of an organizer hotel package with an independent room reservation, accounting for breakfast, local taxes, cancellation conditions and the difference in chess entry fee. Confirm payment instructions through the official registration process. The separate internal MyChess.Events registration facility is not automatically linked to the festival’s payment and confirmation system.
ποΈ Organizer
NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club organizes the Prague International Chess Festival, including the elite Masters, Challengers and Futures competitions, the main Open and several independently scheduled chess events. Petr Boleslav is Festival Director, Petr LauΕ‘man Deputy Festival Director, and IA Pavel Votruba Chief Arbiter. Open 28+ has its own published conditions and schedule despite sharing the hotel and organizational team with the wider festival.
The existing NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club organizer profile contains further information about the club. For decisions about eligibility, hotel packages, special tournament conditions and registration confirmation, consult the 2027 festival’s own official event materials.
π Venue
Hotel Don Giovanni Prague, VinohradskΓ‘ 157a, 130 20 Prague 3, Czech Republic
All five rounds of Open 28+ are played at Hotel Don Giovanni Prague, a four-star hotel near the border of Vinohrady and Ε½iΕΎkov. The hotel includes extensive conference facilities, guest rooms, restaurants and a lobby bar. Its location directly beside Ε½elivskΓ©ho Metro station on Line A makes it a useful base for visitors staying elsewhere in the city.
Use the hotel’s VinohradskΓ‘ entrance and ask the front desk or festival personnel for the playing room and official attendance desk. Because the festival runs several different tournaments at the same hotel, check that you have reached the room assigned to Open 28+. The hotel also offers restaurant facilities, including Allegretto and Teatro, which can simplify meals before or after a long classical game.
π¨ Accommodation
A five-day tournament with 9:00 AM rounds favors accommodation that keeps morning travel simple. The most convenient choice is the host hotel itself, which eliminates a commute to the playing room. Alternatively, Hotel Villa offers a quieter residential atmosphere near Ε½elivskΓ©ho, while the Courtyard by Marriott Prague City sits around the Flora metro area and connects to the playing venue on Metro Line A.
The festival’s organizer-arranged accommodation offer includes a standard single at β¬85 per room per night and a standard double at β¬93.50 per room per night, with breakfast. These are specific organizer-booking rates, not guaranteed online prices. The regulations also list a CZK 50 nightly municipal fee for guests over 18. For those rates and the lower chess entry fee, use the festival’s own accommodation process, not an independent hotel booking link.
These property-specific links use February 20 check-in and February 26 check-out as flexible search dates. Adjust them to your actual stay and review cancellation conditions, breakfast and taxes before booking. Online room availability for the exact dates has not been confirmed.
| Hotel | Location & Booking |
|---|---|
| Don Giovanni Hotel Prague | VinohradskΓ‘ 157a, 130 20 Prague 3
The tournament’s playing hotel: no morning transport is needed, and breakfast, several food outlets and the competition rooms are within one building.
|
| Hotel Villa | OkrajnΓ 1, 100 00 Prague 10
A smaller hotel in a quieter residential setting, close to the Ε½elivskΓ©ho transport area. It has a garden and an on-site restaurant.
|
| Courtyard by Marriott Prague City | LucemburskΓ‘ 46, 130 00 Prague 3
Modern full-service accommodation in the Flora area. Metro Line A connects Flora directly to Ε½elivskΓ©ho, the stop for the playing hotel.
|
For players who want the shortest possible journey before a game, Don Giovanni is the clearest option. Hotel Villa offers a more residential setting, while the Courtyard combines the Flora neighborhood with direct metro access. Check the actual walking and transit routes before choosing, especially if you plan to leave your hotel during morning rush hour.
π½οΈ Nearby Restaurants & CafΓ©s
The Don Giovanni hotel itself offers meals and refreshments, but players staying several days may appreciate independent restaurants nearby. The following options give a choice between Czech pub-style cooking and pizza, without requiring a trip across central Prague. They are useful for lunch after a game or a more relaxed evening meal.
| Restaurant / CafΓ© | Details & Directions |
|---|---|
| Ε½elivΓ‘rna | VinohradskΓ‘ 2396/184, Prague 3. Czech gastropub near Ε½elivskΓ©ho, serving traditional dishes, daily lunch choices and refreshments. It is convenient for a post-game meal in the hotel’s surrounding area. Official website and directions. |
| U TΕΓ PrasΓ‘tek | VinohradskΓ‘ 1786/122, Prague 3. Traditional Czech restaurant with a substantial food menu, suitable for a longer sit-down meal after a morning round. Official restaurant site. |
| Nejpls Ε½iΕΎkov | Jana Ε½elivskΓ©ho 1772/10, Prague 3. A casual neighborhood pizzeria offering an alternative to Czech restaurant food. Map and directions. |
Opening arrangements and table availability can change, particularly during weekends. If your game is expected to finish late, check the kitchen hours before leaving the hotel. Participants needing something quickly between commitments may prefer an in-house meal, while groups dining together may want to reserve a table in advance.
π How to Get There
The key public-transport stop is Ε½elivskΓ©ho on Prague Metro Line A. The hotel is beside the metro and nearby tram stops, so most visitors should navigate to Ε½elivskΓ©ho and complete the short final walk to the main entrance on VinohradskΓ‘. This is also a good reference point when comparing hotels elsewhere in Prague.
| Starting Point | Practical Route |
|---|---|
| βοΈ VΓ‘clav Havel Airport Prague | Take trolleybus 59 from the terminal to NΓ‘draΕΎΓ VeleslavΓn. Transfer to Metro A toward Depo HostivaΕ, exit at Ε½elivskΓ©ho, and walk to the Hotel Don Giovanni entrance on VinohradskΓ‘. Official airport transport. |
| π Praha hlavnΓ nΓ‘draΕΎΓ | From the main railway station take Metro C toward HΓ‘je one stop to Muzeum. Change to Metro A toward Depo HostivaΕ and exit at Ε½elivskΓ©ho. Follow street-level signs to the hotel entrance. Public transport connections. |
| π Prague city center | Travel on Metro Line A in the Depo HostivaΕ direction and leave at Ε½elivskΓ©ho. The hotel’s VinohradskΓ‘ entrance is just outside the transport hub. |
| π Arriving by car | Navigate to Hotel Don Giovanni Prague, VinohradskΓ‘ 157a, Prague 3. The hotel has parking facilities; ask reception about capacity, the entrance and current charges before travel. Official hotel details. |
Buy or activate the appropriate public transport ticket before boarding the airport trolleybus. Metro and trolleybus service can be affected by temporary changes, so confirm the current routing for your travel day. On each tournament morning, allow time to find the assigned playing room, not merely to reach the hotel entrance.
βΉοΈ Other Information
The wider Prague International Chess Festival runs February 16β26, 2027, with elite round-robin tournaments, the larger Open, amateur rating groups and one-day side events. Open 28+ is an independently scheduled five-round competition. Players may follow other festival games as spectators according to venue arrangements, but entering Open 28+ does not automatically register them for another event.
For the complete and current rules, consult the official 2027 festival regulations (PDF). The document specifies the age requirement, late-registration surcharge, exact tournament clock, prizes and organizer accommodation program. These details are more authoritative than information carried forward from earlier festival editions.
Tournament organizer
NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club
βοΈ About 1st NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club 1st NovΓ½ Bor Chess Club (1. NovoborskΓ½ Ε‘achovΓ½ klub, z.s.) is one of Europe's mostβ¦
Read moreRead less
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
