The Stein am Rhein Swiss City Open 2027 runs March 19–21, 2027, at Hotel Restaurant Rheinfels in Stein am Rhein, Switzerland. Swiss Chess Tour organizes this classical weekend event beside the Rhine and the historic old town. As the playing venue also offers guest rooms, visitors can stay in the same building as the tournament.

Players compete across five Swiss-system rounds at 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. The games count toward FIDE Standard ratings, and the organizer also lists DWZ rating. The field is limited to 60 players, with cash prizes for top finishers and rating-category awards.

Round 1 begins Friday evening, followed by two rounds on Saturday and two on Sunday. This schedule creates a compact weekend for traveling players. Below are the official rules, prize distribution, entry requirements, nearby accommodation and restaurants, and practical routes to the venue.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

This classical Swiss Open comprises five rounds. Each player has 90 minutes for the game with a 30-second increment from move one; the games are FIDE Standard-rated. The organizer also lists DWZ rating. Thus, players should enter using their correct federation and chess identification details rather than treating the event as an unrated weekend congress.

The official rules allow one half-point bye in rounds 1–3, requested at least 12 hours before the tournament begins. The stated default time is 60 minutes. Because the first round begins on Friday evening, anyone planning a late arrival should account for these rules before submitting an entry.

🏆 Prize Fund

The published cash prize fund is CHF 2,400 (approximately $2,930) when at least 45 players enter. The amount consists of CHF 1,400 for the top four overall positions and CHF 1,000 across four rating categories. However, the organizer reduces the cash awards proportionally if fewer than 45 players take part.

There are also two cash awards in each FIDE rating group. These are prize categories within the same Open tournament, not separately paired playing sections.

Further non-cash awards for women, seniors and U16 players depend on category participation: at least three eligible players for first place, five for second and eight for third. The cash amount above does not include a speculative value for these gifts.

📅 Schedule

All times are local to Stein am Rhein, which observes Central European Time (CET) during the tournament dates. Friday starts with player check-in and an evening round; Saturday and Sunday each have two scheduled games.

There is a gap between the morning and afternoon rounds on each weekend day. As a result, participants staying near the venue can return to their rooms or visit nearby restaurants between games, provided their earlier round has finished in time.

📝 Registration

The organizer accepts online entries until Thursday, March 18, 2027, at 8:00 PM CET. After the deadline, players must contact Tournament Director IA Jean Dominique Coqueraut about possible late entry. The tournament is limited to 60 participants, so registration is subject to available places.

The entry fee is CHF 100 for most players, with a reduced rate of CHF 80 for players under 16 and for International Masters and Grandmasters. The organizer’s registration form asks for the chosen tournament, personal details and federation or FIDE identification information. Therefore, select Stein am Rhein 2027 in the tournament field.

Register on the Official Swiss Chess Tour Website. Tournament Director: coquerautjean@gmail.com. The organizer provides the definitive instructions for submitting and confirming an entry.

🏛️ Organizer

Swiss Chess Tour, coordinated by Claudio Boschetti, runs classical and other over-the-board events at destinations throughout Switzerland. Its Stein am Rhein Open forms part of a wider annual tournament calendar that includes both city venues and resort locations. For this edition, IA Jean Dominique Coqueraut serves as Tournament Director and IA Tiziana Balzarini as Chief Arbiter.

The tournament’s hotel-based format is useful to players arranging a weekend trip because the rounds and on-site accommodation are in the same building. Nevertheless, rooms are booked separately and the event’s player capacity does not imply that hotel space has been reserved for everyone.

📍 Venue

Hotel Restaurant Rheinfels, Rhigass 8, 8260 Stein am Rhein, Switzerland is a historic hotel and restaurant directly beside the Rhine, near the bridge into Stein am Rhein’s painted old town. The same address is the tournament’s playing location, and it provides a clear destination for visitors arriving by rail, car or taxi. The hotel has guest rooms and an in-house restaurant, so players who stay there need not travel between their accommodation and the playing hall.

🏨 Accommodation

The Hotel Rheinfels is the most convenient option for March 19–21, 2027 because the tournament is held in the same building. The hotels below offer alternative places to stay in and around Stein am Rhein. Compare availability and rates for your preferred dates before booking.

Suggested stay: March 18–22, 2027. You can change the dates when checking availability. Room rates and availability may vary.

🍽️ Nearby Restaurants & Cafés

The following places offer convenient meals, coffee or refreshments in Stein am Rhein. Check their opening hours before a tournament round; the venue also has its own restaurant.

🚆 How to Get There

The playing hall is at Rhigass 8, on the north side of the Rhine close to the historic town center. Rail travelers should use Stein am Rhein railway station, then cross the Rhine bridge and proceed to the hotel. The bridge is the key last-mile landmark; it connects the station side of town with the old-town waterfront.

If arriving on Friday, plan to reach the hotel before 7:50 PM for the published attendance check. Similarly, the Sunday afternoon round starts at 2:00 PM, so travel home should allow for a potentially long final classical game and the awards ceremony afterward.

ℹ️ Other Information

For the complete tournament conditions, consult the official Stein am Rhein 2027 regulations (PDF). These specify the half-point bye deadline, late-arrival tolerance, prize thresholds and cash award categories. In particular, participants considering a bye or entering a rating category should rely on the published rules when arranging their tournament weekend.