XIV International Chess Festival “Star of the North” 2026
Players head to the Baltic coast for the XIV International Chess Festival “Star of the North” 2026, which runs from January 25–31, 2026 in Jastrzębia Góra, Poland. You spend a full week at the DW ViS holiday center, play nine classical rounds in three different groups, and enjoy a winter chess holiday at one of Poland’s northernmost seaside resorts.
You choose between a FIDE-rated Open, an Under 14 junior event, and an Under 10 junior event, all played in a Swiss system with modern time controls and clear prize structures. The organizers from UKS Korona Gdańsk combine chess with a friendly festival atmosphere, offer on-site half-board accommodation packages, and schedule extra activities such as blitz, bughouse, table football, and a bonfire evening.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | January 25–31, 2026 (Sunday–Saturday) |
| 📍 Location | DW ViS Holiday House, ul. Królewska 13, 84-104 Jastrzębia Góra, Poland |
| ♟️ Format | International festival with 3 parallel 9-round Swiss tournaments |
| ⭐ Rating | Open group submitted for FIDE standard rating; entry fees include all rating charges |
| 📂 Sections | Open (FIDE-rated); Group B – Juniors Under 14; Group C – Juniors Under 10 |
| ⏱️ Time control | Open: 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move; Groups B and C: 60 minutes + 30 seconds per move |
| 🏁 Number of rounds | 9 rounds in all three groups |
| 💳 Entry fees | Open: 190 PLN; Groups B and C: 110 PLN; GM, IM, WGM, WIM enter free |
| 💰 Prizes | Open: 1st prize 2,000 PLN + cup and at least 10 cash prizes; Group B and C: 400 PLN for 1st place plus cups, medals, and material prizes |
| 👤 Eligibility | Open festival; juniors enter Group B (U14) or Group C (U10) according to age |
| 👥 Capacity | Limited places in all groups and in the DW ViS center; organizers may close entry lists early |
| 📝 Organizer notes | UKS Korona Gdańsk runs the festival at DW ViS with on-site half-board packages and additional side events (blitz, bughouse, table football, bonfire) |
🏆 Prize Fund
Open – FIDE-rated group
| Item | Prize / Notes |
|---|---|
| 1st place | 2,000 PLN + cup |
| Cash prizes | At least 10 cash prizes in total (final distribution depends on number of entries) |
| Best woman | 300 PLN + cup |
| Best player 60+ | 300 PLN + cup |
| Best junior U18 – 1st | 300 PLN + cup |
| Juniors U18 (girls and boys) | 1st–3rd places receive medals in separate girls’ and boys’ categories plus material prizes |
Group B – Juniors Under 14
| Item | Prize / Notes |
|---|---|
| Overall 1st place | 400 PLN |
| Age subgroups U14 and U12 | In each age subgroup and gender, 1st place receives a cup in girls’ and boys’ categories |
| Medals | 1st–3rd places receive medals in separate girls’ and boys’ categories |
| Gifts | Organizers award material prizes, and every participant receives a commemorative diploma and a small gift |
Group C – Juniors Under 10
| Item | Prize / Notes |
|---|---|
| Overall 1st place | 400 PLN |
| Age subgroups U10 and U8 | In each age subgroup and gender, 1st place receives a cup in girls’ and boys’ categories |
| Medals | 1st–3rd places receive medals in separate girls’ and boys’ categories |
| Gifts | Every participant receives a commemorative diploma and a material prize |
Organizers allow each player to win only one main or special prize per group; they distribute prizes according to the final standings and published regulations.
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The Open group uses a classical time control of 90 minutes for the entire game plus 30 seconds increment per move from move one.
Groups B (U14) and C (U10) use 60 minutes for the entire game plus 30 seconds increment per move from move one.
All three tournaments run as 9-round Swiss events, and organizers pair rounds using standard Swiss pairing software.
The Open group counts for FIDE standard rating; organizers include rating fees in the entry fee.
The festival follows the FIDE Laws of Chess and the regulations of the Polish Chess Federation (PZSzach).
Organizers publish detailed pairing and tiebreak rules before Round 1 and apply them consistently across all groups.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Type | Eligibility / Notes | Time control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | FIDE-rated open Swiss | Open to all eligible players; submitted for FIDE standard rating | 90 min + 30 s |
| Group B | Junior Swiss | Juniors Under 14; age subgroups U14 and U12 for cups and medals | 60 min + 30 s |
| Group C | Junior Swiss | Juniors Under 10; age subgroups U10 and U8 for cups and medals | 60 min + 30 s |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 25, 2026 | Sunday | From 4:00 p.m. | Check-in at DW ViS and confirmation of registrations |
| January 25, 2026 | Sunday | 8:30 p.m. | Technical meeting |
| January 26, 2026 | Monday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 1 |
| January 26, 2026 | Monday | 3:00 p.m. | Round 2 |
| January 27, 2026 | Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 3 |
| January 28, 2026 | Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 4 |
| January 28, 2026 | Wednesday | 3:00 p.m. | Round 5 |
| January 29, 2026 | Thursday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 6 |
| January 30, 2026 | Friday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 7 |
| January 30, 2026 | Friday | 3:00 p.m. | Round 8 |
| January 31, 2026 | Saturday | 9:00 a.m. | Round 9 and closing ceremony afterwards |
Organizers announce the exact timing of side events such as the blitz tournament, bughouse, table football competition, and bonfire during the technical meeting.
📝 Registration
You register in advance and secure your place by paying the entry fee and, if needed, reserving accommodation.
Entry fees
Open group: 190 PLN
Group B (U14): 110 PLN
Group C (U10): 110 PLN
GM, IM, WGM, WIM: free entry
The entry fee already includes the rating fee.
Payment details
You pay the entry fee by bank transfer no later than December 30, 2025:
Account name: UKS Korona Gdańsk
Address: ul. Zielony Trójkąt 1, 80-869 Gdańsk, Poland
Bank: mBank
IBAN: 56 1140 2004 0000 3102 7904 9003
If the organizer does not receive your payment by December 30, 2025, your entry fee increases by 50%.
How to enter
You can register through the ChessManager tournament pages:
Open group: https://www.chessmanager.com/pl-pl/tournaments/5098009357189120
Group B (U14): https://www.chessmanager.com/pl-pl/tournaments/5090029542834176
Group C (U10): https://www.chessmanager.com/pl-pl/tournaments/5145620780941312
You may also enter by email:
Email: ukskoronagdansk@gmail.com
Your email entry should include:
First name and surname
Current category and rating
Full date of birth (day, month, year)
Chosen group (Open, B, or C)
Because the number of places in each group is limited, the organizer may close entry lists early once the capacity is reached.
👥 Organizer
UKS Korona Gdańsk organizes the XIV International Chess Festival “Star of the North” 2026 at DW ViS in Jastrzębia Góra and focuses on combining serious tournament conditions with a friendly, family-style chess holiday on the Baltic coast. The club coordinates all registrations, pairings, prizes, and accommodation requests for players and their families.
Email: ukskoronagdansk@gmail.com
🏨 Venue
The festival takes place at Dom Wczasowy ViS (DW ViS), a holiday house located at ul. Królewska 13, 84-104 Jastrzębia Góra, Poland. DW ViS offers en-suite rooms with TV, many with balconies, and a dedicated playing area inside the complex. The seaside resort location lets you combine tournament rounds with walks along the Baltic coast and local attractions in Jastrzębia Góra.
🛎️ Accommodation
You can stay directly at DW ViS (buildings ViS and Malvis), where the organizer offers a fixed-package half-board stay that covers the entire festival period.
Prices for accommodation from dinner on January 25 to lunch on January 31, 2026:
| Room type | Package (per person for the whole period) |
|---|---|
| Triple room | 1,050 PLN |
| Double room | 1,110 PLN |
| Single room | 1,530 PLN |
The package includes:
Accommodation in an en-suite room with TV (many rooms have balconies)
Breakfast and dinner served as a buffet
A served lunch each day
You reserve rooms by email:
Email for reservations: ukskoronagdansk@gmail.com
Because the number of places in DW ViS is limited, the organizer allocates rooms according to the order of reservations confirmed by payment of the entry fee and deposit.
🚗 How to Get There
DW ViS lies in Jastrzębia Góra on Poland’s Baltic coast.
By public transport: Travel by train to Gdynia Główna or Władysławowo, then continue by PKS bus toward Jastrzębia Góra. The bus stop stands about 100 meters from DW ViS, so you can walk easily to the venue.
By car: Drive toward the Hel Peninsula and the northern coast, follow signs for Jastrzębia Góra, and then proceed to ul. Królewska 13. Street parking and local parking options are available near the holiday house.
Plan to arrive on Sunday afternoon in time for check-in from 4:00 p.m. and the 8:30 p.m. technical meeting.
🧾 Other
The festival follows the rules of FIDE and the Polish Chess Federation (PZSzach); players must know and respect the current Laws of Chess.
Parents or appointed guardians remain responsible for the supervision and safety of all children throughout the event.
The organizer reserves the right to refuse entry to any player without giving reasons.
By registering, players and guardians accept the full regulations, including consent for processing personal data for informational and marketing purposes in accordance with data-protection laws.
The organizer may freely use photos, video, interviews, and audio recordings taken during the festival for informational and promotional purposes.
Side events such as a blitz tournament, bughouse (“kloca”), table football competition, and a bonfire evening form part of the festival program; exact times will be announced at the technical meeting.
Spend a full week of chess on the Baltic coast, combine competitive FIDE-rated play with festival side events and seaside relaxation, and chase prizes and experience at the XIV International Chess Festival “Star of the North” 2026 in Jastrzębia Góra.