grenke Chess Open & grenke Freestyle Chess Open
02.04.-06.04.2026
Location: Karlsruhe, Germany (during Easter holidays).
Two Tournaments, One Festival
Once again this year, the grenke Chess Festival brings together two competitions under one roof:
the grenke Chess Open (classical chess)
the grenke Freestyle Chess Open (Freestyle)
Both tournaments are open events and are played in the same playing hall. In each case, the field is divided into the A, B, and C sections. What makes the festival special is the combination of international top-level players, clear sporting relevance, and the sheer size of the participant field.
“Karlsruhe has stood for open chess on an extraordinary scale for many years,” says Sven Noppes, Tournament Director of the grenke Chess Festival.
Freestyle Chess with World Championship Relevance
A special role this year is played by the grenke Freestyle Chess Open. It is the first open tournament to award qualification places for the FIDE Freestyle World Championship. Freestyle Chess has thus taken a clear step forward compared to last year – from an experiment to an official qualification pathway for a world championship.
From the perspective of Freestyle Chess as well, Karlsruhe is an ideal venue. “That this step is possible here is due to the special structure of the festival,” says Jan Henric Buettner, CEO of Freestyle Chess. “Karlsruhe brings breadth, elite level, and sporting consequence together in one place.”
World Stars, Germany’s Elite, and a Chess Legend
The participant list underlines the standing of the festival. Among those already registered are:
Magnus Carlsen
Vincent Keymer
Levon Aronian
Hans Niemann
chess legend Artur Yusupov
Germany’s top female players are also strongly represented. With Elisabeth Pähtz, Dinara Wagner, Lara Schulze, and Jana Schneider, the country’s leading players will all be competing.
Attractive Prize Funds and Clear Sporting Incentives
Financially as well, the grenke Chess Festival once again offers strong incentives:
€70,000 prize fund in the grenke Chess Open
€215,000 prize fund in the grenke Freestyle Chess Open