grenke Chess Festival 2026 confirmed: April 2–6 in Karlsruhe

Following the renewed cooperation between grenke and Freestyle Chess, the festival will feature two major open tournaments under one roof:

• grenke Freestyle Chess Open
• grenke Chess Open

With around 3,000 participants in 2025, the festival has established itself as one of the largest open chess events in the world, bringing together elite players, ambitious amateurs, and chess enthusiasts of all levels in a single playing hall.

Qualification for the Freestyle Chess World Championship

The grenke Freestyle Chess Open has an additional sporting significance:
It is the first open tournament that awards qualification spots for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.

Two tournaments – one festival

The grenke Chess Open remains one of the largest classical open tournaments in the world, while the grenke Freestyle Chess Open offers a modern and creative approach to competitive chess. Both events are fully integrated into the festival schedule and atmosphere.

Dates & venue

• Date: April 2–6, 2026
• Location: Karlsruhe, Germany
• Venue: Schwarzwaldhalle, Karlsruhe

Registration

Registration for both tournaments is now open.
Further details can be found at:
www.grenkechessopen.de