By the Alster: Nearly 4,000 pupils gather for the world's largest school chess competition

by ChessBase
6/19/2026 – A true Hamburg tradition: since 1958, Hamburg's Right Alster Bank has played against the Left Alster Bank! Yesterday, 3,744 pupils gathered on Hamburg's Rathausmarkt to take part in the world's largest school chess competition. This year, the opening move was made by Schools Senator Ksenija Bekeris together with Francesca, 10, and Thore, 10, from the Windmühlenweg Primary School. In the end, the Left Alster Bank won for the fourth time in a row, albeit by a relatively narrow margin, with 951½ points to 920½. That takes the overall score across all years to 40–22 in favour of the Left Alster Bank. This year, the team from Wielandstraße School took home the large challenge cup. | Photos: Nils Rhode
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The Left Bank of the Alster wins again!

At 6:00 in the morning, almost 2,000 chess sets were set up.

Under bright morning sunshine, the many helpers from the Hamburg Youth Chess Association, trainees from Hamburger Sparkasse and the ChessBase team - which was otherwise responsible for recording the results via QR codes using mobile phones - came together.

The main organisers, Björn Lengwenus and Jan Pohl, had no concerns at all about the weather - quite the opposite: "When planning a barbecue, you should schedule it for the day of the Alsterufer tournament: then the weather will work out!"

Organisers: Jan Pohl and Björn Lengwenus | Photo: Nils Rohde

The main sponsors were once again Thalia and Hamburger Sparkasse. The S-Bahn ensured punctual chess moves, and ChessBase ensured the correct final result was recorded.

Organisation & supporters: Jan Pohl, Johannes Brancke (Thalia), Ralf Günther (Hamburger Sparkasse), Björn Lengwenus, Schools Senator Ksenija Bekeris and ChessBase's Rainer Woisin | Photo: Nils Rohde

Schools Senator Ksenija Bekeris was simply delighted by this chess competition in the "largest classroom in the city". Together with Francesca (10) and Thore (10) from Windmühlenweg Primary School, she made the opening move. Two weeks ago, Thore and his team won the title of German primary schools' runners-up, while Francesca became German primary schools champion with her team last year and will travel to Düsseldorf on Friday with her team to defend their title at the German Championship.

Ksenija Bekeris makes the opening move with Francesca and Thore | Photo: Nils Rohde

All seats are taken | Photo: Nils Rohde

Who was already there last year? | Photo: Nils Rohde

A distinguished visitor: GM Dmitrij Kollars gives a simultaneous exhibition | Photo: Nils Rohde

The two teams fought a tense duel that was decided only shortly before the end. In the end, the Left Bank of the Alster won by 951½ to 920½ points. On behalf of the Left Bank, the team from Wielandstraße Primary School received the imposing cup to loud cheers. Wielandstraße School had been drawn from the pool of 17 teams that had won their match 8–0.

The cup is proudly raised aloft | Photo: Nils Rohde

The winning team from Wielandstraße School | Photo: Nils Rohde

Incidentally, the professional assembly and dismantling of the stage, tables, benches, organisation tents, sound, lighting and safety barriers on Hamburg's Rathausmarkt was handled by https://joke-event.de/ from Bremen!

Impressions by Arne Kähler

A few of the many press coverage pieces

Tournament website...

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Topics: Rechtes gegen linkes Alsterufer, scholastic chess
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"Rechtes gegen linkes Alsterufer" - An Open Air Chess Spectacle!

6/23/2025 – It might well be the world’s biggest scholastic chess tournament: the “Rechtes gegen Linkes Alsterufer” match, played every year in Hamburg. Schools from the right bank of the Alster – the river that runs through the city – compete in teams of eight against schools from the left bank. The event began in 1958, with the left bank winning 65–33 and taking a 1–0 lead. Today, the left bank leads with 40–22 in team points and 31,277.5 to 30,512.5 in board points. Over the years, a total of 123,738 students have taken part in the event. The most recent match took place on June 18, outdoors in the center of Hamburg. The left bank won 966.5 to 769.5. | Photos: Nils Rhode
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6/11/2025 – On the Thursday before the Whitsun weekend, Bremen's market square was once again transformed into a large open-air chess tournament hall. 1,300 schoolchildren competed to show what they had learned as part of the Bremen school chess project "Schach macht schlau!" (Chess makes smart). At the end of the day, the cup winners were drawn from the winning team. This time, the trophy featuring the Bremen Town Musicians went to Burgdamm School with classes 1c and 2c. | Photos: Nils Rhode
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Video

60m English New ideas in the Najdorf_E

‘New ideas in the Najdorf – a Power Play 18 Update’ aims to complement Daniel King’s popular DVD from last year ‘The Sicilian Najdorf - a repertoire for Black’. Such a dynamic and popular opening as the Najdorf is developing the whole time. On this download, Daniel King updates lines that were included on his DVD but also responds to viewers’ requests, considering lines that he omitted from his original repertoire. The lines examined on this update are: • 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 h3 e5 7 Nde2 • 5….a6 6 Bc4 in combination with the English Attack (Be3, f3 etc) • 5…a6 6 Be3 and the …a5 variation • 5…a6 6 Be2 and 9 Re1 • 5 f3 (instead of 5 Nc3) It isn’t necessary to have seen the original Najdorf DVD to understand the lines examined here – but it would help as they form part of a complete repertoire.