Upcoming tournaments and events

by ChessBase
8/25/2026 – Looking for an interesting over-the-board chess tournament to play, attend, or simply watch? There are plenty being staged all over the world, and we bring you an overviews of the most interesting of them – focused mainly on the period after the Chess Olympiad, with events from early October through the beginning of November. We do this in cooperation with MyChess.events, a global platform that helps players discover upcoming events, check dates, venues, formats, prize funds and registration details.
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The following tournament information was provided for us by MyChess.Events, a global portal that tracks over-the-board chess tournaments worldwide. On its description pages you will find format, date, schedules, prize funds, etc. The site also helps players find registration details, schedules, venues, and organizer information.

The Reno Western States Open is one of the established American opens, listed as an American Classic and Heritage Event. The 2026 edition offers a six-round Swiss format, several rating sections, a $27,500 advertised prize fund, and side activities such as lectures, simuls, blitz, and game analysis. It is a strong practical tournament for US Chess players and visitors to Nevada.

Full information at MyChess.

Fagernes International Autumn is a strong Norwegian chess festival with two 10-round classical tournaments: a GM Swiss Group and an Open Swiss Group. The GM group is especially interesting because it offers title-norm opportunities, while the Open group gives tournament players of all ratings a serious FIDE-rated event in the Norwegian mountain setting of Fagernes. 

Full information at MyChess.

The Arco festival is a long-running Italian chess event in Trentino, returning for its 48th edition. It combines a general Open A tournament with a Senior Over 65 section at the historic Casinò Municipale di Arco. The tournament has strong destination value, a beautiful northern Italian setting, FIDE-rated classical play, live game transmission, and a traditional festival atmosphere.

Full information at MyChess.

Hoogeveen is one of the most recognizable tournament names in the Netherlands. The 2026 edition includes the elite Crown Group, the Hoogeveen Open, and amateur morning and afternoon tournaments. This makes it suitable both for readers who follow high-level chess and for players interested in a serious Dutch chess festival with open-entry sections.

Full information at MyChess.

The Manaus Chess Open brings the selection to Brazil and the Amazon region. The 2026 edition is a nine-round classical tournament at Blue Tree Premium Manaus, with a prize fund of R$85,000 and FIDE/CBX rating. It gives the article a strong South American angle and an attractive destination setting in one of Brazil’s most distinctive cities.

Full information at MyChess.

One of the strongest events in the selection. The European Club Cup and European Women’s Club Cup bring together leading European clubs in Herceg Novi, Montenegro. With a seven-round team format, Open and Women’s competitions, and a €40,000 prize fund, it has official European championship status. It is highly relevant for ChessBase readers who follow elite club chess.

Full information at MyChess.

The Chefchaouen International Chess Festival gives the article a strong African and destination-chess element. The tournament takes place in Morocco’s famous “Blue City” and uses a nine-round FIDE-rated classical Swiss format. It combines serious over-the-board chess with a very attractive cultural and visual setting.

Full information at MyChess.

Amsterdam Chess Open is a compact and well-structured weekend tournament in one of Europe’s most attractive chess-travel cities. The 2026 edition has four rating groups, six classical rounds, FIDE and KNSB rating, and a clear Friday-to-Sunday schedule. It is especially suitable for practical players looking for a short but serious international open. 

Full information at MyChess.

The Lakecity International Open adds India to the selection with a strong FIDE-rated tournament in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The event has nine classical rounds, a fixed prize fund of ₹1,601,000, more than 100 cash prizes, and additional trophies across rating, age, women’s, veteran, and local-player categories. It also has a strong visual angle because of Udaipur’s “Lake City” identity.

Full information at MyChess.

The 2026 Benidorm Chess Open is a strong Spanish destination tournament on the Costa Blanca. It includes Open A Supra 1800 and Open B Sub 2000, both played over nine classical rounds, with rapid and blitz side events. With a €25,510 prize fund, hotel-based playing conditions, GM masterclasses, and cultural activities, it is a very attractive tournament for international players.

Full information at MyChess.

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Video

60m The Two Knights

This entry into the 60 minutes series concentrates on the Modern variation of the Italian game where White opens the centre early : 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d4 exd4 5 e5!. This line can be reached by various move orders, most frequently from the Scotch 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4. It's a sharp variation and Grandmasters such as Evgeny Sveshnikov have used it frequently,with very good results. It's a perfect line for club players to adopt which is relatively easy to learn and which contains many traps. All the main responses are covered here, including 5...d5, 5...Ng4 and 5...Ne4 and the conclusion is that is is difficult for Black to equalize in a straightforward way. Problems are being posed, which over the board might prove tough to solve.