2/26/2020 – The 12th edition of the Batavia Tournament is taking place from February 20th to March 1st at Café Batavia 1920 in Amsterdam. The event is a ten-player single round robin and gives participants the opportunity to earn a grandmaster norm. After five rounds, top seed Dimitri Reinderman is the sole leader with 4½ points. As usual, a cosy environment and top-notch organization are the main attractions of the yearly event. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

3/7/2018 – The dMP Batavia tournament (made possible by main sponsor De Melker & Partners), was won by Brazilian GM Alexander Fier, who flew to Amsterdam fresh off his success in the Brazilian Championship last month. Fier also won the blitz tournament for the second straight year. Tournament director and ChessBase contributor, IM Merijn van Delft, sent this recap. | Photos: Lennart Ootes

2/23/2018 – Two traditional tournaments, known for their social scene as much as their strong fields, kick off today, with anniversary editions. In Amsterdam, the Batavia tournament is in its 10th year, while in Bunratty, Ireland, the Bunratty Chess Festival is celebrating its 25th edition! Top seeds are GMs Ivan Sokolov and Nigel Short respectively, and both tournaments are carried on live.chessbase.com. Photo: Simon Williams pre-Bunratty selfie with Blair Connell, via Twitter

3/7/2017 – One can only describe a norm tournament in which three of the seven hopefuls manage to actually make norms as a smashing success! The mix of young and ambitious players coupled with a lot of fighting chess was the recipe for this big success, and at the top were both Australian IM Bobby Cheng and IM Lucas Van Foreest who both scored GM norms. Illustrated report and analysis by GM Alexandr Fier.

3/2/2017 – Hailing from sunny Brazil, and living in Georgia, GM Alexandr Fier is a fixture on the circuit of opens throughout Europe and South America. The Brazilian player is now playing in the 9th Batavian Tournament, a GM event held in a café in Amsterdam, which he describes as the friendliest event he has known. Enjoy his midway report with photos and analysis.

3/3/2016 – The Batavia tournament in the Batavia Café in Amsterdam celebrates Dutch coffeehouse chess culture. Back in the days Max Euwe, who in 1935 became World Champion, played his very first tournament in such a café. Three grandmasters started in the Batavia tournament 2016: Lars Schandorff, Sabino Brunello, and Friso Nijboer. And they showed no respect for the young.

3/4/2014 – Although the international tournament held at Café Batavia was an example of informal coziness, it was also a tribute to the love of chess by all concerned. It starts with the owner, Peter Tames, who made it possible, but consider the efforts of GM David Smerdon, who worked his day job, faced a five-hour commute every day, and played in the tournament. Here is a final illustrated report.

3/1/2014 – In the cozy confines of the Café Batavia, located in Amsterdam, Holland, a GM tournament is being held with a singular combination of good cheer and hard-fought competition. The Café is not merely the sponsor of the tournament, but the venue as well, leading to a relaxed atmosphere that is hard to imitate. The players can be seen enjoying themselves enormously in Alina L'Ami's pictorial.

2/28/2014 – Café Batavia in Prins Hendrikskade next to the central station in Amsterdam is not your typical chess café. It is a very popular “normal” lively café that hosts various cultural events and where chess players are especially welcome in large part thanks to the owner, Peter Tames, and his enormous love for the royal game. For the sixth year it is hosting an international tournament in the café.