Grenke Chess Festival
The largest open chess festival in the world, held annually in Karlsruhe, Germany
The Grenke Chess Festival is the largest open chess festival in the world, held annually in Karlsruhe, Germany over Easter weekend. In 2026, the festival attracted over 3,500 participants, setting a new record for attendance.
The festival runs parallel classical and Freestyle (Chess960) open tournaments alongside the elite Grenke Chess Classic, which features a hand-picked field of top grandmasters. The Freestyle Open winner earns a qualification spot for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship, adding serious stakes to what is already a massive event.
Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, and other top players have competed at the festival, and the 60,000 EUR first prize makes it one of the richest open tournaments on the calendar. The event has grown steadily since its founding, becoming a destination tournament for club players and professionals alike.
Beyond the main tournaments, the festival includes simultaneous exhibitions, lectures, a chess bookshop, and social events that turn an entire convention center into a chess city for a week. For anyone who wants to experience competitive chess at scale, the Grenke Chess Festival is hard to beat.
Key Features
- 3,500+ participants
- 60,000 EUR first prize
- Classical and Chess960 tournaments
- Elite Grenke Classic GM event
- Freestyle WC qualification
- Easter weekend annually
- Karlsruhe, Germany
Links
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