Prague Open 2026
24th International Chess Festival
part of CZECH TOUR 2026 Series
9th – 16th January 2026 Prague, Czech Republic
Place: the Olympik hotel Tristar, U Sluncove 14, Praha 8Organizer: AVE CHESS z. s.
Festival director: Petr Lausman
Chief arbiter: IA Martin Dobrotka (SVK)
Announced tournaments
A) 9th – 16th January 2026: PRAGUE OPEN A
- open master tournament with IM norm, rating for FIDE and DWZ
- participation of players without age and performance limitations
- Swiss system of 9 rounds, 2x 1,5 h/40 + 30 min + 30 s/move
- waiting time 1 h in case of late arrival
- starting fee in EUR
| players accommodated through the organizer | other players | |
| GM, IM, WGM and WIM | 0 | 0 |
| ELO FIDE >= 2200 | 50 | 71 |
| ELO FIDE >= 2000 | 62.5 | 83.5 |
| ELO FIDE >= 1850 | 83.5 | 104 |
| ELO FIDE >= 1700 | 104 | 125 |
| ELO FIDE < 1700 and without ELO FIDE | 125 | 146 |
- discounts on starting fee: 25 % for FM, players over 65 years of age and women
- players registered after 1 January 2026 pay extra 12.5 EUR
- financial prizes in CZK: 20 000, 15 000, 10 000, 7 000, 5 000, 3 000, 2 000, 2 000, 1 000, 1 000, best woman 1 000, best senior over 60 years of age 1 000, best youngster up to 16 years of age 1 000, best youngster up to 12 years of age 1 000 (70 000 CZK altogether, fusion of prizes is possible)
- material prizes for other players
B) 9th – 16th January 2026: PRAGUE OPEN B
- open rating tournament with rating for FIDE and DWZ
- players with ELO FIDE < 2000 and players without ELO FIDE
- Swiss system of 9 rounds, 2x 1,5 h/40 + 30 min + 30 s/move
- waiting time 1 h in case of late arrival
- starting fee in EUR
| players accommodated through the organizer | other players | |
| ELO FIDE 1700 - 1999 | 50 | 71 |
| ELO FIDE < 1700 and without ELO FIDE | 62.5 | 83.5 |
- discounts on starting fee: 25 % for players over 65 years of age and women
- players registered after 1 January 2026 pay extra 12.5 EUR
- financial prizes in CZK: 3 000, 2 000, 1 000, 1 000, 500, 500, best woman 1 000, senior over 60 years of age 1 000, best youngster up to 12 years of age 1 000, best player with ELO FIDE 1600–1699, 1500–1599, 1400–1499 and without ELO FIDE 1 000 (15 000 altogether, fusion of prizes is possible)
- material prizes for other players
30+) 9th – 16th January 2026: PRAGUE OPEN 30+
- open rating tournament with rating for FIDE and DWZ
- players born in 1996 and older
- Swiss system of 9 rounds, 2x 1,5 h/40 + 30 min + 30 s/move
- waiting time 1 h in case of late arrival
- starting fee in EUR
| players accommodated through the organizer | other players |
| 62.5 | 83.5 |
- players registered after 1 January 2026 pay extra 12.5 EUR
- financial prizes in CZK: 5 000, 3 000, 2 000, 1 000, best woman 1 000, senior over 65 years of age 1 000, best player with ELO FIDE 1700–1999 and 1400–1699 each 1 000 (15 000 altogether, fusion of prizes is possible)
- material prizes for other players
C) 11th January 2026: open tournament in rapid chess
- participation of players without age and performance limitations
- rating for rapid ELO FIDE
- Swiss system of 7 rounds, 2 x 10 min + 5s/move
- starting fee: 8.5 EUR
- financial prizes in CZK: 2 000, 1 500, 1 000, 500
- material prizes for other players
- applications for this tournament are not registered and it is possible to register for it only on the day of launching of the tournament
D) 14th January 2026: open blitz tournament
- participation of players without age and performance limitations
- rating for rapid ELO FIDE
- Swiss system of 11 rounds, 2 x 3 min. + 2s/move
- starting fee 8.5 EUR
- financial prizes in CZK: 2 000, 1 500, 1 000, 500
- material prizes for other players
- applications for this tournament are not registered and it is possible to register for it only on the day of launching of the tournament
Criteria used for ranking and prizes distribution
- 1. number of points, 2. Buchholz Cut 1, 3. Buchholz, 4. Sonnenborn-Berger, 5. the greater number of games played with black
- Prizes in tournaments A, B and 30+ are distributed according to Hort system among such number of players which corresponds to the number of advertised prizes; prizes in tournaments C and D are not divided
Accommodation
The Olympik hotel Artemis ****+
(the playing hall is situated here)- single rooms, price including breakfast 73 EUR/room and night
- double rooms, price including breakfast 87.5 EUR/room and night
- triple rooms, price including breakfast 108.5 EUR/room and night
The Olympik hotel Congress ****
(the playing hall is situated here)- single rooms, price including breakfast 60.5 EUR/room and night
- double rooms, price including breakfast 69 EUR/room and night
- triple rooms, price including breakfast 96 EUR/room and night
The Olympik hotel Tristar ***
(the playing hall is situated here)- single rooms, price including breakfast 58.5 EUR/room and night
- double rooms, price including breakfast 66.5 EUR/room and night
- triple rooms, price including breakfast 91.5 EUR/room and night
Accommodated persons over the age of 18 pay the municipal fee in the amount of 50 CZK / night (~ 2.1 EUR) upon arrival at the reception.
Schedule
| Thu 8/1 | 18.00—20.00 | Attendance A, B, 30+ |
| Fri 9/1 | 10.00—14.00 | Attendance A, B, 30+ |
| 16.00 | 1st round A, B, 30+ | |
| Sat 10/1 | 9.00 | 2nd round A, B, 30+ |
| 16.00 | 3rd round A, B, 30+ | |
| Sun 11/1 | 8.15—9.15 | Registration C |
| 9.30—13.30 | Tournament C | |
| 16.00 | 4th round A, B, 30+ | |
| Mon 12/1 | 16.00 | 5th round A, B, 30+ |
| Tue 13/1 | 16.00 | 6th round A, B, 30+ |
| Wed 14/1 | 8.45—9.45 | registration D |
| 10.00—13.00 | Tournament D | |
| 16.00 | 7th round A, B, 30+ | |
| Thu 15/1 | 16.00 | 8th round A, B, 30+ |
| Fri 16/1 | 9.00 | 9th round A, B, 30+ |
| 15.30 | Solemn conclusion |
Other information
- Complete your obligatory applications together with accommodation orders by 1st January 2025 on http://www.czechtour.net/applications/ or by e-mail to office@avechess.cz, alt. ave-kontakt@outlook.cz
- All foreign players must have an assigned FIDE identification number (abbreviation FIDE ID or FID) at the time of the submission of the application form. If they do not have it, they have to apply their national chess federation for it.
- Starting fee and accommodation payments will be collected during the registration in cash in EUR (at the amount given in these regulations), CZK (in the rate 24:1 compared to prices given in these regulations) or USD or by debit and credit cards: Eurocard/Master Card, Maestro, VISA, VISA Electron, JCB or Diners Club. Attendance before starting the tournament is mandatory for all participants.
- Discount on starting fee and accommodation price - 5% discount in 2nd start in the tournament held within the frame of this year CZECH TOUR Series, or 10% in 3rd start, 15% in 4th start etc. (only starts from all tournaments for individuals played with rating min. 2 x 1,5h + 30s/move are counted)
- Transport connection: The hotel is situated near the city centre (4 metro stations) at a distance of ca. 100 m from the metro station line B Invalidovna.
- The parking place is situated directly next to the Olympik hotel, the price for participants of our festival is 250 CZK (~ 10.5 EUR) / day.
- By participating in the tournament, the player gives the organizer the right to take photos and videos with his person and to use them.
- Interesting things and photos: Facebook, Instagram, Zonerama
Festivals arranged within the frame of CZECH TOUR International Chess Festivals Series Autumn 2025 and Winter 2026
| 1–8 Nov 2025 | 15th HRADEC KRALOVE OPEN |
| 8–15 Nov 2025 | 14th BRNO OPEN |
| 9–16 Jan 2026 | 23rd PRAGUE OPEN |
| 17–24 Jan 2026 | 24th MARIENBAD OPEN |
| 28 Mar – 4 Apr 2026 | 14th PILSEN OPEN |
| 24 Feb – 6 Mar 2026 | 8th PRAGUE INT. CHESS FESTIVAL |
Contact to the organizer
AVE CHESS z.s., Pricna 1892/4, 110 00 Prague, Czech Republictel. + 420 - 466 535 200
mobile phone + 420 - 608 203 007
e-mail: office@avechess.cz, alt. ave-kontakt@outlook.cz
