43rd Open Franconian Senior Individual Championship Bischofsgrün

One of Germany's Oldest Senior Chess Festivals

Bischofsgrün, a state-recognized health resort and winter sports community in the Fichtelgebirge, has been a firm fixture of the Upper Franconian chess scene since the early 1980s. The Open Franconian Senior Individual Championship has been held here annually since 1984 — with its 43rd edition in 2026, the tournament is one of the oldest senior chess festivals in Germany.

Format and Rating

The tournament is open to chess players aged 55 and over. Rounds are played daily over nine days — the first on the arrival day at 2:30 PM after registration from 1 PM to 2 PM, all subsequent rounds at 9 AM. The time control is 40 moves in 100 minutes plus 30 minutes remaining time, with a 30-second increment from the first move. Both common rating systems — the German DWZ and the international ELO — are used. Half-point byes are permitted up to round 4.

Prizes and Trophies

Trophies are awarded for places 1 to 3. But most importantly: Every participant receives a prize. The tournament is not intended as a top-level sports event, but as a chess festival week with a competitive character — accordingly, the atmosphere is friendly, with long-time regulars who meet year after year at the Kaiseralm over decades.

Excursion Program in the Fichtelgebirge

ChessOrg also organizes excursions in the region: a city tour in Bayreuth (with the Festspielhaus, Margravial Opera House), a hike to the Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth near Wunsiedel, a visit to the Fichtelsee lake, and Ochsenkopf hikes. This transforms a pure chess tournament into an active and cultural week in the Fichtelgebirge.

Bischofsgrün as a Chess Location

With three major senior chess tournaments per year (Open Franconian Senior Individual Championship in June, Senior Cup in summer, Franconian Senior Derby in August/September), Bischofsgrün has established itself as a chess center for the older generation in southern Germany. The Hotel Kaiseralm offers tournament rooms, hotel rooms, and catering under one roof — ideal for a week of chess without changing location.