27. NordWest-Cup Open As

Open SwissStandard

79 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 29 Jan 2026 to 01 Feb 2026 in Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. 1 titled players from 4 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2008, and top seed was Ernst Heinemann (🇩🇪 GER, 2098).

Richard Schier (🇩🇪 GER, 1876) won with 5.5/7, ahead of Enno Eschholz (5.5) and Mark Hermanowski (5.5).

The biggest upset came in round 4: Ralf Westerhoff (1676) beat Markus Klein (1902), a +226-point gap.

Location

🇩🇪Bad Zwischenahn, Germany

Dates

29 Jan 2026 → 01 Feb 2026

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes for first 40 moves and 15 min. for the rest of the game with 30 sec. increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇩🇪Ernst Heinemann2098

Avg top 10

2,008

Participants

Titled players · 1

WCM×1

Federations · 4 represented

🇩🇪Germany×67

🇩🇰Denmark×8

🇳🇱Netherlands×3

🇱🇷Liberia×1

Top 3

🥇
Richard Schier
🇩🇪GER·1876
5.5pts·2216perf+60.6
🥈
Enno Eschholz
🇩🇪GER·2075
5.5pts·2135perf+8.6
🥉
Mark Hermanowski
🇩🇪GER·1939
5.5pts·2091perf+25.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Tight race until R7; 4 players tied at 5.5/7, decided on Buchholz.

Co-leaders

De Boer5.5Hermanowski5.5Schier5.5Eschholz5.5Schmidt5Saah5

R7 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

4 players finish on 5.5/7. Schier takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (26.5).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

Mark Hermanowski 5 wins (R2–R6)Richard Schier 4 wins (R1–R4)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Robert De Boer	*	—	—	—
2Mark Hermanowski	—	*	½	—
3Richard Schier	—	½	*	½
4Enno Eschholz	—	—	½	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Schier, Richard	1876	GER	+30B	+28B	+61N	+10B	=17N	=2N	=3B	5.5	26.5	29.0	21.50	2216	+60.6
2	Eschholz, Enno	2075	GER	+75N	+50B	=12N	=19B	+11N	=1B	+27B	5.5	25.0	26.5	19.50	2135	+8.6
3	Hermanowski, Mark	1939	GER	−18N	+79B	+55N	+20B	+13N	+25B	=1N	5.5	25.0	26.0	19.25	2091	+25.2
4	De Boer, Robert	1889	NED	+51N	+14B	=10N	=27B	=9N	+28B	+22N	5.5	24.5	27.5	21.25	2211	+57.2
5	Kuempers, Ulrich	1887	GER	+39B	=6B	+58N	−17N	=21B	+30N	+28B	5.0	23.5	26.0	17.50	2120	+45.0
6	Schmidt, Theo	1977	GER	+69B	=5N	=57N	+44B	=27N	=9B	+18N	5.0	22.5	24.5	16.75	2051	+13.6
7	Bruntse, Kathrine Lindegaard	1778	DEN	+45N	+44B	=27N	+12B	=25N	+17B	F	5.0	22.0	22.0	18.25	2190	+124.8
8	Saah, Obediah	2006	LBR	−50N	=29N	+67B	+45B	=22N	+19B	+17N	5.0	21.5	23.5	16.75	2045	+7.8
9	Roehrkasten, Reinhard	1942	GER	=46B	=32N	+36B	+41N	=4B	=6N	=14N	4.5	25.5	28.5	17.75	2018	+15.0
10	Heinemann, Ernst	2098	GER	+42B	+48N	=4B	−1N	=34B	+47N	=16B	4.5	25.5	28.5	16.25	2006	-15.2
11	Schaefer, Maik	1931	GER	+60N	=18B	=20N	+24B	−2B	=23N	+29B	4.5	25.0	27.5	16.00	1989	+11.6
12	Westendorp, Christian	1911	GER	+15B	+78N	=2B	−7N	=66B	=21N	+37B	4.5	25.0	26.5	15.50	1992	+16.4
13	Nolte, Alexander Nicolai	1873	GER	+33B	=34N	+21B	=14N	−3B	=37N	+32B	4.5	24.5	28.0	16.75	2048	+33.6
14	Zahn, Richard	2028	GER	+67B	−4N	+56B	=13B	+61N	=16N	=9B	4.5	24.5	26.5	14.25	2011	-2.4
15	Neumann, Hannes	1819	GER	−12N	=47N	+73B	−26B	+48N	+31B	+38N	4.5	21.5	23.5	13.50	2011	+74.8
16	Farokhi, Darian	1937	GER	−20N	=60B	+76N	+46B	+49N	=14B	=10N	4.5	21.5	23.0	13.25	1998	+24.8
17	Kutlar, Aras	1928	GER	+77N	=20B	+18N	+5B	=1B	−7N	−8B	4.0	28.5	30.0	15.25	1879	-15.6
18	Richter, Silas	1867	GER	+3B	=11N	−17B	=30N	+54B	+34N	−6B	4.0	26.0	29.0	16.00	1995	+24.8
19	Auwens, Michel	1906	NED	=29B	+53N	+35B	=2N	=33B	−8N	=21B	4.0	25.0	28.0	14.75	1960	+10.8
20	Kowalski, Holger	1863	GER	+16B	=17N	=11B	−3N	−37B	+63N	+54B	4.0	25.0	27.5	14.25	1981	+23.2
21	Meisel, Dirk	1970	GER	=31N	+72B	−13N	+48B	=5N	=12B	=19N	4.0	24.5	26.5	13.50	1937	-6.0
22	Schwoerer, Marcel	1913	GER	=59N	+64B	=49N	=43B	=8B	+71N	−4B	4.0	22.0	24.0	11.50	1897	-1.8
23	Rick, Niklas Corvin	1827	GER	−44N	=45B	+75N	=38B	+26N	=11B	=24N	4.0	22.0	23.5	13.00	1972	+28.2
24	Stoy, Ulf	1948	GER	=32B	=46N	+62B	−11N	=36B	+59N	=23B	4.0	21.0	23.5	12.00	1914	-5.8
25	Eberle, Simon	1919	DEN	=35B	+70N	+59B	+57N	=7B	−3N	F	4.0	21.0	21.0	11.25	1969	+7.6
26	Vangsgaard, Claus	1937	DEN	=70B	−35N	=74B	+15N	−23B	+67N	+47B	4.0	19.0	20.5	11.25	1903	-6.2
27	Eggenstein, Frank	1928	GER	+74B	+36N	=7B	=4N	=6B	F	−2N	3.5	28.0	29.5	12.75	1960	+6.0
28	Geers, Bernhard	1968	GER	+40B	−1N	=32B	+52N	+57B	−4N	−5N	3.5	26.0	28.5	10.75	1872	-18.6
29	Eitel, Luc	1782	GER	=19N	=8B	−43N	+65B	+44N	=38B	−11N	3.5	23.5	26.0	11.75	1928	+54.4
30	Derlich, Sarah SimaWCM	1962	DEN	−1N	+69B	=46N	=18B	+62N	−5B	=41N	3.5	23.5	25.5	9.75	1882	-29.6
31	Pallapies, Kilian	1884	GER	=21B	+37N	=34B	−33N	=39B	−15N	+59B	3.5	22.5	25.0	11.50	1916	+6.0
32	Buecklers, Martin	1873	GER	=24N	=9B	=28N	=39B	=58N	+61B	−13N	3.5	22.5	25.0	11.50	1942	+13.2
33	Fischermann, Simon	1942	GER	−13N	+40B	+65N	+31B	=19N	F	F	3.5	22.5	25.0	11.50	2031	+24.0
34	Wemssen, Lothar	1935	GER	+76N	=13B	=31N	=49B	=10N	−18B	=53N	3.5	22.5	24.0	10.75	1864	-13.0
35	Launert, Martin, Dr.	1835	GER	=25N	+26B	−19N	=58B	−38N	+51B	=44N	3.5	21.5	24.0	11.75	1934	+19.2
36	Lang, Nico	1855	GER	+38N	−27B	−9N	+68B	=24N	+58B	F	3.5	21.5	23.5	10.00	1965	+19.0
37	Lammers, Frank, Prof. Dr.	1932	GER	=72N	−31B	+60N	=71B	+20N	=13B	−12N	3.5	21.0	23.0	10.75	1854	-15.0
38	Lau, Udo	1934	GER	−36B	=74N	+70B	=23N	+35B	=29N	−15B	3.5	21.0	22.5	10.00	1831	-20.0
39	Boehm, Stefan, Dr.	1989	GER	−5N	+75B	=48B	=32N	=31N	+57B	F	3.5	19.0	19.0	9.00	1934	-8.0
40	Kobs, Stephan	1881	GER	−28N	−33N	=42B	=77N	=74B	+64B	+58N	3.5	17.0	18.5	8.25	1901	+3.2
41	Hieke, Jonas	1918	GER	−57N	+77B	+68N	−9B	−71N	+62B	=30B	3.5	17.0	18.5	7.75	1794	-41.2
42	Wartenberg, Alexander	1895	GER	−10N	−68B	=40N	=76B	+60N	=78B	+57N	3.5	16.5	18.0	8.25	1849	-18.0
43	Cramer, Philipp	1941	GER	=52B	=65N	+29B	=22N	+59B	F	F	3.5	15.5	15.5	10.75	1999	+7.8
44	Ringsmose, Christian	1913	DEN	+23B	−7N	+78B	−6N	−29B	=46N	=35B	3.0	24.0	25.5	8.75	1771	-27.2
45	Ditmas, Hugh	1901	GER	−7B	=23N	+53B	−8N	=72B	=52N	=46B	3.0	23.0	25.0	9.00	1802	-19.6
46	Altenburg, Frank	1872	GER	=9N	=24B	=30B	−16N	=51N	=44B	=45N	3.0	22.5	25.5	10.50	1892	+3.4
47	Paashaus, Detlef	1897	GER	−49N	=15B	=64N	+55B	+78N	−10B	−26N	3.0	21.5	23.0	8.00	1783	-21.8
48	Walker, Julia	1899	GER	+71B	−10B	=39N	−21N	−15B	+74N	=52B	3.0	21.5	23.0	6.75	1855	-9.0
49	Stepanjan, Marianne	1707	GER	+47B	=66N	=22B	=34N	−16B	−54N	=50B	3.0	21.0	23.5	9.50	1877	+58.0
50	Aguike, Chidera	1889	GER	+8B	−2N	−66B	=79N	−53N	+76B	=49N	3.0	20.5	21.5	8.50	1840	-19.6
51	Gronnemose, Freja Egelund	1991	DEN	−4B	=67N	−52B	+70N	=46B	−35N	+68B	3.0	19.0	21.0	6.50	1803	-35.6
52	Drews, Nicolas	1867	GER	=43N	−58B	+51N	−28B	=63N	=45B	=48N	3.0	18.5	21.0	9.00	1886	+3.2
53	Henzelmann, Matthias	1762	GER	F	−19B	−45N	+69N	+50B	=56N	=34B	3.0	18.5	18.5	8.25	1903	+45.6
54	Zenker, Othmar	1942	GER	−62N	=76B	=72N	+64B	−18N	+49B	−20N	3.0	18.0	19.5	7.25	1783	-30.2
55	Mertens, Richard	1779	GER	=73B	=63N	−3B	−47N	−67B	+77N	+69B	3.0	17.0	18.5	5.75	1779	+0.4
56	Meyer, Ulrich	1900	GER	+68N	−57B	−14N	=72B	+79N	=53B	F	3.0	15.0	15.0	5.50	1846	-9.0
57	Schramm, Daniel	1830	GER	+41B	+56N	=6B	−25B	−28N	−39N	−42B	2.5	23.0	26.0	9.00	1836	+0.6
58	Ritter, Uwe	1939	GER	=65B	+52N	−5B	=35N	=32B	−36N	−40B	2.5	22.0	24.5	7.75	1764	-34.2
59	Nair, Pranav Prasobh	1822	NED	=22B	+73N	−25N	+63B	−43N	−24B	−31N	2.5	21.5	23.5	6.50	1815	-4.0
60	Guddat, Joern	1848	GER	−11B	=16N	−37B	=67N	−42B	=73B	+79N	2.5	20.0	21.0	5.25	1804	-8.8
61	de Vries, Carsten	1931	GER	+79B	+62N	−1B	=66N	−14B	−32N	F	2.5	19.5	19.5	4.75	1855	-13.2
62	Schmidt, Peter	1869	GER	+54B	−61B	−24N	+74N	−30B	−41N	=63B	2.5	19.0	20.5	5.75	1820	-9.6
63	Haase, Sven	1911	GER	=64N	=55B	=71N	−59N	=52B	−20B	=62N	2.5	17.5	19.5	6.50	1722	-36.6
64	Horstmann, Thilo, Dr.	1818	GER	=63B	−22N	=47B	−54N	=75B	−40N	+77B	2.5	17.5	19.0	5.00	1713	-30.8
65	Jablonski, Ture	1866	GER	=58N	=43B	−33B	−29N	=77B	=68N	=75B	2.5	16.5	18.0	5.50	1751	-37.2
66	Stern, Philipp	1978	GER	F	=49B	+50N	=61B	=12N	F	F	2.5	13.0	13.0	8.00	1955	-2.2
67	Knudsen, Joachim Holm	1893	DEN	−14N	=51B	−8N	=60B	+55N	−26B	−70N	2.0	22.0	24.0	5.75	1763	-25.0
68	Salim, Florian	1754	GER	−56B	+42N	−41B	−36N	=76N	=65B	−51N	2.0	19.0	20.5	5.50	1739	-8.0
69	Eichstaedt, Axel	1884	GER	−6N	−30N	=77B	−53B	+73N	=79B	−55N	2.0	18.0	19.0	3.25	1679	-31.8
70	Aden, Dagmar	1857	GER	=26N	−25B	−38N	−51B	F	=75N	+67B	2.0	18.0	18.0	4.75	1803	-8.2
71	Bruntse, Caroline Lindegaard	1749	DEN	−48N	F	=63B	=37N	+41B	−22B	F	2.0	16.5	16.5	6.50	1843	+23.6
72	Poppinga, Soeren Joseph	1852	GER	=37B	−21N	=54B	=56N	=45N	F	F	2.0	16.5	16.5	6.25	1857	+1.2
73	Klein, Markus	1902	GER	=55N	−59B	−15N	−78B	−69B	=60N	+74B	2.0	16.0	17.5	4.25	1652	-47.4
74	Tunka, Josef	1842	GER	−27N	=38B	=26N	−62B	=40N	−48B	−73N	1.5	20.0	22.0	5.50	1677	-27.4
75	Guetschow, Christian	1893	GER	−2B	−39N	−23B	F	=64N	=70B	=65N	1.5	20.0	20.0	3.50	1712	-28.2
76	Schiller, Thomas	1855	GER	−34B	=54N	−16B	=42N	=68B	−50N	F	1.5	19.5	19.5	4.25	1699	-23.8
77	Feldhoff, Markus	0	GER	−17B	−41N	=69N	=40B	=65N	−55B	−64N	1.5	19.0	21.0	4.00	1637	0.0
78	Westerhoff, Ralf	1676	GER	F	−12B	−44N	+73N	−47B	=42N	F	1.5	16.0	16.0	3.75	1754	+8.8
79	Schwenke, Stefan	1850	GER	−61N	−3N	F	=50B	−56B	=69N	−60B	1.0	18.5	18.5	2.50	1626	-32.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Bruntse, Kathrine LindegaardDEN
+124.8
5.0 pts · #8
2Neumann, HannesGER
+74.8
4.5 pts · #16
3Schier, RichardGER
+60.6
5.5 pts · #3

Top rating losers

1Klein, MarkusGER
-47.4
2.0 pts · #69
2Hieke, JonasGER
-41.2
3.5 pts · #56
3Jablonski, TureGER
-37.2
2.5 pts · #71

Biggest upsets

R4+226 Elo gap
Westerhoff, Ralf1676 beat Klein, Markus1902
R4+222 Elo gap
Schier, Richard1876 beat Heinemann, Ernst2098
R1+190 Elo gap
Stepanjan, Marianne1707 beat Paashaus, Detlef1897