Chess Classics 2026 65 plus

Open SwissStandard

76 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 27 May 2026 to 04 Jun 2026 in Bad Neuenahr, Germany. 4 titled players from 6 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2134, and top seed was Stephan Buchal (🇩🇪 GER, FM, 2202).

Stephan Buchal (🇩🇪 GER, FM, 2202) won with 7.0/9, ahead of Friedbert, Prof. Dr. Pruefer (7.0) and Gernot, Dr. Klein (6.5). Buchal shared the lead from round 1, winning on tie-break.

The biggest upset came in round 9: Christian Jessen (1669) beat Thomas Jensen (1938), a +269-point gap.

Location

🇩🇪Bad Neuenahr, Germany

Dates

27 May 2026 → 04 Jun 2026

Time control

Standard: 90min/40moves+30min/end+30sec increment per move starting from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇩🇪FMStephan Buchal2202

Avg top 10

2,134

Participants

Titled players · 4

FM×4

Federations · 6 represented

🇩🇪Germany×66

🇳🇱Netherlands×3

🇬🇧England×3

🇧🇪Belgium×2

🇱🇺Luxembourg×1

🇬🇧Scotland×1

Top 3

🥇
FMStephan Buchal
🇩🇪GER·2202
7.0pts·2270perf+15.6
🥈
Friedbert, Prof. Dr. Pruefer
🇩🇪GER·2187
7.0pts·2258perf+16.6
🥉
Gernot, Dr. Klein
🇩🇪GER·1947
6.5pts·2179perf+55.4

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Tight race until R9; 2 players tied at 7.0/9, decided on Buchholz. Title race narrowed from 4 co-leaders at R4 to 2 at the finish.

Co-leaders

Pruefer7Buchal7Spanton6.5Klein6.5Polster6Stuemer6

R9 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

2 players finish on 7.0/9. Buchal takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (46.0).

R8 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Friedbert, Prof. Dr. Pruefer drew with FM Stephan Buchal (White).

R5–R8 · WIN STREAK

Tim R Spanton won 4 in a row (R5–R8).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Friedbert, Prof. Dr. Pruefer	*	½	—	—
2FMStephan Buchal	½	*	½	—
3Tim R Spanton	—	½	*	—
4Gernot, Dr. Klein	—	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Buchal, StephanFM	2202	GER	+36B	+28N	=21B	+14N	=5B	+7N	+9B	=2N	=4B	7.0	46.0	50.5	38.25	2270	+15.6
2	Pruefer, Friedbert, Prof. Dr.	2187	GER	+35B	+37N	=8B	+33N	=7B	=5N	+22B	=1B	+12N	7.0	43.5	48.0	36.00	2258	+16.6
3	Klein, Gernot, Dr.	1947	GER	+44B	−7N	+63B	+34N	=10B	+11N	=21B	=5N	+8B	6.5	41.5	44.5	30.75	2179	+55.4
4	Spanton, Tim R	1911	ENG	+71B	−9N	+55B	−11N	+63B	+42N	+10B	+21N	=1N	6.5	39.0	41.0	26.50	2139	+53.4
5	Polster, Wolfgang, Dr.	2114	GER	+63N	=23B	+17N	+41B	=1N	=2B	=16N	=3B	=6N	6.0	46.5	49.5	31.00	2135	+6.0
6	Stuemer, Paul	2049	GER	=75B	+57N	−34B	+39N	+27B	=10N	=8B	+33N	=5B	6.0	39.0	39.5	26.25	2065	+5.2
7	Heck, NorbertFM	2194	GER	+15N	+3B	=13N	+21B	=2N	−1B	=17N	=22B	=19N	5.5	47.5	52.5	31.25	2121	-14.6
8	Schaefer, Martin, Dr.	1993	GER	+54N	+30B	=2N	=12B	=16N	=19B	=6N	+29B	−3N	5.5	46.0	50.0	28.75	2095	+25.8
9	Thiel, KunoFM	2095	GER	+74N	+4B	=41N	=22B	=13N	+20B	−1N	=17B	=15N	5.5	44.5	45.5	25.75	2044	-10.2
10	Negele, Michael, Dr.	2149	GER	+43N	+25B	=22N	=13B	=3N	=6B	−4N	+41B	=17N	5.5	44.0	48.0	27.25	2033	-24.8
11	Schneider, Christoph, Dr.	2056	GER	=66N	+40B	=23N	+4B	=12N	−3B	+47N	=15B	=13N	5.5	43.0	46.0	27.25	1985	-13.6
12	Seegers, HendrikFM	2100	GER	+64B	=33N	+50B	=8N	=11B	=14N	+25B	=16N	−2B	5.5	42.5	45.5	25.25	2078	-4.0
13	Hartlieb, Juergen	2019	GER	+67B	+27N	=7B	=10N	=9B	−21N	=18B	+39N	=11B	5.5	42.0	45.0	26.25	2086	+17.2
14	Bohnstorff, Michael	2020	GER	=38N	+66B	+45N	−1B	+23N	=12B	=15N	=19B	=22N	5.5	42.0	45.0	25.00	2048	+8.0
15	Launert, Martin, Dr.	1876	GER	−7B	+44N	=24B	+28N	=29B	+37N	=14B	=11N	=9B	5.5	41.5	45.5	26.75	2084	+49.6
16	Pfitzer, Norbert, Prof. Dr.	2072	GER	+59B	=34N	=18B	+31N	=8B	+24N	=5B	=12B	F	5.5	40.5	40.5	27.00	2108	+8.0
17	Broeker, Clemens	1979	GER	+60B	=18N	−5B	+65N	=34B	+45N	=7B	=9N	=10B	5.5	40.0	43.0	23.75	2061	+20.4
18	Haffer, Michael	1899	GER	+69N	=17B	=16N	=25B	−20N	+56B	=13N	+50B	=26N	5.5	39.5	42.0	23.25	2018	+29.8
19	Waagener, Ulrich	2092	GER	=55B	+39N	−33B	+35N	=37B	=8N	+34B	=14N	=7B	5.5	39.0	42.5	25.75	2031	-12.8
20	Bischoff, Ulrich	1976	GER	+61B	−41N	=36B	+60N	+18B	−9N	−33B	+35N	+47B	5.5	36.0	39.5	23.25	1971	-0.4
21	Kolthoff, Siegmund	2074	GER	+51N	+47B	=1N	−7N	+33B	+13B	=3N	−4B	F	5.0	43.5	43.5	24.75	2087	+2.8
22	Duchene, Rene	1997	NED	+65B	+31N	=10B	=9N	+26B	F	−2N	=7N	=14B	5.0	42.0	42.0	24.00	2154	+33.0
23	McAndrew, Robert	1914	SCO	+68B	=5N	=11B	=29N	−14B	=35N	=42B	=59N	+52B	5.0	38.0	41.0	21.25	1949	+8.0
24	Stern, Geoffrey	1978	LUX	=42N	=38B	=15N	+47B	+41N	−16B	=32N	=54B	=30N	5.0	37.5	41.5	22.00	1895	-19.0
25	Gass, Ulrich	1925	GER	+62B	−10N	+64B	=18N	F	+38B	−12N	=32B	+36N	5.0	37.0	37.0	20.75	1984	+12.4
26	Andersen, Jens Knud	2131	GER	=39B	=55N	=30B	+36N	−22N	=59B	=35B	+45N	=18B	5.0	36.5	40.0	21.75	1925	-45.0
27	Krause, Peter	1913	GER	+53N	−13B	=38N	+56B	−6N	−32B	=44N	+66B	+43N	5.0	36.5	39.5	18.75	1871	-9.8
28	Walther, Reinhard	1969	GER	+58N	−1B	=43N	−15B	+55B	=36N	−39B	+67N	+46B	5.0	36.5	39.5	18.25	1930	-10.4
29	Richter, Rainer	2014	GER	+48N	=45B	=42N	=23B	=15N	+43B	F	−8N	+34B	5.0	36.5	36.5	21.75	1976	-8.2
30	Zerfass, Otfried	1888	GER	+76B	−8N	=26N	=38B	−54N	+58B	=59N	+42B	=24B	5.0	35.0	35.0	16.50	1898	+2.0
31	Fabig, Holger	1907	GER	+56N	−22B	+40N	−16B	−43N	−63N	+70B	+44B	+41N	5.0	33.5	35.5	18.00	1879	-6.2
32	Jessen, Christian	1669	GER	−45N	=48B	F	=64N	+65B	+27N	=24B	=25N	+33B	5.0	33.5	33.5	21.00	1982	+126.8
33	Jensen, Thomas	1938	GER	+52N	=12B	+19N	−2B	−21N	+48B	+20N	−6B	−32N	4.5	43.5	47.5	21.75	1967	+7.2
34	Schoettker, Jochen	1919	GER	+70N	=16B	+6N	−3B	=17N	=54B	−19N	+38B	−29N	4.5	42.5	44.5	20.00	1943	+6.0
35	Klein, Reinhard	1862	GER	−2N	=49B	+54N	−19B	+61N	=23B	=26N	−20B	+56N	4.5	39.5	43.0	18.00	1926	+13.2
36	Steiger, Michael	1886	GER	−1N	+58B	=20N	−26B	+60N	=28B	=38N	+56B	−25B	4.5	39.0	42.5	18.00	1921	+6.6
37	Cleve-Prinz, Wolfgang	1943	GER	+49N	−2B	+51N	=42B	=19N	−15B	=41N	=43B	=40N	4.5	38.5	42.5	19.00	1878	-15.0
38	Stoehr, Franz-Michael	1815	GER	=14B	=24N	=27B	=30N	+46B	−25N	=36B	−34N	+59B	4.5	38.5	42.0	20.00	1916	+48.4
39	Van Kesteren, Stef	1861	NED	=26N	−19B	+49N	−6B	=58N	+62B	+28N	−13B	=50N	4.5	38.5	42.0	18.75	1941	+18.0
40	Konig, Jon	1632	ENG	+46B	−11N	−31B	−55N	=69B	=67N	+65B	+63N	=37B	4.5	31.5	34.0	15.00	1859	+49.2
41	Drews, Ruediger	1887	GER	+72N	+20B	=9B	−5N	−24B	+44N	=37B	−10N	−31B	4.0	41.0	42.0	15.50	1892	+2.8
42	Schneider, Udo	1780	GER	=24B	+46N	=29B	=37N	=50B	−4B	=23N	−30N	=53B	4.0	39.0	43.0	17.75	1869	+21.4
43	Pazdzior, Johann	1861	GER	−10B	+62N	=28B	=50N	+31B	−29N	=45B	=37N	−27B	4.0	38.0	41.5	17.25	1898	+8.2
44	Gellrich, Harald	1765	GER	−3N	−15B	+72N	=48B	+51N	−41B	=27B	−31N	+64B	4.0	37.0	38.0	12.50	1784	+6.8
45	Roessler, Wolfgang	1891	GER	+32B	=29N	−14B	+70N	F	−17B	=43N	−26B	+61N	4.0	35.5	35.5	15.00	1898	+1.4
46	Stummeyer, Dieter	1890	GER	−40N	−42B	+62N	+52B	−38N	=55B	=49N	+57B	−28N	4.0	33.0	36.5	14.75	1738	-35.8
47	Hadlich, Gerald	1899	GER	+73B	−21N	+61B	−24N	F	+64N	−11B	+48B	−20N	4.0	32.5	32.5	11.50	1903	+1.0
48	Stokes, Paul C	1810	ENG	−29B	=32N	=71B	=44N	+70B	−33N	+68B	−47N	=49B	4.0	31.5	33.5	12.50	1761	-11.8
49	Schroeder, Harm	1764	GER	−37B	=35N	−39B	+67N	−64B	+71N	=46B	=55N	=48N	4.0	31.0	33.0	13.00	1799	+8.8
50	Reulink, Fred	1942	NED	=57B	+75N	−12N	=43B	=42N	F	+63B	−18N	=39B	4.0	30.5	30.5	11.50	1866	-16.2
51	Puhrer, Achim	1827	GER	−21B	+73N	−37B	=61N	−44B	=68N	−52B	+69N	+67B	4.0	29.5	30.5	9.75	1760	-16.4
52	Prause, Dieter	1749	GER	−33B	−64N	+73B	−46N	=71B	=66N	+51N	+60B	−23N	4.0	29.0	30.0	11.00	1785	+9.2
53	Mayer, Rolf	1732	GER	−27B	=67N	=59B	−63N	=57B	=65N	=58N	+70B	=42N	4.0	28.5	30.5	12.25	1761	+7.8
54	Foitzik, Peter	1783	GER	−8B	+76N	−35B	+57N	+30B	=34N	F	=24N	F	4.0	28.0	28.0	13.25	1910	+24.0
55	Kuhn, Andreas	1827	GER	=19N	=26B	−4N	+40B	−28N	=46N	=57B	=49B	F	3.5	38.0	38.0	15.50	1850	+2.8
56	Bertram, Thomas	1720	GER	−31B	=65N	+67B	−27N	+66B	−18N	+64B	−36N	−35B	3.5	33.5	36.5	10.50	1780	+13.2
57	Huber, Helmut	1757	GER	=50N	−6B	=66N	−54B	=53N	+60B	=55N	−46N	=65B	3.5	32.0	35.0	12.25	1766	+0.8
58	Reimers, Christine	1769	GER	−28B	−36N	=68B	+71N	=39B	−30N	=53B	=64N	=66N	3.5	32.0	34.0	10.75	1749	-5.6
59	Wagner, Ingolf	1825	GER	−16N	=70B	=53N	+76B	F	=26N	=30B	=23B	−38N	3.5	31.0	31.0	10.50	1821	-2.8
60	Riha, Peter	1782	GER	−17N	=69B	+74N	−20B	−36B	−57N	+71B	−52N	+72N	3.5	28.5	29.5	5.25	1697	-19.8
61	Strackbein, Hanno	1770	GER	−20N	+72B	−47N	=51B	−35B	−70N	+76B	+68N	−45B	3.5	28.0	28.0	6.00	1694	-35.6
62	Auschkalnis, Reinhard	1738	GER	−25N	−43B	−46B	+69N	+73B	−39N	−66B	=65N	+76B	3.5	27.0	27.0	5.00	1715	-6.2
63	Hiby, Harald	1857	GER	−5B	+68N	−3N	+53B	−4N	+31B	−50N	−40B	F	3.0	39.5	39.5	12.00	1778	-18.2
64	Rippke, Uwe	1852	GER	−12N	+52B	−25N	=32B	+49N	−47B	−56N	=58B	−44N	3.0	35.0	38.5	12.25	1693	-38.6
65	Cziczkus, Juergen	1788	GER	−22N	=56B	+69N	−17B	−32N	=53B	−40N	=62B	=57N	3.0	34.5	37.0	9.75	1642	-71.2
66	Pleus, Ansgar	1822	GER	=11B	−14N	=57B	F	−56N	=52B	+62N	−27N	=58B	3.0	34.0	34.0	11.75	1753	-17.0
67	Ebner, Hermann	1811	BEL	−13N	=53B	−56N	−49B	+72N	=40B	+69N	−28B	−51N	3.0	33.0	34.0	7.75	1626	-42.4
68	Klesse, Alfred	1732	GER	−23N	−63B	=58N	=74B	+76N	=51B	−48N	−61B	=71N	3.0	26.0	26.0	5.25	1666	-31.6
69	Krakat, Gernot	1677	GER	−18B	=60N	−65B	−62B	=40N	+76N	−67B	−51B	=70N	2.5	29.0	29.0	5.00	1594	-20.4
70	Schomann, Michael	1736	GER	−34B	=59N	F	−45B	−48N	+61B	−31N	−53N	=69B	2.0	31.0	31.5	6.50	1623	-22.8
71	Becker, Stefan	1721	GER	−4N	=74B	=48N	−58B	=52N	−49B	−60N	F	=68B	2.0	29.5	29.5	6.00	1600	-24.2
72	Bertram, Marina	1421	GER	−41B	−61N	−44B	−73N	−67B	F	F	+76N	−60B	1.0	19.0	19.0	0.00	1445	+2.0
73	Schmid, Arnold	1708	GER	−47N	−51B	−52N	+72B	−62N	F	F	F	F	1.0	16.5	16.5	1.00	1487	-26.6
74	Wolke, Reimund	1830	GER	−9B	=71N	−60B	=68N	F	F	F	F	F	1.0	14.0	14.0	2.50	1640	-20.6
75	Moors, Marc	1816	BEL	=6N	−50B	F	F	F	F	F	F	F	0.5	12.0	12.0	3.00	1803	-0.8
76	Schmitz, Norbert	1624	GER	−30N	−54B	F	−59N	−68B	−69B	−61N	−72B	−62N	0.0	26.0	26.0	0.00	929	-57.8

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Jessen, ChristianGER
+126.8
5.0 pts · #25
2Klein, Gernot, Dr.GER
+55.4
6.5 pts · #4
3Spanton, Tim RENG
+53.4
6.5 pts · #3

Top rating losers

1Cziczkus, JuergenGER
-71.2
3.0 pts · #65
2Schmitz, NorbertGER
-57.8
0.0 pts · #76
3Andersen, Jens KnudGER
-45.0
5.0 pts · #28

Biggest upsets

R9+269 Elo gap
Jessen, Christian1669 beat Jensen, Thomas1938
R1+258 Elo gap
Konig, Jon1632 beat Stummeyer, Dieter1890
R6+244 Elo gap
Jessen, Christian1669 beat Krause, Peter1913