Belgians in foreign tournaments: Marienbad January 17-24, 2026

Marienbad or Mariánské Lázně in Czech is the little brother of the much better-known Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary), located 40 km away. Both are very popular spa towns. It is therefore ideal to plan a holiday there together with a non-playing spouse. A wife can enjoy a wide range of wellness treatments every day.

This was already my 4^th time participating in this tournament. Last year, I chose Cappelle-la-Grande. This year, I returned to Marienbad because I was eligible to play in the senior category (+50 years) for the first time. I turn 50 this year, and even at 49, one is allowed to participate. The +50 tournament is also becoming increasingly popular. This year, British Grandmaster Keith Arkell participated again, and with 91 players, the attendance record was easily broken. This stands in stark contrast to the Open, in which only 58 players participated, with the strongest player rated 2182 Elo.

I discovered the tournament during the COVID years. Marienbad is located approximately 800 kilometers from Antwerp and only 30 km from the German border. If you depart by car in the morning, you usually arrive around 5 PM. If you book a room early enough, you can stay in the same hotel where the matches are played. This is convenient and pleasant. You play in a beautiful hall used for conferences and weddings, among other events.

An excellent and extensive breakfast is available at a very competitive price. I did my shopping at the very affordable local Lidl, a 1 km walk away. For dinner, my traveling companion Yves Surmont and I looked for something nearby. I noticed that the local hospitality industry is struggling, as several businesses have closed over the past four years. Nevertheless, we enjoyed several delicious hot meals.

However, for me, the most characteristic and fascinating aspect of the tournament is the snow I experienced every year in Marienbad. Playing a tournament surrounded by snow makes the entire experience mysterious and intensely fulfilling. I find it an ideal start to the new year after the often exhausting end-of-year celebrations. Below, I present some breathtaking atmospheric images of the surroundings taken by Yves.

If the result is also positive, one can only speak of a very successful tournament. I finished 2^nd, just behind the British Grandmaster, and gained some Elo points. A nice game was the one from the 7^th round, when I was able to follow Kasparov’s famous loss against Deep Blue.

There was a second and even greater Belgian success in the Open. Mark Ouaki perhaps played the tournament of his life there, with a TPR of over 2300 and a gain of more than 40 Elo points. At such moments, it is a pity that not a single game was recorded by the organization.

Finally, I would like to mention that in addition to the Open and the +55, there are norm tournaments. Every year, there is at least one IM and one GM group. This year, even the strong Ukrainian Grandmaster Anton Korobov participated, winning the GM group by a margin of two points. More information about this chess tournament and the Czech Tour, of which this tournament is a part, can be found at Czechtour.

Helmut Froeyman