XXIX. Reykjavik Open 2014
March 4th to March 12th
50 years anniversary of one of the most prestigious tournament in the world
The most spectacular playing venue for open tournament EVER!
Packages from Icelandair which include flight and hotel with breakfast at excellent prices!
The tournament will be held in Harpa, Reykjavik´s spectacular new music hall and conference centre by the harbour. Only 5 minutes walk to downtown Reykjavik. Harpa features several restaurants and concerts during evenings and weekends. More information about the playing venue can be found here.
Icelandair is offering packages which include a flight from their destinations at excellent prices. Icelandair is offering packages (flight and hotel including breakfast) from following places:
Denmark (Copenhagen)
France (Paris)
Germany (Frankfurt and Munich)
Holland (Amsterdam)
Norway (Oslo)
Sweden (Stockholm)
UK (London, Manchester and Glasgow)
USA (Boston, Denver, New York and Seattle)
All information about the packages will be found at the website: www.reykjavikopen.com. Players using Icelandair-packages get 25% discount of Entrance fee.
Great Playing Venue for the 29th Edition
The Reykjavik Open 2014 will be held for the 29th time from March 4th to March 12th, 2014 in Harpa, the 28.000 sqm. concert hall and conference centre. The 2014 tournament is expected to be very strong.
The 2013 edition included for example Anish Giri, Wesley So and Pavel Eljanov the winner of the tournament and the youngster from China, Wei Yi who became the youngest grandmaster in the world with a great performance in Reykjavik.
The 2012 edition featured the Women’s World Champion, Hou Yifan, and then world no. 7 , Fabiano Caruana, who won the tournament ahead of a strong field.
In 2013 edition 227 players from 37 countries participated, including 35 grandmasters, 19 of which had a ELO rating of 2600 and higher. Total prizes in 2013 will be €15.000, including many special prizes for various ages and rating categories, in addition to the traditional top women prize.
The 2012 Edition was voted the 3rd best open tournament in the world by ACP. Only Gibraltar and Aeroflot Open was higher on the list.
Join the Legends and Be Part of Chess History
The City of Reykjavík has sponsored the tournament since its inception in 1964, when Mikhail Tal won it with a record 12½ points out of 13. The tournament was initially held every two years, but has since 2008 taken place every year. It was closed in its early years, but has been an open event since the 1980s. Throughout its history the Reykjavik Open has featured many of the strongest chess players in the world at the time, including Mikhail Tal, Nona Gaprindashvili, David Bronstein, Vasili Smyslov, Bent Larsen, Friðrik Ólafsson, Mark Taimanov, Lev Polugaevsky, Jan Timman, Victor Korchnoi, Samuel Reshevsky, Jóhann Hjartarson, Anthony Miles, Nigel Short, Hikaru Nakamura, Judit Polgar, Magnus Carlsen, Alexander Grischuk, Fabiano Caruana and Hou Yifan.
The Reykjavík Open has enjoyed such an enviable reputation that more than 200 chess masters registered interest in participating last year. As in previous years, the goal of organizers to is invite many of the youngest and most promising chess players in the world, as well as the strongest women players around.
Much More than a Chess Tournament
As in earlier years, several chess-related events will take place at the same time as the tournament, including the now famous the Reykjavík Open Chess Pub Quiz and the Golden Circle sightseeing tour that includes stops at Geysir and Bobby Fischer’s final resting place in the southern part of Iceland. And given the favourable exchange rate of the Icelandic króna, Iceland is one of the most attractive places in the world to visit and play in chess tournaments.
Still Thinking About Your Next Move? This is What Previous Guests Have Said
GM Maurice Ashley (USA)
Back home from an amazing trip to Iceland! Reconnected with old friends and made a few new ones. The organization of the tournament was fabulous; they do everything to make you feel right at home. And the food! Some of the best soups and freshly made fish I’ve had in years. Iceland’s simply one of the best places in the world. I can’t wait to return!
GM Hou Yifan – Woman World Champion (China) – from New In Chess
This was my first time in Iceland, to take part in one of world´s great tradition open tournaments – the Reykjavik Open. I really liked the playing venue. The view from the playing table was the ocean, which always put me in a good mood !
GM Ian Rogers (US Chess Life)
The Reykjavik Open is one of the strongest and most innovative open tournaments in the world, played in the magnificent Harpa building – think a black Sydney Opera House with plenty of side-events plus, of course, the chance to see amazing Iceland. Not surprisingly a steady stream of US players make a February pilgrimage to Iceland – home to the famous 1972 world title match as well as Bobby Fischer’s home for his final years (and his final resting place).
GM Robert Hess (USA)
Thanks again for the fantastic tournament. I plan on returning to Reykjavik many more times.
IM John Bartholomew (USA)
Thanks for a very enjoyable and professionally-run event! I will definitely be returning to Iceland.
FM Michael Langer (USA)
I want to express my thanks again for the wonderful tournament.
GM Alexander Ipatov – Junior World Champion from Turkey
Organization this year was on a level higher than in 2012. Why? Okay, first of all, much more online boards (around 25!), more busy Side Events Calendar , more active media coverage in social networks and many other reasons.
Peter Doggers (Holland) – www.chessvibes.com.
And so an end has come to a wonderful tournament, or rather, festival, in “chess city” Reykjavik. The closing ceremony was organized in a way that one normally only sees at super tournaments: in the reception area of the town hall, with free champagne and hors-d’oevres. The organizers are ambitious: they are planning to grow further for the 49th and 50th edition which will also take place in Harpa.
Alina L’Ami (Romania) – www.chessbase.com.
2012: Being able to watch such high class chess in a very beautiful location is not the only reason for the increasing popularity of this special tournament. Its organizers simply refuse to rest before things are solved, before they know you are happy. And they always learn from the previous edition, making the next one even better. To me, it looks like the entire nation, the local authorities, the sponsors, the politicians, they are all weaving an atmosphere which is difficult to describe.
2013: As for the amateurs, they must have been delighted with the wide range of parallel activities provided by the organizers: a chess quiz competition, a blitz tournament, sight-seeing and even a football match! Well, there is some room for criticism too: this year, we did not see too much ice in Iceland, but maybe this is not the organizer’s fault, is it?
Daniel Vanheirzeele (Belgia)
I’m coming back and not alone:)-…
I’ve played around the world and seen many places, but you really are in my Top 3 of all!
The combination of nice people, venue, soccer ‘ yes indeed!), good food and great chess culture, is simply a perfect reason to return!
GM Gawain Jones (UK)
In general I’ve done pretty well playing in Iceland. I think this is thanks to a mixture of the friendliness of the people, the respect chess obviously gets here and the fresh air everywhere, all of which combines to make me feel at home here.
Macauley Peterson – US Chess Life
The Reykjavik Open survived the financial crisis and now has stable financial and, equally important, political backing for the next three years. This year the tournament moved to a world-class concert hall called Harpa, which was completed last Spring. It is surely one of the most spectacular venues for an open tournament anywhere.
The tournament is being positioned as a showcase event in the nation’s capital, but part and parcel of a larger chess development initiative. Icelanders see their country as a bridge between the Americas and Europe, and Reykjavik with its relaxed cosmopolitan flair is at the center. Just pack your boots, and keep an eye out for elves!
How to register?
Limited numbers of GM´s and WGM´s will be offered conditions. Please contact reykjavikopenchess2014@gmail.com.
For other interested players. Information about entrance fee and registration from can be found at the website: www.reykjavikopen.com.
Amazing tournament.