Chess Slovak Open® 2026 announces another addition to the closed Chess Slovak Masters tournament. Coming to Skalica is GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre — Denmark’s current highest-rated player and one of Europe’s most exciting young grandmasters.
The youngest grandmaster in Danish history
Jonas Buhl Bjerre (born 26 June 2004) wrote himself into his country’s chess history as a teenager. He won gold at the 2017 European Youth Championship U14, earned the International Master title a year later, and in March 2020, aged just 15, became the youngest grandmaster in Danish history. He completed his final GM norm at the prestigious FIDE Grand Swiss 2019 on the Isle of Man.
Peak 2655 and world No. 67
In August 2025 Bjerre reached his career-high rating of 2655, climbing to No. 67 in the world rankings. His finest results include 3rd place at the 2022 Tata Steel Challengers in Wijk aan Zee (8.5/13). He has represented Denmark at the Chess Olympiad since his debut in Batumi 2018 — at just 14 — and also plays in the German Bundesliga for St. Pauli. His current rating on the July FIDE list is 2615.
The elite field in Skalica keeps growing
In the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026, Bjerre joins an already confirmed line-up featuring Alexander Donchenko (Germany), David Navara (Czechia), Aditya Mittal (India), Leon Luke Mendonca (India), Anton Korobov (Ukraine) and Daniel Dardha (Belgium). This closed GM tournament with an average rating above 2600 will be the strongest chess tournament ever played on Slovak soil.
Timeline of achievements
- 2017 — European Youth Champion U14
- 2018 — IM title • Olympiad debut for Denmark in Batumi
- 2019 — Final GM norm at the FIDE Grand Swiss
- 2020 — Grandmaster at 15 — the youngest Dane in history
- 2022 — 3rd place at Tata Steel Challengers (8.5/13)
- 2025 — Peak ELO 2655, No. 67 in the world
Chess Slovak Open® 2026 — information and registration
The international chess festival Chess Slovak Open® 2026 takes place 22–30 August 2026 at the House of Culture in Skalica. The festival’s total prize fund is €15,000. Alongside the closed Chess Slovak Masters, the programme includes the open Open A and Open B tournaments, the women’s Queen Masters and accompanying events.
The tournament commentators will be GM Sergej Movsesian and GM Ján Plachetka, festival ambassadors.
Registration for Chess Slovak Open® 2026 is open at chessslovakopen.sk/registration-2026.