Pardubice, July 23, 2025 –The Europe Today: The 36th annual Czech Open International Chess and Games Festival is in full swing in Pardubice, drawing approximately 4,000 players from around the world for two and a half weeks of intense competition in chess and a variety of strategic and logic-based games. The event runs from July 17 to August 3 at the Ideon Exhibition Center and continues to cement its status as one of Europe’s premier mind sports festivals.
Participants are not only competing in chess—the centerpiece of the festival—but also in checkers, bridge, sudoku, Scrabble, Rubik’s Cube solving, pub quizzes, and even tic-tac-toe, among other brain-challenging contests.
Chess at the Forefront: A Return to Pre-Pandemic Strength
Festival Director Jan Mazuch noted that this year’s Pardubice Open Grandmaster Tournament is expected to partially return to its pre-COVID scale, despite fewer players arriving from former Soviet Union countries.
“We still have a strong international lineup,” Mazuch said. “Notably, Anton Korobov from Ukraine—a two-time winner—will be competing, as will Sipan, another former two-time champion. The overall competitive level is expected to rise.”
He also highlighted a record-breaking turnout in the team tournament, which doubles as the Czech Republic’s Open Championship, with over 170 teams expected to take part.
Global Reach and Inclusive Participation
Deputy Director Petr Laušman emphasized the global appeal of the event, with participants hailing from almost every continent, with the exception of Australia.
“The largest group is, of course, from the Czech Republic, followed by players from Germany, Poland, and Slovakia,” he explained. “But we’re also welcoming players from less traditional chess nations like South Korea, Israel, the United States, Cuba, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, China, South Africa, and Egypt. It’s truly an international gathering.”
The festival is inclusive of all ages and backgrounds, welcoming both children and seniors. The youngest competitor is a six-year-old boy born in 2019, while the oldest participant is 88 years old—representing an age gap of over 80 years.
A Unique Tournament Culture
According to Laušman, the beauty of chess lies in its non-physical nature, allowing people of all genders and ages to compete on an equal footing.
“We don’t separate players by gender because chess doesn’t rely on physical strength,” he said. “Everyone competes together. Still, men do make up the majority—around 80% of the participants, with 20% being women.”
The festival is not only a celebration of intellectual skill but also a cultural gathering that fosters international friendship and sporting respect through the language of logic and strategy.
With its vibrant blend of tradition, innovation, and diversity, the 2025 Czech Open is once again proving to be a landmark event on the global mind sports calendar.
