Event Overview
Shogi Deutschland invites you to the European Shogi Championship (ESC) and the World Open Shogi Championship (WOSC) from August 6 to 9, 2026, in Paderborn. The championships are accompanied by several side events, such as the Team and Blitz Tournaments, as well as the Kishin Tournament. Players with an Elo rating below 1460 are invited to participate in the new Rising Dragons Cup (RDC). We are looking forward to meeting you in Paderborn!
Thursday, Aug 6
Team Tournament
Teams of three players compete against each other over four rounds. Each team match is played on three boards, with one player from each team facing an opponent from the other team.
- Teams of 3 players (open to international teams)
- 4 rounds
- Time control: 30 min + 30 sec byoyomi
- Entry fee: 10 € / 15 € ** (per player)
Blitz Tournament
Games are played with a time control of 8 minutes, without byoyomi. In these fast-paced games, shogi skills over the board as well as time management play an important role.
- 7 rounds
- Time control: 8 min (no byoyomi)
- Entry fee: 10 € / 15 € **
Friday–Sunday, Aug 7–9
The ESC, WOSC and Rising Dragons Cup (RDC) are played in parallel.
European Shogi Championship (ESC)
The European Shogi Championship is the main competition for Europe’s top shogi players, who compete in a 5-round knockout tournament. Eliminated players continue in the World Open Shogi Championship.
- 32 highest-rated European players with an established rating
- 5 rounds knockout (eliminated players continue in the WOSC)
- Time control: 45 min + 40 sec byoyomi
- Entry fee: 40 € / 50 € **
World Open Shogi Championship (WOSC)
The World Open Shogi Championship is open to all players. The tournament is played using a 9-round MacMahon system to ensure that players face opponents of similar strength.
- 9 rounds MacMahon
- Time control: 45 min + 40 sec byoyomi
- Entry fee: 40 € / 50 € **
Rising Dragons Cup (RDC)
The Rising Dragons Cup is a new tournament for players with an Elo rating below 1460. The Rising Dragons Cup is a great opportunity for newer or lower-rated players to compete for separate prizes.
- Open to players with ELO < 1460
- 9 rounds Swiss
- Time control: 45 min + 40 sec byoyomi
- Entry fee: 30 € / 40 € **
Tournament Statistics
Venue & Location
Liborianum Paderborn
An den Kapuzinern 5-7
33098 Paderborn, Germany
The Liborianum is a historic building in the city center of Paderborn that was renovated in 2020. It now serves as a modern education and conference center, providing an excellent venue for the World Open Shogi Championship.
Learn more about the venue