24 groups with a total of 50 prize winners
Kronborg Chess Open 2026 featured fierce competition across all groups. The overall level of play was high from top to bottom.
Many groups were decided in the final round. In fact, only three groups had a winner determined before the last round. Here is an overview of the winners:
Danish players claimed victory in half of the 24 groups, and the first places were distributed across several nations, highlighting the tournament’s international strength:
- Denmark 12
- Sweden 4
- Norway 3
- USA 2
- China 1
- Germany 1
- Iceland 1
Danish players secured 12 group victories, confirming the strong depth of the national level. At the same time, international participants demonstrated high quality by winning the remaining groups. Sweden and Norway in particular contributed strongly at the top level, while players from the USA, Germany, Iceland, and China also fought their way to first-place finishes.
Overall, the tournament showed a field in which both Danish and international players competed for the very top positions, with intense battles for first place across all rating groups.
Grand Master
The Grandmaster group at Kronborg Chess Open 2026 was closely contested and highly dramatic, with several players challenging for the lead throughout the event. The field featured both established grandmasters and ambitious international masters, resulting in many hard-fought games and sustained tension right up to the final rounds.
In the end, International Master Tor Frederik Kaasen of Norway emerged victorious, securing first place after an impressive and consistent performance throughout the tournament. Kaasen demonstrated great strength in both the opening and the endgame, keeping his composure in the decisive moments where margins were minimal.
Several competitors applied pressure along the way, and especially in the middle of the standings the point differences were extremely tight, where even minor mistakes proved decisive. Very few games were agreed draws without a fight, and the group delivered sharp and creative chess at a high international level.
The winner also came very close to achieving his first Grandmaster norm. Going into the final round, the opportunity was still within reach, but it required a win in the last game. Despite a strong effort, he fell just short, and had to settle for tournament victory, though his performance clearly underlines his strength and the likelihood of a future Grandmaster title.
International Master
FM August Jalving from BMS Skak won the IM group with 6½ points. He delivered a solid and consistent performance throughout the tournament, with several key wins in the middle rounds proving decisive. The result also earned him his first IM norm.
IM Axel Falkevall finished second with 5 points, while IM Dagur Ragnarsson took third place with the same score. The group was tight and very evenly matched.første IM-norm.
Woman International Master
FM Mikkel Manosri Jacobsen dominated the WIM group, scoring an impressive 8 points and finishing well ahead of the field. He took control of the tournament from the very start.
IM Vincent Colin finished second with 6½ points, followed by IM Bengt Lindberg with 6 points. The group featured many decisive games at the top.
Master 1
FM Jens Albert Ramsdal won with 5½ points after a steady performance without losses. Several solid draws in key encounters helped secure first place.
CM Max England from Canada finished second with 5 points, while FM Daniel Vesterbæk Pedersen took third place with 4 points.
Master 2
Kiren Vivek Nasta from the USA won the group with 5½ points. Several important wins in the middle rounds gave him a decisive lead.
Dildarav Paratazham finished second with 4½ points. With this result, he passed 2200 ELO and can now claim the Candidate Master title.
Master 3
FM Brian Jørgensen from Køge won with 5½ points, starting strongly and maintaining his lead throughout the tournament.
CM Karl Emil Nielsen-Refs finished second with 5 points. The group was closely contested at the top.
Master 4
Victor Lilliehöök won with 5 points after scoring consistently throughout the event. That proved enough in a very evenly balanced group. He also reached a 2200 rating and can now add the Candidate Master title to his CV.
Bjarke Gregor finished second with 4½ points after recovering from two early losses.
Master 5
Asbjørn Vesterkær Slavensky delivered a strong performance, winning the group with 6 points. He secured many victories and took control early.
Tobias Bende from Sweden finished second with 5 points.
Master 6
Sweden’s Nathan Preman won with 6 points, achieving a very strong scoring percentage. A series of consecutive wins created solid momentum.
Richard Lilja finished second with 5 points.
Master 7
Tianxiang Carlos Yu won the group with 5½ points after a stable performance. He became the second American to win a group this year.
Elias Buschmann Rustan finished second with 4½ points.
Master 8
Former Kronborg Champion WFM Louise Winther Fredericia won with 5½ points after an excellent performance, including key victories against direct rivals.
Steen Hulthin Rasmussen finished second with 4½ points.
Master 9
Ingo Schulze won with 6 points, showing strength throughout and conceding very few points.
Alec Bernhoftsen-Banks finished second with 5½ points.
Master 10
Iceland’s Johann Ragnarsson won with 5½ points. Vitus Moustgaard secured second place with 4½ points.
Master 11
Rasmus Agertoft Hansen won with 5 points ahead of Mitchell Andersson, who scored 4½ points. He kept his composure in a tight finish.
Mitchell Andersson and Preben Larsen followed closely, with Andersson taking second place on tiebreak.
Basic 1
Tim Westlund from Sweden won with 5½ points ahead of Tristan Mathias Holth Brakke, who scored 4½ points in a tightly contested group.
Basic 2
Haoling Liu from China dominated with 6½ points, winning the group by a margin of 1½ points. Anker Müller finished second with 5 points.
Basic 3
Tommy Vedelfort took first place ahead of Sissel Kærgaard. Both scored 5 points, drew their individual game, and the result was decided on tiebreak.
Basic 4
Minh Thuc Le Doan from Sweden won with 6 points, one point ahead of Norway’s Edvard Andersen with 5 points.
Basic 5
Benjamin Grimm won with 6 points, dominating the group. Sweden’s Gustav Lang finished second with 5 points.
Basic 6
Daniel Flis secured first place on better tiebreak ahead of Tore Sturm Nielsen. Both scored 5 points.
Basic 7
Sebastien De La Kethulle won with 6½ points, one of the strongest performances of the tournament. Ukraine’s Glen Leonchuck finished second with 5½ points.
Basic 8
Tim De La Kethulle finished first ahead of Alex Henriksen on tiebreak. Both scored 5½ points.
Basic 9
Noah Rath Vesterbæk took first place on tiebreak ahead of Avira Karthik Vaenil. Both scored 5½ points and drew their individual game.
Basic 10
Ben Anselm Ole Carlsson and Viktor Tved Buch both scored 6 points. Carlsson had the better tiebreak and secured first place.
A broad tournament with a high level
Kronborg Chess Open 2026 demonstrated remarkable depth. Top players and club players competed in the same tournament, and many groups were extremely close. This created excitement right up to the final round.
The tournament once again confirms its position as one of the strongest open events in the Nordic region.