Tarun won the 10th edition of the Bodensee Open 2026, held in Bregenz, Austria from 9th–17th May 2026. Scoring an impressive 7/9, he finished in first place on tiebreaks in a strong field of 216 players.
This marks Tarun’s first open tournament victory of 2026 and another important milestone in his chess journey.
A Dramatic Start
One of the most memorable moments of Tarun’s tournament came in round three against Niccolo Casadio.
Playing with the White pieces, Tarun got into a difficult position and eventually reached an endgame that appeared completely drawn. Niccolo was a pawn up and also had a huge advantage on the clock.
However, chess can change in a single moment.
In the following position, Niccolo played:
gxh4?
But the move turned out to be a decisive mistake.
It was especially heartbreaking because it was not played in time trouble. Even experienced players can miss simple ideas in equal endgames. That is the beauty and cruelty of chess.
To Niccolo’s credit, he recovered impressively from the loss and eventually finished second in the tournament, showing great fighting spirit.
A Tough Setback in Round Four
Tarun’s momentum was interrupted in round four when he faced FM Colin Frederer.
Colin gradually outplayed Tarun in the endgame and handed him his first loss of the tournament. It was a difficult defeat after a strong start, but Tarun responded well in the remaining rounds.
Interestingly, after the game we discovered that Colin is actually half Irish.
The Final Round Showdown
Going into the final round, six players were tied for first place, making for a thrilling finish to the tournament.
Tarun was paired on board one against top seed GM Uwe Boensch in a crucial final-round encounter.
While I was still playing my own game, I occasionally turned around to check Tarun’s position. Suddenly, I noticed his game had already finished. I quickly rushed over to the scoreboard and saw the result, Tarun had won.
With that victory, Tarun secured first place in the Bodensee Open 2026.
It was an excellent game where he slowly improved his position before converting a strong endgame against the top seed.
A Memorable Tournament in Bregenz
The tournament was held at the beautiful Hotel Grand in Bregenz beside Lake Bodensee. The venue created a fantastic atmosphere for chess.
One of the most eye-catching features of the hotel was a huge wooden knight sculpture standing prominently in the lobby. At first, we thought it had been specially placed there for the tournament, but later discovered it had existed long before the event was hosted here.
Nearby the hotel there was also a giant outdoor chess board where people gathered to play casual games and enjoy the atmosphere.
Beyond the games themselves, one of the nicest parts of chess tournaments is meeting interesting people. During the event, we met WIM Helene Mira, who represented Austria in 12 Chess Olympiads and also worked as a theatre actress. We had a wonderful conversation about chess, books, Olympiads, and her experiences over the years. It was inspiring to see her passion for chess still so strong at the age of 72.
Excellent Organisation
The organisation throughout the event was excellent. Every participant received a pen, badge, and a booklet featuring previous editions of the tournament.
The organisers ensured everything ran smoothly and created a welcoming atmosphere for players. One particularly thoughtful gesture came on the second day, when all the girls and women participants received small flower plants.
It was these small details that made the tournament feel especially warm and memorable.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a fantastic tournament experience filled with good games, learning experiences, and great memories.
Tarun’s tournament victory was obviously the highlight of the trip, but beyond the result, the Bodensee Open was also memorable because of the atmosphere, people, and experience.
I finished the tournament with 5.5/9. It did not go exactly the way I wanted, but every tournament brings valuable lessons.
Photo: Harald Amann
We both thoroughly enjoyed playing in Bregenz and hope to return again in the future.