NK Journalisten
The NK Journalisten is the official Dutch Chess Championship for journalists and media professionals. The tournament is held annually as part of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee.
The winner of the event earns the title Dutch Champion for Journalists 2026.
Tournament overview
- Dates: Friday 23 January – Sunday 25 January 2026
- Location: Wijk aan Zee
- Venues:
- De Moriaan
- Beachclub Sunsea
The NK Journalisten is played over three days and combines competitive chess with the atmosphere of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament.
Results
| 1 | Algra, Jouke | 2106 | 5.5 | ||
| 2 | FM | Boel, Peter | 2120 | 5 | |
| 3 | De Jongh, Benno | 2031 | 4.5 | ||
| 4 | Visser, Cees | 1965 | 4 | ||
| 5 | De Berg, Jaap | 1859 | 4 | ||
| 6 | Berrevoets, Hans | 1927 | 3.5 | ||
| 7 | Van den Bovenkamp, Niels | 1850 | 3.5 | ||
| 8 | Hoekstra, Carl | 1813 | 3.5 | ||
| 9 | Malschaert, Jacques | 1817 | 3.5 | ||
| 10 | Stam, Bart | 1949 | 3.5 | ||
| 11 | Bey, Jan | 1827 | 3.5 | ||
| 12 | Van den Belt, Peter | 1773 | 3.5 | ||
| 13 | Van de Griendt, Monique | 1836 | 3 | ||
| 14 | Volkers, Kees | 1716 | 3 | ||
| 15 | Fraanje, Wiebe | 1671 | 3 | ||
| 16 | Van der Zwan, Martijn | 1752 | 3 | ||
| 17 | Nijland, René | 1984 | 3 | ||
| 18 | Bouwmans, Erik | 1828 | 2.5 | ||
| 19 | Bons, Gerard | 1747 | 2.5 | ||
| 20 | Verwer, Renzo | 1737 | 2.5 | ||
| 21 | Elzerman, Huub | 1726 | 2.5 | ||
| 22 | Muskens, Roeland | 1454 | 2.5 | ||
| 23 | Van Delft, Karel | 1658 | 2 | ||
| 24 | Waninge, Henk | 1652 | 2 | ||
| 25 | Valkenburg, Maaike | 1544 | 2 | ||
| 26 | Devreese, Gert | 1500 | 1.5 | ||
| 27 | Sanders, Rik | 1500 | 1.5 | ||
| 28 | Beekhuizen, Bas | 1654 | 0.5 |
Format & time control
The tournament is played with a classical Fischer time control:
- 1 hour per player
- 10 seconds increment per move
- Byes: limitedly available
If required, tiebreaks will be played on the final day in the form of 5-minute blitz games.
Playing schedule
| Friday 23 January | De Moriaan |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Reception, lunch & drawing of lots |
| 13:00 – 15:30 | Round 1 |
| 18:30 – 21:00 | Round 2 |
| Saturday 24 January | Beachclub Sunsea |
| 10:00 – 12:30 | Round 3 |
| 13:30 – 16:00 | Round 4 |
| 17:00 – 19:30 | Round 5 |
| Sunday 25 January | Beachclub Sunsea |
| 13:00 - 15:30 | Round 6 |
| If required | Tiebreak games |
Prize ceremony immediately after the final round
Participants
| Name | Media / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Jacques Malschaert | WWW.Dordrecht.net |
| Peter Boel | New In Chess |
| Henk Waninge | Journalist |
| Karel van Delft | Schaakacademie Apeldoorn / former De Stentor |
| Jan Bey | Mediahuis (Leidsch Dagblad, Haarlems Dagblad, De Gooi- en Eemlander) |
| Jouke Algr | Broadcasters (Freelance) |
| Cees Visser | Computable / Jaarbeurs |
| Bart Stam | Schaken.nl / Max Euwe Centrum |
| Monique van de Griendt | Freelance journalist |
| Hans Berrevoets | Former daily newspaper journalist |
| Jaap de Berg | Trouw |
| Jan Willem van Thiel | Freelance (local newspapers) |
| Bas Beekhuizen | MEC |
| Huub Elzerman | Freelance |
| Peter van den Belt | AD Nieuwsmedia |
| Rik Sanders | Computable / Jaarbeurs |
| Niels van den Bovenkamp | Nederlands Dagblad |
| Peter van Wermeskerken | Former AD |
| Erik Bouwmans | Former Schaaknieuws |
| Gert Devreese | De Standaard (Belgium) |
| Roeland Muskens | Freelance |
| René Nijland | De Stentor |
| Renzo Verwer | Freelance |
| Martijn van der Zwan | Television (ESPN, Ziggo, RTL) |
| Maaike Valkenburg | JB Media Services |
| Carl Hoekstra | RTV Noord |
| Erik Fokke | Medisch Contact |
| Benno de Jongh | Schaken.nl / Wynia’s Week / EW Magazine |
| Wiebe Fraanje | Friesch Dagblad |
Program
| Fri Jan 23 | 14:00 - 19:00 |
| Sat Jan 24 | 14:00 - 19:00 |
| Sun Jan 25 | 14:00 - 19:00 |
