Two of the most important chess organisers in Germany are handing over responsibility for the International Dortmund Chess Days. Carsten Hensel has been working for Germany's most traditional chess festival since 1991 and Stefan Koth since 1994. In recent years, they have further developed the event together with the association Initiative Pro Schach (IPS) e.V., which was founded in 2019, and built up a strong organisational team, to which they are now handing over the event organisation.
Carsten Hensel (on the photo right side) was the press officer for the International Dortmund Chess Days from 1991 to 2002, taking care of player commitments and support as well as conceptualising the event. In recent years, he took over the management of the event and was thus largely responsible for the great success of the 50th anniversary with a record number of participants in 2023.
Stefan Koth (Photo with award ceremony "Viktor" of the Lasker Society) has been working for the Chess Days since 1994. Initially, he took care of matters relating to the open tournaments. He then became Tournament Director of the Grandmaster Tournament in 2002 and has an excellent network of contacts among players. Most recently, he was the managing director of the IPS e.V.
Together, Hensel and Koth organised the World Championship match between Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand in Bonn in 2008, which is still regarded as the best organised World Championship match to date. Hensel was also co-organiser of the 2004 World Championship in Brissago (Switzerland) and manager of world champion Vladimir Kramnik (2001 - 2009) and GM Peter Leko (1998 - 2009). 
Since 2019, new people have been brought in to manage the Sparkassen Chess Trophy event. Carsten Hensel is handing over the event management to Andreas Jagodzinsky, who has already played a leading role in the sporting management of the tournament in recent years.
The management of IPS e.V. will be taken over by Christian Jochmann, who was introduced to this work by Stefan Koth in recent years. In particular, the participants of the last few years already know Jochmann through his tournament management of the open tournaments, which are becoming increasingly important in the festival character. Patrick Zelbel continues to be the event's press officer and is now also heavily involved in event planning as 2nd chairman of the event organisation.
Sebastian Hensel retains the technical management of the Sparkassen Chess Trophy, having developed the Chess Days professionally both on site and digitally with the entire team.
Carsten Hensel and Stefan Koth will remain closely associated with the Dortmund International Chess Days. Both will remain members of the association, will accompany the Sparkassen Chess Trophy on site at the Alte Schmiede cultural centre in August and will be available in the background for the organisation team.
All members of the IPS e.V. would like to thank Hensel and Koth for their outstanding cooperation and decades of commitment, without which the International Dortmund Chess Days would not have become the chess festival it is today!
The Sparkassen Chess Trophy 2024 starts on Saturday, 10 August. Admission is free at all times, catering will be provided on site and spectators are very welcome.
Editorial note:
If you have any questions, please contact the Sparkassen Chess Trophy press officer Patrick Zelbel at