US Chess Home arrow 120th Annual U. S. Open Chess Championship120th Annual U. S. Open Chess Championship
120th Annual U. S. Open Chess Championship
August 3-11, August 6-11 or August 8-11, 2019 · Orlando, FL

Check back regularly for updates!

300 Enhanced US Chess Grand Prix Points · A Heritage Event · US Chess Junior Grand Prix

Rosen Centre Hotel · 9840 International Drive, Orlando FL 32819

HR: $129. Reservations: Click here or call (800) 204-7234, mention "US Open Chess Championship".
Reserve by July 11 or rate may increase.

Early ($155) entry fee deadline is now Monday, 7/1/19.

Email [email protected] with any questions or issues about the US Open, including dropouts.

LIVE Broadcast of top games: USChess.live

 

$50,000 [PROJECTED] Prize Fund based on 500 entries, $40,000 Guaranteed
$8000-4000-2000-1500-1000-800-600-500   + $200 to clear winner
      in case of tie top 2 play Armageddon game for title and $200 bonus.
Separate Armageddon game for U.S. Championship qualifier, if necessary.
      (Armageddon is G/10, d0. Players bid for starting time with Black. Low bid gets bidded start time, Black and draw odds.))
Top Master [2200-2399]: $2500-1250-800-500.
Top Expert [2000-2199]: $2500-1250-800-500.
Class A [1800-1999]: $2500-1250-800-500.
Class B [1600-1799]: $2500-1250-800-500.
Class C [1400-1599]: $2000-1000-600-400.
Class D [1200-1399]: $1500-700-500-300.
Class E & Below [100-1199]: $1500-700-500-300.
Unrated: $800-400-200.
 
Mixed Doubles Additional Prizes may be won in addition to a Place prize or a Class prize
Note: Average Team rating must be under 2200
    1st (U2200) Prize: $600 ($300 each player)
    1st Under 1800 team Average Prize: $320 ($160 each player)
    Husband & Wife: $300 ($150 each player)
    Mother & Son: $300 ($150 each player)
    Father & Daughter: $300 ($150 each player)
    Brother & Sister: $300 ($150 each player)
    Coach & Student : $300 ($150 each player)
 
August 2019 rating supplement will be used, unofficial ratings used if otherwise unrated. CCA ratings used if above US Chess. Foreign player ratings: usually 100 points added to FIDE or FQE, 200+ added to most foreign national ratings, no points added to CFC. Highest of multiple ratings generally used.

9 Round Swiss with 3 Schedules
Traditional:       One round daily at 7 p.m. then the final round [8/11] at 3 .p.m.
6-Day Option:   First 6 rounds 8/6 at 7 p.m., 8/7 at noon & 7 p.m., 8/8 at noon & 7p.m., 8/9 at noon. (Then it merges into the traditional schedule for round 7 at 7 p.m. on 8/9.)
4-Day Option:   First 6 rounds 8/8 at noon, 3 p.m., 7 p.m. & 10 p.m.; 8/9 noon & 3 p.m. (Then it merges into the traditional schedule for round 7 at 7 p.m. on 8/9.)
      All schedules merge after Round 6 and compete for the same prizes.
      Round 7 at 7 p.m. 8/9, Round 8 at 7 p.m. 8/10, & Round 9 at 3 p.m. 8/11.

Time Control:
Traditional and 6-Day Schedules: 40/100, SD/30, inc/30 (30-second increment from move one)
4-Day Schedule: rounds 1-6 at G/60 d5   rounds 7-9 at 40/100, SD/30, inc/30

Half-Point Byes
Must commit before Round 4 pairings are posted; up to 3 half point byes allowed for 2000/up, 2 half point byes for 1400-1999, one half point bye for Under 1400 or unrated. Limit 1 half point bye in last two rounds.
Zero-point byes are always available in any round.
All Byes must be requested at least two hours before the round(s) in question.

Entry Fee:
Online:      $155 by 7/1, $175 by 7/13, $195 after 7/22.
By Mail:     $157 postmarked by 6/29, $177 postmarked by 7/13, $197 after 7/22; do not mail after 7/29!
                  U. S. Chess Federation, Attn.: 2019 U. S. Open, P.O. Box 3967, Crossville, TN 38557
By Phone:  $160 by 6/25, $180 by 7/16, $200 after.   (800) 903-8723
                  No phone entries after 8/2 (by the close of business at the Office)!
Contact:     [email protected] with changes or questions about entries.
On Site:     All $200; GMs and WGMs play free.
All entries must be made at least 2 hours before your first game is played.


Side Events

Sat-Sun August 3-4   Weekend Swiss   10 US Chess Grand Prix Points 5SS, G/60 d5 $1,150 Guaranteed Prizes: $200-100-50, U2200/Unrated $160, U2000 $150, U1800 $140, U1600 $120, U1400 $100, U1200 $80, Unrated $50. Entry fee $40, Unrated players free if paying US Chess dues. Maximum two half-point byes; must declare before round 3 pairings are posted. On-site Registration 10:00-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Rounds at noon & 3:00 p.m. Saturday, 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. Sunday.

Sat August 3   U. S. Open Bughouse   G/5;d0. Entry fee $20 per team. 80% of entry fees in cash prizes. Registration ends at 10:00 AM, Round 1 begins at 10:30 AM.

Sun August 4   U. S. Open Scholastic   (See Below)

Mon, August 5; Wed, Thu, Fri August 7, 8, 9   U. S. Open Quads (one day events)   G/30;d5. Entry fee $20. Registration 9:30-11:30 a.m., Rounds at noon, 1:30 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. $50 to first in each quad.

Tue August 6   U. S. Open Quads (Tuesday Quads Only)   G/60;d5. Entry fee $20. Registration 9:00-10:00 a.m., Rounds at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. & 3:30 p.m. $50 to first in each quad.

Wed August 7   U. S. National G/15 Championship   5-SS, G/15;d5. Quick rated, higher of regular or quick rating used. Entry fee $40. Registration 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM. Rounds at noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00. 80% of entries as returned as cash prizes. 1st 30%, 2nd 15%, U2100 12%, U1800 10%, U1500/Unrated 8%, U1200 5%.

Fri August 9   Annual U.S. Open Tennis Event  
Date and time: Friday, August 9, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Location: Lake Cane Tennis Center http://mgtennis.com/lake-cane-tennis-center
Cost: $10 per person
Racket Rental: $10 per racket
Who Can Play?: If you're at the U.S. Open in any way, shape, or form, you're welcome to play!

Door prizes: $50 gift certificate to the US Chess Sales bookstore plus some merchandise giveaways.

Join us for our fun, low-key, annual tennis gathering of U.S. Open players, participants, Delegates, and others. We typically have players from beginners on up to USTA rated 4.0 and higher. Format will depend on total number of participants and will be decided later. Numbers in past years have ranged from 4-12 participants.

Minors: Children are welcome, but if under 18 then a parent or guardian must send the entry email. If the child is 12 or under, then a parent or guardian must be at the Lake Cane Tennis Center.

Please reserve a spot by emailing Dan Lucas, [email protected], and putting "U.S. Open Tennis" in the subject line. This is important so we can make sure to have enough courts reserved. Include your name, level of tennis experience (beginner, USTA 4.0, etc.), cell phone number, and children's ages if entering for a minor.

Bring your own water and towels. If needed, rackets can be rented for $10. The $10 entry can be paid on site.

We will try to organize car pools if at all possible. The Lake Cane Tennis Center is a 15-20 minute drive from the Rosen Centre Hotel.

Please contact Dan Lucas, the US Chess Senior Director of Strategic Communication, at [email protected] with any questions.

Saturday August 10   U. S. Open National Blitz Championship 15 US Chess Grand Prix Points 7 Double Round (14 games) Swiss, 1 section, G/5;d0. Blitz rated, higher of regular or Blitz rating used. Entry fee $40, free to Unrated players if paying US Chess dues. Registration 9-11:30 a.m, round 1 begins at noon. $2000 Guaranteed Prizes!: $$400-200-150, U2200 $200-100, U2000 $200-100, U1800 $180-90, U1600/Unrated $140-70, U1400 $100, U1200 $70.


Meetings and Workshops

August 7-9   Workshops & Committee Meetings  

Sat August 10   Awards Luncheon  

August 10-11   Delegates’ Meeting  

Full event schedule here

Delegate workshop schedule here

Delegate materials (ZIP folder download)


FIDE Seminar

FIDE Arbiters' Seminar

August 7 - 9
Participation Fee: $200
Lecturer: IA Carol Jarecki, Honorary Member of FIDE
Assistant Lecturer: IA/IO Grant Oen, FIDE Events Manager, US Chess
Observer: IA Boyd Reed
Language: English

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

  • The scheduled time each day is 9am to 5pm, with a one-hour lunch break. The end time on the last day will depend on how long it takes an attendee to complete the exam.
  • Passing the examination at the end of the seminar is required for the title of FIDE Arbiter.
  • Although anyone is welcome to register for the Seminar, you must be a US Chess Senior TD to apply for the FIDE Arbiter title.
  • Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you are, at minimum, a Local TD actively pursuing Senior TD status.
  • All required materials for the course will be provided by the lecturers, or by US Chess.
  • Each seminar participant is entitled to a 50% discount on a US Open entry fee, if planning to play. Email Boyd Reed ([email protected]) for the discount.
  • Light refreshments will be served in the seminar room for each day of the seminar, available only to seminar participants.


Other Championships

The 2019 Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions
is an annual event held in conjunction with the U.S. Open, in which the 51 high school champions of each state affiliate and the District of Columbia compete to determine who will be crowned the Denker Champion of Champions. It was founded in 1985 by Grandmaster Arnold Denker (1914-2005).

The 2019 Dewain Barber Tournament of K-8 Champions
was founded in 2011 by Dewain Barber to provide a competition comparable to the Denker tournament for younger students.

The 2019 Ruth Haring National Girls’ Tournament of Champions
is a tournament of Champions for girls from across the United States. It is held annually in the model of the Denker and Barber Tournaments. The tournament is named in memory of WIM Ruth Haring (1955-2018), former US Chess President.

The 2019 National Senior Tournament of Champions
is a tournament of Champions for seniors from across the United States. This is the second year for this tournament, and the fourth tournament in the "Tournament of Champions" series.

Participant lists, schedules, and other information are posted at the committee web sites above.


U.S. Open Scholastic Championships

Open to all US Chess members entering Grade 12 and below [including new members].

4 Round Swiss in Four Sections:

  • Junior High - High School Championship
    • Open to players entering Kindergarten through the 12th Grade in the fall.
    • Open to all ratings.

  • Junior High - High School Under 1200
    • Open to players entering Kindergarten through the 12th Grade in the fall.
    • Open to players rated below 1200. No Unrateds!

  • Elementary Championship
    • Open to players entering Kindergarten through the 6th Grade in the fall.
    • Open to all ratings.

  • Elementary Under 1000
    • Open to players entering Kindergarten through the 6th Grade in the fall.
    • Open to players rated below 1000. No Unrateds!

If the sections are larger than expected, they may be split into multiple sections.

Prizes

Trophies to the Top 3 in each section.


The number of trophies may increase based on the number of entries.


Schedule:

  • Round One at 12 NOON.
  • Round Two at 1:30 PM.
  • Round Three at 3:00 PM.
  • Round Four at 4:30 PM.
  • Awards Ceremony at 6:00 PM.


Time Control:

Game/30;d5.

Entry Fee:
Online, $25 by 7/22, $35 after.
By mail, $27 postmarked by 7/13; $37 postmarked by 7/22 Do not mail after 7/22 - it will not be received!
By phone, $30 by 7/13, $40 after until 7/22 by 5 PM CDT.
Onsite, $40 until 8/4 by 10 AM EDT.



NOTES:

  1. August Rating Supplement will be used.
  2. All refunds will be mailed from the US Chess Office following the conclusion of the event.
  3. Accelerated pairings may be used.