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Chess Tournament Directory
A free, growing list of rated and unrated chess tournaments, quads and club nights across the United States — organised by metro area, and written for parents who have never been to one.
Where they are
Quads Swiss events Series & clubs
Everything listed
| Event | Where | Format | Who it is for | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Chess - Friday Knight Face-Off✓ Verified 14 Aug 20263-round US Chess rated Swiss at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites on Innovation Way, first round 7:00 PM, capped at 48 players, $30 advance entry. (Alpharetta) | Atlanta | Swiss | Open to all rated and unrated players, all ages; three sections (Premier, Amateur U1400, Reserve U800/unrated) | Weekly on Fridays (Aug-Sep 2026 dates open for registration on ChessRegister) |
| Chess Zone Rated Game of the Week✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026One USCF-rated game at G/60+5 each week at the Chess Zone facility on Old Alabama Road, free for members. (Roswell) | Atlanta | Club night | Chess Zone members with US Chess membership | Every Tuesday at 7:30 PM |
| Marietta Stonehaven Scholastic (K-12)✓ Verified 14 Aug 20263-round Swiss at G/25;d5 held at The Stonehaven School, $30 entry, registration via ChessRegister. (Marietta) | Atlanta | Scholastic | Students in grades K-12, four sections from Beginner (Unrated-399) to Champion (1100+) | Recurring dates through 2026 (e.g., June 6, July 18, October 3) |
| Kid Chess Tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Rapid re-paired unrated scholastic tournaments held at the Chess.Zone facility, run by Kid Chess Atlanta. (Roswell) | Atlanta | Scholastic | K-8 students who know piece movement, castling, and checkmate (unrated events); USCF-rated scholastic events also offered via Chess.Zone | Monthly Saturday dates |
| Friday Knight Chess (Atlanta Checkmate Club)✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Casual games and tournaments at Park Tavern at 10th and Monroe by Piedmont Park; connect via @atlantacheckmateclub on Instagram. (Midtown Atlanta) | Atlanta | Club night | Open to all skill levels | Weekly on Fridays at 7:00 PM |
| Thad Rogers Georgia Class Championships✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026State class championships held at the Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Dunwoody in Chamblee, listed on US Chess. (Chamblee / Dunwoody) | Atlanta | Open | Open by rating class; 2026 edition October 16-18 | Annual (2026: Oct 16-18) |
| Chicago Chess Center Wednesday Quads✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Three-round quad round-robins at G/25 +5; free for your first two events, CCC membership required after, registration closes 6:15 PM. (The Loop (Printers Row), Chicago) | Chicago | Quad | All skill levels; USCF dual-rated | Every Wednesday (listed through Dec 31, 2026) |
| Chicago Chess Center Saturday Swiss✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Weekly rated Swiss at the Chicago Chess Center with entry listed at $25-40. (The Loop, Chicago) | Chicago | Swiss | Open (1600+) and Under 1600 (1000-1599) sections | Weekly Saturdays |
| Evanston Tri-Level✓ Verified 14 Aug 20264-round Swiss at G/40 d5, one of Evanston Chess's bimonthly rated tournaments. (Levy Senior Center, Evanston) | Chicago | Swiss | All skill levels, grouped tri-level | Every other month (e.g., Sep 12, 2026) |
| Evanston 3x3✓ Verified 14 Aug 20263-round Swiss at a slower G/60 d5 time control, alternating months with the Tri-Level. (Levy Senior Center, Evanston) | Chicago | Swiss | All skill levels | Every other month (e.g., Nov 7, 2026) |
| Greater Chicago K-12 Championship✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026The city's official scholastic championship, run by Renaissance Knights with the Kasparov Chess Foundation and CPS; 574 students from 122 schools in 2026. (McCormick Place, Chicago) | Chicago | Scholastic | All players grades 12 and below | Annual (15th edition in 2026) |
| Illinois Open & Blitz✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026The Illinois Chess Association's flagship annual state open, held Labor Day weekend. (Lisle (western suburbs)) | Chicago | Open | Open to all; USCF-rated, USCF membership required | Annual (Sep 3-7, 2026) |
| Texas Chess Center Weekly Swiss (Plano / Frisco / Irving)✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Texas Chess Center runs ongoing weekly rated Swiss and blitz events at multiple North Texas locations, alongside scholastic-only and FIDE-rated events. (Plano, Frisco, and Irving) | Dallas–Fort Worth | Swiss | Open to all players; a US Chess ID is needed to register for a first tournament | Weekly — Friday Swiss (Plano, Fri 6:30 PM), Plano Swiss (Sat 1:00 PM), Plano Challenger Swiss (Sun 2:00 PM), Irving Swiss (Sun 2:00 PM), Frisco Quick (Tue 6:30 PM), Frisco Beginner Swiss (Sat 1:00 PM), Frisco Swiss (Sun 2:00 PM) |
| NTCA Sunday Swiss✓ Verified 14 Aug 20264-round Swiss (no eliminations) with a 30-minute time control, Open and Reserve (under 1500 USCF) sections, and weekly cash prizes based on entries. (Carrollton) | Dallas–Fort Worth | Swiss | All ages and levels; active US Chess (USCF) membership required | Every Sunday at 2 PM |
| Arlington Chess Club Open✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Rated monthly open tournament with cash prizes run by the Arlington Chess Club. (Arlington) | Dallas–Fort Worth | Open | Open to players from Arlington and all of North Texas | Monthly |
| Arlington Chess Club Scholastic Events✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026K-12 students earn a real US Chess Federation rating at these events. (Arlington) | Dallas–Fort Worth | Scholastic | K-12 students only (events marked [Scholastic]) | Monthly |
| Weatherford Sunday Blitz✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Blitz play at G/5;d0 run by the Arlington Chess Club on the far west side of the metro. (Weatherford) | Dallas–Fort Worth | Club night | Open to all | Weekly on Sundays |
| Speedy Quads✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Double-round quads of six 5-minute games at G/5;d0 with no entry fee and no prizes — casual adult speed chess. (Arlington (J. Gilligans Bar and Grill)) | Dallas–Fort Worth | Quad | Players over 18 years of age | Approximately monthly |
| Santa Monica Bay Chess Club Tuesday Tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026LA County's longest-running club (since 1937); most tournaments are 4-round USCF-rated Swiss at G/90+10, first-time players free. (West Los Angeles) | Los Angeles | Swiss | Anyone can participate regardless of skill level; players rated from the hundreds to the two thousands | Tuesdays, 7 PM to 11 PM |
| San Gabriel Valley Chess Club Monday Night Tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026USCF-rated club tournaments at the San Marino Masonic Lodge, with a casual-play area and occasional one-day weekend events. (San Marino) | Los Angeles | Club night | SGVCC members (anyone welcome to drop by and check things out before joining) | Mondays, 6:00-10:00 PM |
| Chess Club of Los Angeles Weekend Blitz Tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026USCF-rated blitz tournaments at Tanner's Coffee, with friendly unrated games in the afternoon before rated play starts. (Culver City) | Los Angeles | Club night | Kids (5:00-7:00 PM blitz) and adults (7:30-9:30 PM blitz) | Saturdays and Sundays; rated tournaments after 5 PM |
| ICEA Chess West LA Monthly Tournament✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026USCF-rated monthly event at G/45;+5; ICEA also runs a monthly rated tournament at Rio Hondo on the east side. (West Los Angeles) | Los Angeles | Swiss | Five rating sections: U600, U1000, 1000+, 1600+ and 2000+ | Second Saturday of each month, 9 AM to 6 PM |
| ICEA Chess Scholastic Monthly Tournament✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026USCF-rated scholastic tournament at G/25;+5, listed on the SCCF scholastic calendar. (Irvine) | Los Angeles | Scholastic | Students in four sections: K-12, K-8, K-5, and K-3 | First Saturday of each month, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM |
| Los Angeles Open (21st annual)✓ Verified 14 Aug 20265-round Swiss (40/80, SD/30; d30) run by Continental Chess with $20,000 guaranteed prizes and 3-day or 2-day schedules. (Irvine (Orange County)) | Los Angeles | Open | Open to all with USCF membership; 7 rating sections from Major (1900+) down to Under 1000 | Annual; Nov 6-8, 2026 |
| Marshall FIDE Monday✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026G/90 +30 classical event at the Marshall Chess Club, with a parallel Monday U1800 section for club players. (Greenwich Village, Manhattan) | New York | Swiss | Open to players 1700+; FIDE rated (members only) | 6-round Swiss, one round every Monday at 7pm |
| Marshall Thursday Open✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026G/90 +30 weekly open at the Marshall Chess Club; the club also runs Weekly U2200 and U1600 sections on Wednesdays. (Greenwich Village, Manhattan) | New York | Open | Open to all club members; FIDE rated | 6-round Swiss, one round every Thursday at 7pm |
| Queens Chess Club Championship and club Swisses✓ Verified 14 Aug 20262026 schedule includes the Arluck Memorial Swiss, Late Summer Swiss, and the 6-round Club Championship, all G/90;d5. (Floral Park, Queens) | New York | Club night | Adults and juniors; non-members pay a $10 single-tournament membership fee | Friday nights only; 5-6 round Swisses run over consecutive Fridays (rounds start 7:30pm) |
| Westchester Chess Club Thursday tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Long-running club hosted at the same Scarsdale venue since 2000; sign up in advance with the tournament director. (Scarsdale, Westchester) | New York | Club night | Players of all ages and ratings; rated tournament participants must hold a current USCF membership | Thursday nights 7:30-10:30pm; tournaments last three to six weeks, one round per night |
| Chess In The Schools tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026All CIS tournaments are free, with both USCF-rated and unrated sections offered. (Various NYC venues (schools and parks across the boroughs)) | New York | Scholastic | NYC students, regardless of whether their school participates in the CIS program | Multiple tournaments throughout the school year |
| NSCF Hunter Chess Tournaments✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Part of the National Scholastic Chess Foundation series, which also runs White Plains and Bronxville youth tournaments in the suburbs. (Hunter (NYC)) | New York | Scholastic | Scholastic players; usually USCF rated with unrated sections for lower grades | Monthly on Sundays, September through May |
| Unity Sunday Weekly✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Unity Chess Club's weekly tournament, run alongside its monthly and annual event series. (Chandler) | Phoenix | Swiss | All ages and levels | Every week (Sundays) |
| Arizona Golden Cup✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Billed as Arizona's premier year-long USCF chess series, co-listed under Phoenix Chess Academy and Unity Chess Club. (Phoenix / Chandler) | Phoenix | Swiss | Open, sections by rating (U1200/U1500/U1800 brackets listed) | Every month (year-long series; 2026 dates include 8/22, 9/26, 10/24, 11/21, 12/19) |
| Little Masters✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Phoenix Chess Academy's recurring scholastic tournament series ending in a December championship. (Phoenix) | Phoenix | Scholastic | Scholastic players | Monthly Saturdays (2026 dates: 8/15, 9/19, 11/14, with a 12/5 Championship) |
| Monthly Saturday Swiss✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Phoenix Chess Academy's open monthly Swiss, listed alongside its Saturday Action and Blitz events. (Phoenix) | Phoenix | Swiss | Open | Monthly Saturdays (2026 dates: 9/5, 10/3, 11/7, 12/12) |
| Chess Emporium Friday Night Tournament (Phoenix-Carefree)✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026ASCF-rated round-robin in groups of four; entry $25.50-$31.50 depending on registration timing, group winners earn trophies. (North Phoenix (Carefree Highway area)) | Phoenix | Scholastic | K-12 students who know how the pieces move and understand check/checkmate | Every Friday, 6:30-8:30 PM |
| Phoenix Saturday Action✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Phoenix Chess Academy's recurring rapid-format open Saturday event, paired on the calendar with a Saturday Blitz series. (Phoenix) | Phoenix | Open | Open | Recurring Saturdays (2026 dates: 8/15, 9/19, 10/17, 11/14, 12/5) |
| 2026 Phoenix Open✓ Verified 14 Aug 2026Unity Chess Club's annual multi-day open, listed on the Southwest Chess calendar for Labor Day weekend 2026. (Mesa) | Phoenix | Open | Open | Once a year (Sep 5-7, 2026) |
Always check the organiser’s own page before you travel. Dates, venues and sections change, and no directory is a substitute for the source.
Never been to a tournament before?
Two things are worth knowing before you look at any of these. Almost every scholastic event is a Swiss, which means nobody is eliminated and after each round your child is paired with someone on the same score — so a child who loses their first game plays other children who also lost theirs. And a quad is four players who each play the other three, which is the gentlest possible first rated experience because every opponent is near your strength by construction.
We wrote both up properly: Is my child ready for their first tournament? and What is a quad tournament? Neither asks you to sign up for anything.
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