Chess Tournaments in Dallas–Fort Worth
Rated and unrated chess tournaments, quads and club nights in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex — and what to expect if it is your first one.
What is on
Texas runs a large scholastic program and DFW clubs hold frequent rated quads, which are the gentlest way into rated play.
| Event | Format | Who it is for | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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)) | Quad | Players over 18 years of age | Approximately monthly |
Always check the organiser’s own page before you travel. Dates, venues and sections change, and no directory is a substitute for the source.
Who runs chess here
The organisations behind the listings above — their own calendars are the authoritative source for dates and entry details.
- Dallas Chess Club — Long-running Dallas club and US Chess affiliate that hosts rated tournaments and major TCA events, including the Texas Grand Circuit ed. 1 Dallas (March 12-16, 2026). — their calendar
- Texas Chess Association — Official Texas affiliate of the US Chess Federation (serving Texas chess players since 1935); maintains the statewide Texas Clearing House Calendar of tournaments and hosts majors like the Southwest Open. — their calendar
- Texas Chess Center — North Texas tournament organizer with locations in Plano, Frisco, and Irving running ongoing weekly rated Swiss/blitz events, K-12 scholastic events, seasonal championships, and FIDE-rated events. — their calendar
- North Texas Chess Academy — Chess academy in Carrollton offering programs and USCF-rated tournaments for all ages, including the weekly Sunday Swiss. — their calendar
If this is your first one
Start with a quad if you can find one. Four players, three games, everybody near your child’s strength, finished in an afternoon. A Swiss is fine too — nobody is eliminated and pairings follow your score — but it is a longer day and the first round can be a mismatch.
Plan for the whole day even when the chess is only three hours. There are gaps between rounds, and the awards ceremony always runs late. Bring a book and food.
The full version is here: Is my child ready for their first tournament?
Looking for a coach in Dallas–Fort Worth?
We do not run a coach directory, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. What helps more is knowing what to ask before you hire anyone — a coach’s own rating predicts very little about whether your child will improve.
How to choose a chess coach · Club or private coach?
Running something in Dallas–Fort Worth?
List your event — free, forever
There is no fee, no account and no catch. Send the details and it goes into this page and the national directory. We link straight to your own entry page, so the traffic is yours.
Running a club rather than a one-off? Say so and we will list the recurring schedule once rather than every date.