American Open

American Open Chess Championship and ChessPalace response to COVID-19

Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the 56th American Open is postponed to November 25-28, 2021.

We remain firm in our aim to deliver this chess tournament that is true to its tradition and its history. Chess players from around the country and beyond, have participated in the American Open Chess Championship held each Thanksgiving weekend since its inception in 1965. This will be the first where this chess tournament has not occurred.

The health and well-being of our chess players and guests, as well as that of our volunteer members, staff, and partners, comes first. We will miss the competitive camaraderie and the joy of getting together for this annual tournament, but look forward to the return of the American Open for next year’s Thanksgiving weekend on November 25 – 28, 2021, which will be at Orange, California.

If you are still steadfast in playing a USCF rated tournament, ChessPalace is hosting Saturday Open tournaments at shorter time periods, in an outdoor venue, in Garden Grove, California. The tournament starts earlier in the day with round 1 at 9:30 am to allow for the tournament to be completed before it gets too dark outside. Saturday Open tournaments are held on November 7, 14, and 21 and December 5, 12, and 19. Please visit the our website at ChessPalace.com for more details.

About the American Open:

A heritage event and an American classic, the American Open is one of the longest running chess tournament in the United States. It was established in 1965 and has since attracted chess players from all over the world and from all levels, beginners to Grandmasters.

The American Open is held annually on Thanksgiving weekend and is composed of two concurrent tournaments. The Main Tournament is open to all players, adults and children. The other is the Scholastic Tournament, which is open only to junior players from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Additionally, there will be two side events available to participate, Blitz (Saturday) and Action Chess (Sunday). There will also be lectures from renowned chess players that will take place throughout the event. Please navigate through this site to find out more about the tournament, prizes, schedule, and side events.

For any questions, feel free to contact us.