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Sections
- Championship Section (NORM possible)
- Expert (2000-2199)
- Section A (1800-1999)
- Section B (1600-1799)
- Section C (1400-1599)
- Under 1400
- Championship, Expert, and Section A will also be FIDE rated for all the rounds in 4-day schedule and rounds 5 to 8 in 3-day schedule.
- Championship section fulfills FIDE 1.13A requirement for FIDE Title Regulations which requires a minimum of 3 days with only 1 round.
- All rounds will be US Chess rated. An active US Chess membership is required for all players.
Schedule
Championship Section
NORM possible with 9 rounds Swiss System:
- 6 days – Tuesday, Nov 25 – Sunday, Nov 30 (One round on Tue, Wed, Sun)
- Tuesday 6 pm – Round 1
- Wednesday 6 pm – Round 2
- Thursday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 3 and 4
- Friday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 5 and 6
- Saturday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 7 and 8
- Sunday 10 am – Round 9
- Time Control: G/90; inc/30
- US Grand Prix Points: 150 (Enhanced)
- US Chess and FIDE rated
Expert, Section A, B, C, & Under 1400
8-rounds Swiss-System: Two available schedules to choose from 4-day or 3-day
- 4-day schedule (Thursday, Nov. 27 – Sunday, Nov. 30)
- Thursday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 1 and 2
- Friday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 3 and 4
- Saturday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 5 and 6
- Sunday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 7 and 8
- 4-day schedule Time Control: G/90; inc/30
- 3-day schedule (Friday, Nov. 28 – Sunday, Nov. 30)
- Friday 11 am, 2:30 pm, 5 pm, and 8 pm – Round 1-4
- Saturday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 5 and 6
- Sunday 10 am & 4 pm – Round 7 and 8
- 3-day schedule Time Control: Rounds 1-4 is G/60; d/5s
- 3-day schedule Time Control: Rounds 5-8 G/90; inc/30
- The 4-day and 3-day group of players will merge on Round 5.
*There is a play up fee for players with FIDE rating under 2200. See Entry Fee info below
Ratings for Expert & lower sections: A player may play up only one section above. The November official US Chess over-the-board regular ratings will be used for section eligibility, pairings, and prize eligibility. Unofficial uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated. Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over the board ratings, and these ratings, adjusted if necessary, may be used, if higher than US Chess Federation’s.
Bye Rules
- Maximum of 2 optional half-point byes. Additional byes after the two allowed will be 0-point byes.
- Last round half-point byes (round 8 for 4-day and 3-day schedule, or round 9 for the Open) must be requested prior to the start of round 2.
- All other rounds, request for half-point byes must be requested before the start of the previous round of the intended bye round. (i.e. to request Round 7 Bye, you must submit the bye before Rd 6 starts, or before 5 pm on Saturday)
- All byes requested after the the maximum two allowed for half-point, or after the previous round of the intended bye round has started will be 0-point byes.
Bring chess sets and clock if possible- these will not be supplied
Entry Fee
Championship Section
Complimentary entry for Grandmasters (GM/WGM), Foreign IMs/WIMs, and 2500+, click here for registration and conditions with no deduction if registered by October 15. $200 deducted from prize if registered after October 15.
(Entry Fee based on FIDE rating and title at the time of registration)
A. US Chess and/or FIDE 2200+ entry fee
$300 until November 25
Please register in advance. There will be NO onsite registration
(Re-entry not available for players in Championship section)
B. Play UP additional entry fee (there is no play up fee for those with US Chess rating of over 2200)
- With FIDE rating between 2000-2200 – additional $150
- With FIDE rating between 1800-2000 – additional $200
- With FIDE rating under 1800 and unrated- additional $500
- Entry fees are based on the rating at the time of registration. Play up fee will be refunded if FIDE rating reaches 2200 or more for November 2025 rating supplement.
Expert Sections and below
- Expert (2000-2199)
- Section A (1800-1999)
- Section B (1600-1799)
- Section C (1400-1599)
- Under 1400
$300 until November 25
NO onsite registration
Re-entry $120
Awards
Prize amounts are the amounts that is guaranteed. For example, $3500 for the first place in the Championship section; $1,500 for the 2nd place in the Championship section.
- Championship Section: Prizes $3500-1500-800-600-400-250, under 2450′: $1000-550-250, under 2300′: $550-250. FIDE and US Chess rated.
- Expert Section: Prizes* $2000-1000-600-400-200 New! Top scorer for Under 2100′: $1000 – $750*
- SECTION A: Prizes* $2000-1000-600-400-200 New! Top scorer for Under 1900′: $1000 – $750*
- SECTION B: Prizes* $2000-1000-600-400-200 New! Top scorer for Under 1700′: $1000 – $750*
- SECTION C: Prizes* $2000-1000-600-400-200 New! Top scorer for Under 1500: $1000 – $750*
- Under1400 SECTION: Prizes* $1500-800-600-400-200; New! Top scorer for Under 1300′: $1000 – $750* U1200′: $550-250 (not a separate section; U1200s also eligible for U1400 prizes); Unrated: $350-150 (Unrated players in this section are eligible for these prizes only).
*Players with Unrated/Provisional (under 26 games) ratings may not win over $300 in Under 1400, $400 in Section C, $500 in Section B, $600 in Section A, $700 in Expert sections.
(Under 2450, under 2300, under 2100, under 1900, under 1700, under 1500, under 1300, under 1200, and unrated are not separate sections)
A player who withdraws during the tournament is not eligible for prize money
Prizes will be paid out by check, PayPal, or Zelle.
Players with provisional rating (under 26 games) as of Nov. 10, 2025 will not be able to win the full money prize. Unrated players (Played zero rated games) will also have imposed prize limits.
The November USCF Rating Supplement will be used. Other ratings (CCA minimum rating, US Chess online rating, FIDE) may be used if higher. If your rating changes in the November supplement you will be moved up or down automatically.
The decision of the chief tournament director is final regarding eligibility, rating adjustments, conversions, unofficial ratings, the CCA minimum rating list, or other rating issues. Unofficial USCF rating usually used if otherwise unrated.
Every effort will be made to start players in the appropriate section, but if an error is discovered late in the tournament, it will be corrected. If there is any reason you may not be eligible for the section you entered, be sure to ask for a review before Round 1 is paired.
American Open 