16th annual
CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA OPEN
August 14-16 or 15-16, 2026
Doubletree Hotel Fresno
$10,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES!
US
Chess Grand Prix Points: 100 (enhanced)
16th annual Central California Open. 5-Round,
Swiss-System, 40/80, SD/30; d30 (2-day option, rounds 1-2 G/60; d10),
Doubletree Fresno, 2233 Cesar Chavez Blvd., Fresno, CA 93721. Free parking for hotel
guests, probably $10/day for others. The hotel parking lot might reach
capacity during the tournament.
If this occurs then those not staying at the hotel may be directed to
park at the hotel garage nearby (the entrance is on L Street near Inyo Street)
which charges $10 per day (no in-out privileges, however) but they only accept
cash.
CLICK
HERE FOR TOURNAMENT WEBSITE
(Pairings, Results, Standings And Other Important Information)!
In 4 sections:
· Major Section (open to 1900/up; see
peakrating.us): $1500-800-400-300, clear/tiebreak 1st $100 bonus, top USCF U2300
$600-300. Also FIDE rated.
· Under 2100 Section: $1000-500-250-150, top Under 1900/Unr $400-200. Also FIDE rated.
· Under 1700 Section: $700-400-200-150, top
Under 1500 (no unr) $300-150.
· Under 1300 Section: $500-250-150-100, top
Under 1100 (no unr) $200-100.
Unrated may not win over $200 in
Under 1300, $400 in Under 1700. If unrated prize is limited, balance goes to next eligible
player(s) in line.
World Open
Rule: Players
who scored 8 or more points in 2026 World Open Under 2200 or below must enter
higher section than in World Open.
Mixed Doubles Bonus Prizes:
Best
male+female 2-player combined score among all sections: $200-100. Team must
average under 2200; may play in different sections and schedules; register for
Mixed Doubles at site (no extra fee) by 2 pm Sat.
Cannot
play below USCF Online Regular Rating – 100
points.
Top 3
sections entry fee: $98 online at chessaction.com by 8/12, all $120 (no
checks, credit cards OK) later online
or at site, until 1 hour before round 1. GMs, IMs & WGMs free; $80 deducted
from prize. Online entry fee: $15 less to current Fresno Chess
Club members.
Under 1300 Section entry fee: $20 less.
USCF
membership required. Special 1 year USCF dues with magazine if paid
online with entry: Adult $54, Senior (age 65+) $48, Young Adult
$33, Youth $24.
Re-entry $60; no Major to
Major.
CCA electronic devices policies
Prizewinner tax
info Foreign player rating info
For all tournaments, adjusted FIDE or foreign ratings, if higher
than USCF, may be used. Players must disclose FIDE or foreign ratings when
entering, or may later be expelled. Other over the board ratings such as club,
league, scholastic, state or province, etc, adjusted if appropriate, may be
used at our discretion if above USCF. No rating below the latest official
USCF rating, on the list corresponding to the ending date of the tournament,
will be used. For 9 round events offering title norm possibilities, FIDE
ratings are used. Click here
for further details.
Ratings: August official
USCF ratings used. Unofficial uschess.org ratings or USCF Online Regular
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 USCF. See also above.
Cannot
play below USCF Online Regular Rating minus 100
points.
3-day
schedule: Reg ends Fri 6 pm, rounds Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 am & 5 pm, Sun 10
am & 3:30 pm.
2-day schedule: Reg ends Sat 10 am,
rounds Sat 11 am, 2 pm & 5 pm, Sun 10 am & 3:30 pm.
All: Half point byes OK all, limit 2, must commit before rd 2.
Hotel
Chess rate, use this link (also posted at chessevents.us): $172-172-172-172 (or
call 559-268-1000, request Chess rate); reserve by 7/30 or rate may increase.
Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, AWD D657633, or reserve car online through chesstour.com.
Bring
set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.
Prizes not claimed at site are usually paid through PayPal (may take
about 3 weeks).
Room or travel
sharing: Post a request to share on the USCF "All
Things Chess" Forum.
If you have trouble posting, email your request to
Continental Chess and we might be able to post it for you.
Entry: chessaction.com. No mailed entry. $15
service charge for refunds.
Questions:
https://chesstour.com, Director@Chess.US.
Entries
posted at chessaction.com (click "entry list" after entering).
BLITZ TOURNAMENT Saturday 9:30 pm,
enter at site Saturday night by 9:10 pm.