19th annual
July 17-19 or 18-19,
2026
Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel, Wheeling,
Illinois
$30,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES!
US CHESS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 150 (ENHANCED)
19th annual Chicago Class Championships. 5 Rounds, Swiss-System, 40/80, SD/30; d30 (2-day option, rounds 1-2 G/60, d10), Westin
Chicago North Shore Hotel, 601 North Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling IL 60090 (from
Chicago, I-294 north to US-45 north; from Milwaukee, I-94 to Lake Cook Rd to
US-45 south). Free parking.
In 7 sections:
· Master (2100/up):
$3000-1500-800-500, clear win or 1st on tiebreak $100, top USCF U2400
$1200-600. FIDE rated.
· Expert (1900-2199):
$2000-1000-600-400. FIDE rated.
· Class A (1700-1999/Unr): $2000-1000-600-400. FIDE rated.
· Class B (1500-1799/Unr):
$2000-1000-600-400.
· Class C (1300-1599/Unr):
$1700-900-500-300.
· Class D (Under 1400/Unr):
$1400-700-500-300.
· Class E (Under 1200/Unr):
$800-400-300-200.
Prize limits: Unrated may not win over
$100 in E, $200 D, $300 C, $400 B, or $500 A. Balance of any limited prize goes
to next eligible player(s) in line.
Cannot play below USCF Online regular
rating – 100 points.
Playing
up: These
expanded rating class boundaries allow players rated within the top third of
the above rating boundaries of each section the option to play up in the
next highest section (also see peakrating.us); Under 1200 players may
play in Class E or may elect to play up in Class D.
World Open rule: Players who scored 8 or more points in
2026 World Open U2200 or below must enter higher section than in World Open.
Mixed Doubles Bonus Prizes: Best male+female 2-player team combined score
among all sections: $1000-600-400-300. Team must average under 2200; may play
in different sections and schedules; register at site (no extra fee) by 2 pm
Sat.
Top 6
sections entry fee: $148 online at chessaction.com by 7/14, all $170
at site, or online until an hour
before round 1. GMs free, $130 deducted from prize.
Class E Section entry fee: all $30 less than
above.
All: No checks at site,
credit cards OK. Online EF $5 less to ICA members; join/renew at il-chess.org.
Special
1 year US Chess dues with magazine if paid with
entry. Online at chessaction.com, Adult $54, Senior (age
65+) $48, Young Adult $33, Youth $24. US Chess membership required.
Re-entry $60; no Master to Master section.
Foreign player
rating info
Prizewinner tax info
CCA electronic devices policies
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:
July
official regular USCF ratings used. Unofficial or Online Regular USCF 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 above also.
3-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rounds. Fri 7, 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.
Half point byes: OK all rounds, limit 2,
must commit before round 2.
Hotel
rates (use this link): $135-135-135-135, hotel reservations link
is also posted at chessevents.us
(or call 847-777-6500, 800-937-8461, mention Chess); reserve by 6/26 or rate
may increase.
Room or travel
sharing: Post your sharing request at the US Chess Forums.
If you have trouble posting, email your request to
Continental Chess and we will post for you.
Prizes not claimed at site are usually paid through
PayPal (may take about 3 weeks).
Entry: chessaction.com. No mailed entries. $15 service charge for
refunds.
Questions: Director@Chess.US, chesstour.com.
Entries posted at chessaction.com (click
"entry list" after entering).
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none
supplied.
BLITZ SIDE EVENT SATURDAY
NIGHT: Enter at site Saturday night by 9:10 pm.