A Heritage Event!
An American Classic!
US Chess Grand Prix Points: 150 (Enhanced)
59th annual
LIBERTY BELL OPEN
Jan 15-18, 16-18 or 17-18, 2027 (Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Weekend)
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
7-Rounds, Swiss-System, 40/80, SD/30; d30 (3-day option, rounds
1-2 G/60, d10; 2-day option in U2100 and below, rounds 1-4 G/30, d10).
At Sonesta Hotel, 1800
Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Prizes
$25,250 Guaranteed!
Click Here
For Standings, Parings, Results And Other Important Information
In 6 sections:
Major (1900/up): $3000-1500-1000-700-500, 1st
clear or on tiebreak $100 bonus, top USCF Under 2300 $1000-500. FIDE
rated. See peakrating.us
regarding using peak rating to qualify for Major.
Under 2100:
$1800-900-500-300-200. FIDE rated.
Under 1900: $1500-800-500-300-200.
Under 1700: $1200-700-400-300-200.
Under 1500:
$1200-700-400-300-200, top Under 1300 $350-200.
Under 1200: $800-500-250.
Unrated may enter U1200 to U2100,
but may not win over $100 in U1200, $200 in U1500, $300 U1700 or $400 U1900.
Mixed Doubles Bonus Prizes: Best male+female 2-player combined
score among all sections: $1000-600-400. Team must average under 2200; may play
different sections and schedules; register (no extra fee) before both players
begin round 2.
Dr. Aleksandr and FM Alisa Melekhina Father/Daughter Additional $250 Bonus Prize for top-scoring father/daughter team, donated by FM Alisa Melekhina!
Top 5 sections entry fee: $148
online at chessaction.com by
1/2/2027, $158 1/3-1/12, $180 later online or at site (no checks, credit card
OK) until 1 hour before round 1. GMs free, $120 deducted from prize.
Under 1200 Section entry fee: All $20 less than top 5 sections entry fee.
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 $20.
Re-entry (no Major to Major) $70.
4-day schedule: Rounds Fri 7 pm, Sat 12
& 6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30. Registration ends Fri 6 pm.
3-day schedule: Rounds. Sat 12, 3 &
6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30. Registration ends Sat 11 am.
2-day schedule (no Major
Section): Rounds Sun 10, 12, 2, 3:45 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30.
Registration ends Sun 9 am.
Half
point byes: OK all, limit 2, must commit before round 3.
Hotel Chess Rate
Room Reservations (use this link): $124-124-124-124, also posted
at chessevents.us (or call
215-561-7500 or 800-SONESTA, request Chess rate), reserve by 1/1/2027 or rate
may increase.
Parking: Chess parking
rate at the Sonesta is approximately $29 per day (half normal rate, valet
parking only). The Gateway Garage, 1540 Spring St. (about 12 minute walk
from Sonesta Hotel), is about $12/day Sat/Sun, $30 other days (self-parking).
Foreign player rating info
Prizewinner tax info
CCA electronic devices rules.
PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELLPHONES DURING PLAY. Please leave your phone home, or in your hotel room or car, or
in a bag at your table.
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:
January official USCF ratings used. Unofficial uschess.org or
USCF Online Regular ratings usually used if otherwise unrated, or to qualify
for Major (see peakrating.us). 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. Players cannot play with rating below
their USCF Online Regular Rating minus 100 points.
Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600,
use AWD #D657633, or reserve
car online through chesstour.com.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.
Entry: chessaction.com.
No mailed entries.
Questions: Director@Chess.US, https://chesstour.com,
www.chesstour.info. Refunds, $15 service charge. Entries posted at chessaction.com
(click "entry list" after entering).
Blitz tournament: Sunday 10:30 pm, enter at site Sunday
night by 10:10 pm.