148th annual(!)
NEW YORK STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP
A US
Chess Heritage Event - America's
oldest annual tournament!
September
4-7, 5-7 or 6-7, 2026
Labor Day weekend at Albany Marriott
$18,000
GUARANTEED PRIZE FUND!
CLICK HERE FOR PAIRINGS, RESULTS,
STANDINGS AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FREE LECTURE By IM Jay
Bonin: 9:00 AM Monday September 7th!
NY State Chess Association Annual Membership Meeting: 9:00 AM Sunday
September 6th
ALSO NY STATE BLITZ CHAMPIONSHIP
SUNDAY NIGHT- SEE BELOW
US Chess
Grand Prix points: 150 (enhanced)
148th annual NY State Championship. Out of state
welcome! 6-Round, Swiss-System, 40/80, SD/30; d30 (2-day option, rounds 1-3 G/40 d10). No 2-Day Championship
Section. Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Road, Albany 12205 (Thruway Exit 24,
I-87 north to Wolf Rd, Exit 4). Free parking, wireless & airport shuttle,
many restaurants in area. September official USCF ratings used.
$18,000
prize fund unconditionally guaranteed. In 5 sections.
Championship Section: Open to
1900/above (see peakrating.us). $2000-1200-900-600, top USCF Under 2300
$800-400. State title and $100 bonus to top scoring NY State resident
(both decided on tiebreak if tied). FIDE rated.
Under 2100 Section: $1200-700-500-300,
top Under 1900/Unr $400-200. FIDE rated.
Under 1800 Section:
$1000-700-400-300, top Under 1600 (no unr) $400-200.
Under 1500 Section: $900-600-300-200,
top Under 1300 (no unr) $400-200.
Under 1200 Section: $700-400-300-200,
top Under 1000 (no unr) $200-100.
Unrated may not win over
$150 in U1200, $250 U1500, or $400 U1800.
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 team among all sections: $600-400-200.
Team must average under 2200; may play in different sections and schedules;
register for Mixed Doubles at site (no extra fee) before both players begin
round 2. Prize limits do not apply to Mixed Doubles prizes.
Prizes not claimed
at site usually paid by PayPal (may take about 3 weeks).
Top 4 sections entry
fee: $118 online at chessaction.com by 9/1,
all $130 later at site or online
until 1 hour before round 1. No checks at site, credit cards OK. GMs, IMs & WGMs free, $100 deducted
from prize. No mail entries.
Under 1200 Section entry fee: All $20
less than top 4 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 $24.
NYSCA members
(NYSCA, the New York State Chess Association,
is NOT the same as USCF), online EF $7 less (NYSCA dues: $20/year with 4 issues of Empire
Chess or $12 for 2 issues; may join and then take discount with online
entry).
Re-entry
$60, all sections except Championship to Championship.
3-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 11
am, rds. Sat 12 & 6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30.
4-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6
pm, rds. Fri 7 pm, Sat 6 pm, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sun. 10
am, rds Sun 11, 1:30, 3:30 & 6, Mon 10 &
3:30, no 2-day schedule in Championship.
Bye: all, limit 2, must commit before round 3.
Hotel rates: $105-105-105, link is posted below (or call 518-458-8444,
800-443-8952; ask for Chess rate), reserve by 8/21 or rate may increase.
HOTEL
RESERVATIONS (reservations link also posted at chessevents.us).
Car rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, AWD D657633, or
reserve car online through
chesstour.com.
Ratings:
September Official USCF rating list used. Unofficial
or Online Regular uschess.org ratings usually used if otherwise unrated, or to
qualify for Championship. Also see below for additional ratings policies.
Cannot play with rating
more than 100 points below USCF Online
Regular rating.
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.
BRING
SET, BOARD, CLOCK IF POSSIBLE- NONE SUPPLIED.
NYSCA annual meeting, Sunday 9
am.
BLITZ
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY NIGHT!
SEPTEMBER 6, NEW YORK
US Chess Grand Prix points 10 (enhanced)
12th
annual New York State Blitz Championship!
Out of state welcome;
NYS blitz title to top NYS resident, on tiebreak if necessary. 4-SS, G/3, d2,
double round, 8 games, Albany Marriott (see NY State Championship
above). $800 guaranteed prizes: $200-100-50, Under 2200/Unr $120-60, U1900/Unr $100-50,
U1600/Unr $80-40. EF: $40, NYSCA members $35, at site
after 8:30 pm Sun. only, no checks. Reg. ends 10:10 pm, round 1 at 10:30 pm
then ASAP, should end by 12:30 am. One pair of half-point byes allowed, must
commit before round 2. Blitz rated (does not affect Regular ratings), but
higher of September Official Regular or Blitz Rating used for pairings & prizes. USCF
membership required. $10 service charge for refunds before Round 1
pairings. No equipment supplied.