A US Chess Heritage Event!
31st annual Pacific
Coast Open
July
31 - August 2 or August 1-2, 2026
Hilton Orange County Airport Hotel
(same site as last year),
Irvine, Southern California
US CHESS
GRAND PRIX POINTS: 150 (ENHANCED)
$30,000 GUARANTEED
PRIZE FUND!
Click Here For Pairings,
Standings, Results And Other Important Information
6 rounds, 40/80, SD/30; d30 (2-day option, rounds
1-3 G/35, d10); Hilton Orange County Airport Hotel, 18800 Macarthur Blvd.,
Irvine (near Los Angeles), CA 92612. Chess rate parking $20
each day. Free airport shuttle, pool, whirlpool, fitness center.
In 7 sections. 3-day and 2-day
schedules merge after round 3 and compete for the same prizes within the
section.
The top two sections are also FIDE rated.
Premier Section: Open to 2000/over (see www.peakrating.us). $3000-1500-1000-700,
clear or tiebreak win $100 bonus, top USCF U2300 $1400-700. FIDE rated.
Under 2100 Section: $2000-1000-600-400. FIDE rated.
Under 1900 Section: $2000-1000-600-400.
Under 1700 Section: $1600-800-500-300.
Under 1500 Section: $1600-800-500-300.
Under 1300 Section: $1600-800-500-300.
Under 1000 Section:
$1000-500-300-200.
Mixed
Doubles Bonus Prizes: Best male+female
2-player “team” combined score among all sections: $1000-500-300-200. Team must
average under 2200, may play in different sections and schedules; register at
site (no extra charge) before both players begin round 2.
Unrated prize
limits: U1000 $150, U1300 $250, U1500 $350, U1700 $500, U1900 $700;
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.
Top 6 sections
entry fee: $158 online at chessaction.com by 7/28, $180 later or
at site (no checks, credit cards OK), until one hour before round 1. GMs
free, $150 deducted from prize.
Under 1000
Section entry fee: All $20 less than top 6
sections entry fees.
Online EF $5 less to Southern CA Chess Federation
members; join/renew at scchess.com.
Re-entry $70; not available to go
from Premier Section to Premier
Section.
Special 1 year
USCF dues with
magazine if paid online with entry: Adult $54, Senior (age 65+) $48, Young
Adult $33, Youth $24. USCF membership required.
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 or
Regular Online 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 USCF. See also above. Players cannot play below
their USCF Online Regular rating minus 100 points.
3-day schedule: Reg. Fri to
11 am, rounds Fri 12 & 6, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg Sat to
9 am, rounds Sat 10,12:15, 2:30 & 5, Sun 10 & 3:30.
Half
point byes OK any round, limit 2, must commit before round 3.
Hotel rates: $184-184-184-184, use
this hotel reservations link
(link is also posted at chessevents.us, or call 949-833-9999, mention
Chess); reserve by 7/9 or rate may increase.
Prizes not claimed at site usually paid through PayPal (may take
about 3 weeks).
Electronic devices: See
devicerules.com. Not all electronic
scoresheets are allowed.
Car
rental: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD
#D657633, or reserve car online through chessevents.us.
Room or travel sharing: Post a request to share a
room on the US Chess Forums.
If you have trouble posting, email your post to
Continental Chess and we might be able to post it for you.
Enter online: Chessaction.com. No mailed entries. $15 service charge for refunds.
Questions:
email director@chess.us (see also www.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 before 9:10 pm.