17th annual
SOUTHWEST CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS
$35,000 GUARANTEED PRIZES!
GM & IM NORMS POSSIBLE, TOP 3
SECTIONS ARE FIDE RATED!
FIDE requires at least one Swiss System
(at least 40 players) norm to obtain a title.
FEB. 12-16, 13-16 or 14-16, 2026 – Presidents Day Weekend
US CHESS
GRAND PRIX POINTS: 200 (ENHANCED)
9
rounds (Master Section), 7 rounds (other sections), Swiss-System, Westin Dallas
Fort Worth Airport, 4545 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving TX 75063. Free parking,
free airport shuttle.
5-day
schedule, Feb 12-16: Master
Section only, FIDE rated, GM & IM norms possible, 40/80, SD/30; d30.
4-day schedule, Feb 13-16: Expert
through Class E, 40/80, SD/30; d30. Expert and
A are also FIDE rated.
3-day schedule, Feb 14-16: Expert through Class E, rounds 1-2 G/60, d10, then merges with
4-day.
$35,000 prize
fund unconditionally guaranteed!
In 7
sections. See peakrating.us for using peak rating to play up.
These overlapping class rating
boundaries already include players rated in the top half of the section
below.
Master (NOTE
CHANGE: USCF 2100/up or USA FIDE 2000/up or foreign FIDE 1800/up): $4000-2000-
Expert (1900-2199): $2000-
Class A (1700-1999/Unr): $2000-1000-
Class B (1500-1799/Unr): $2000-1000-
Class C (1300-1599/Unr): $1600-800-
Class D (Under 1400/Unr): $800-400-
Class E (Under 1200/Unr): $800-400-300-200-
Unrated (0-3 lifetime games rated) may enter A through E, with maximum prize E $100, D $200, C
$300, B $400, A $500.
Mixed Doubles Bonus Prizes: Best male+female 2-player team
combined score in Rounds 1-7 among all sections: $1000-600-400. Must average
under 2200; may play in different sections and schedules; register (no extra
fee) before both players begin round 2; prize limits
do not apply to Mixed Doubles Bonus Prizes.
Master Section entry fee: $278 online
at chessaction.com by
2/11, $300 at site or later online, by 6 pm 2/12, US IMs/WGMs & FIDE rated
foreign players rated 1800+ FIDE $100 less, GMs & foreign IMs/foreign WGMs
free. Players with federation "FID" may not be considered as foreign
players by FIDE.
Master Section minimum prizes, if entering online by 2/1 and
playing all 9 games with no byes: Foreign GMs $800, foreign
IMs/foreign WGMs $400.
Expert through Class C entry
fee: $168 online at chessaction.com by
2/11, $190 at site (no check, credit card OK), or later online until 1 hour
before round 1.
Class D or E Section entry fee: All
$70 less than Expert to Class C. Re-entry (no
Master to Master) $80.
USCF membership required. Special
1 year US Chess dues with magazine if paid online with online entry: Adult
$54, Senior (age 65+) $48, Young Adult $33, Youth $24.
5-day schedule (Master Section
only), Rounds: Thu 7, Fri 1 & 7, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 &
4, Mon 10 & 3:30. Registration ends Thu 6 pm.
4-day schedule (Expert through Class
E), Rounds: Fri 7 pm, Sat 11 & 5, Sun 10 & 4, Mon 10
& 3:30. Registration ends Fri 6 pm.
3-day schedule (Expert through Class
E), Rounds: Sat 11, 2 & 5, Sun 10 & 4, Mon 10
& 3:30. Registration ends Sat 10 am.
Half point byes: OK
all rounds, limit 2; must commit before round 3.
Ratings: FIDE ratings used in Master Section, February official USCF ratings
in other sections. Players must reveal foreign, FIDE and other
over the board ratings, and these ratings, adjusted if
necessary, may be used, if higher than USCF.
Unofficial uschess.org ratings
and USCF Online Regular Ratings usually used if otherwise unrated in Expert and
below (see peakrating.us). Cannot play
in Expert through Class E at rating below USCF Online Regular Rating
minus 100 points. Prizes not claimed at site
are usually paid by PayPal (may take a couple of weeks).
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.
Bring set, board, clock if possible- none supplied.
Hotel
rates: $132-132 (use this link), link also
posted at chessevents.us, or call 972-929-4500, mention Chess rate;
reserve by 1/27 or rate may increase (the Chess Rate rooms may sell out before
1/27).
Car rental: Avis,
800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633.
Bring set, board,
clock if possible- none supplied. Entries posted at chessaction.com (click
"entry list" after entering).
Enter Online: ChessAction.com. No
mail entries.
All entries: $15 service charge for
refunds; no charge if credited to future entry fees.
Questions: Director@Chess.us, chesstour.com
Blitz tournament: Sun 9:30 pm,
enter at site Sun. by 9:10 pm.