Save the date for the 2026 Region VI Scholastic Championship tournament, to be held in San Antonio and presented by Complete Chess!
This tournament will be a qualifier for the Spring 2026 Texas Junior Invitationals! The Invitational winners earn the right to represent Texas in the national invitationals to be held just before the US Open in the summer. For more information, see the invitationals policy here: https://texaschess.org/2025-2026-invitationals-policy/
The Open and K-12 Sections held in conjunction with the Rocks & Rooks scholastic chess tournament on January 24, 2026. The first major Rocks & Rooks event of 2026! This USCF rated chess tournament is for adults and more advanced scholastic players.
This is a Swiss-system tournament, so everyone plays all day—there is no “elimination.” Players must know how to play the game of chess! We follow USCF rules including: touch-move, mandatory clocks (bring your own if at all possible), and mandatory notation. If registrations exceed 32 in any one section, we reserve the right to split into two sections.
Paragon Prep
7944 Great Northern Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757
Open Section:
All adults
Any youth who have reached at least 1200 on the January 2026 USCF supplement (exceptions made for live ratings).
K-12 Elite:
Any youth rated between 950 and 1299 on the January 2026 USCF supplement (exceptions made for live ratings).
Ineligible entries will be moved to the appropriate ‘under’ scholastic section of the Paragon Prep January 2026 Scholastic Tournament
This is a rated tournament. You must have a USCF ID and your membership (can be purchased/renewed at check out or online with the USCF in advance of registration) . You can verify your USCF membership ID and expiration by visiting the USCF’s Member Services Area. Anyone can become a USCF member. Adults new to tournament chess are welcome to play in the open section. Youth players MUST have a ratings-history. Your USCF membership cannot expire before January 31, 2026. USCF memberships can be renewed/purchased at check-out.
No check-in necessary for preregistrations. We will make every attempt to contact you in advance if we see a problem with your registration. Verify your entry ONLINE!
8:45 a.m. K-12 Elite begins
9:15 a.m. Open sections begin. Open has 4 rounds of G/45,+5; K-12 Elite has 5 rounds of G/40, +5.
No changes for round 1 (bye or section) allowed after online registration closes. Requests for byes, withdrawals, player info edits be made onsite with your chief TD and go into effect as of round 2.
Open and K-12 Elite Sections*:
Open (4 rounds):
rd 1 – 9:15am, rd 2 – 11:10am, rd 3 – 1:30pm, rd 4 – 3:30pm
K-12 Elite (5 rounds):
rd 1 – 8:45am, rd 2 – 10:35am, rd 3 – 12:25pm, rd 4 – 2:15pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm
(Sections will play in separate rooms.)
There will be some “down time” between rounds since many games will finish early. We will provide an area (outside the tournament room) for casual “skittles” chess and/or other indoor activities.
Concessions will be offered for purchase. You may bring your lunch and snacks. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.
Awards
Open section:
Cash prizes based on number of entries. Special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Family & Child teams (Uncles, Aunts, Siblings, Parents, or Grandparents paired with at least one scholastic aged player.).
K-12 Elite:
Trophies to top finishers. Medals to positive scores not receiving a trophy. Trophies to top teams.
*$40 (youth) /$30 (adult) thru Saturday, 12/20/2025
*$50 (youth) /$40 (adult) thru Saturday, 1/10/2026
*$55 (youth) /$45 (adult) as of Sunday, 1/11/2026 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 1/22/26, at which time online entry closes.
*$65 (youth) / $50 (adult) Late entry (after regular online entry closes), IF space is available. Link will be available from the time regular online entry closes thru 9:30am Saturday 1/24/2026. All scholastic late entries receive a 1/2pt bye in round 1, and begin play in round 2. Open section first round play requires registration and payment before 8:45am Saturday.
Withdrawals requested via email before midnight on Wednesday 1/21/26 are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 service fee). No exceptions. No refunds for USCF memberships after purchased from the USCF. NO email/phone entries.
Please request byes when you register if possible. First bye receives 1/2-point. Further byes receive 0-points. Email the registrar to make changes to your requested byes.
*K-12 Elite: Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 9am Friday 1/23/2026. All 1/2-point byes must be requested or removed before the end of round 2. After 9am Friday, please make all changes and requests onsite at Chess Control.
*Open section: Will be paired onsite. Round 1 changes must be made no later than 8:45am.
Email Sarah Brauner, registrar (AustinChessTournaments@gmail.com) with other questions. No phone calls, please. Emails will be returned promptly.
Organized by Rocks & Rooks. Gary Gaiffe, tournament organizer (ggaiffe@att.net).
View the ONLINE TLA!
All registrations appear automatically. Please allow one to two days for USCF information to be verified, at which point the current supplement rating will be entered. (Ratings shown reflect January Supplement Ratings unless otherwise noted.
If you are no longer eligible for the section you originally chose, you will be moved according to the section breaks set forth in the tournament description. Exceptions will be made only if your rating, at the time of the tournament, meets the section play up minimum. We appreciate your patience as we try to be fair to ALL players. Remember – all entry fees go to support the Austin Chess Club!
If your name has. a , your registration is complete.
If your name has a , the registrar has a question about your registration. Please contact the registrar if you have not already been contacted.
If there is no symbol in front of your name, your USCF verification is in process.
Jump to: Championship, Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D/E, Novice
Return to the 2026 Austin Winter Open homepage.
| Name | USCF ID | Rating | Title | Schedule | Byes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melillo, Lucius | 15570195 | 2341 | FM | 3-day | ||
| Sommers, Sean | 13334868 | 1937 | 3-day | 1 | ||
| Thirunavukkarasu, Shanmuganathan | 15761327 | 2142 | 3-day | |||
| Wang, Yixin | 31926688 | 1777* | 3-day | |||
| Krishnamoorthy, Vijay Keerthi | 16087877 | 2344 | 3-day | |||
| Shen, Yangyang | 17080503 | 1998 | 3-day | 5 | ||
| Lan, Kai Zhou | 30658202 | 1901 | 3-day | |||
| Shafer, Logan | 16019966 | 2319 | CM | 3-day | ||
| Zhang, Ellery | 30167442 | 1948 | 3-day | |||
| Zhang, Lawrence | 30167437 | 1926 | 3-day | |||
| Kolli, Rishi | 30358373 | 2072 | 3-day | |||
| Gu, Samuel | 30050913 | 2068 | 2-day | |||
| Elliott, Scott Alan | 10402522 | 2011 | 3-day | |||
| Chetlapalli, Vishnu | 30144870 | 2080 | 3-day | |||
| Williams, Michael R S | 17081527 | 1900 | 3-day | |||
| Burd, Leonid | 32140016 | 2114 | 3-day | |||
| Dumitru, Eric | 17164035 | 2053 | 3-day | |||
| Maddipati, Srihas | 17152864 | 1981 | 3-day | |||
| Kaul, Krrish | 16596843 | 1905 | 3-day | |||
| Zhang, Oscar | 30067435 | 2060 | 3-day | |||
| Bist, Atharva | 16451355 | 2142 | 3-day | |||
| Flournoy, Donald Wolf | 11406751 | 1900 | 2-day | 1 | ||
| Molina, William | 12623645 | 2048 | 3-day | |||
| Seelam, Tanish | 17061896 | 1970 | 3-day | |||
| Masoumi, Shahin Cazares | 16669663 | 1881* | 3-day | |||
| Khachatryan, David | 30288921 | 2077 | 3-day | |||
| Redfield, Grant A | 12994555 | 2027 | 2-day | |||
| Joseph, Julian | 16783177 | 1996 | 3-day | |||
| Belous, Vladimir | 16004571 | 2589 | GM | 2-day | ||
| Santhosh, Pranav | 30579866 | 2034 | 3-day | |||
| Bryant, Todd | 12799717 | 2228 | 3-day | |||
| Zolidis, Eric | 31316562 | 1910 | 3-day | |||
| Binder, Joseph Paul | 10401895 | 1900 | 3-day | 1 | ||
| Lonie, Chase Rugby | 16392562 | 1901 | 2-day | |||
| Kandikayala, Srikar | 16803213 | 2005 | 3-day | |||
| Mynala, Rahul | 17287571 | 2163 | 3-day | |||
| Meng, Joshua | 16485720 | 2236 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Vuyyuru, Shriyan | 17035355 | 2071 | 3-day | 1 | ||
| Zheng, Peter | 15075977 | 2182 | 3-day | |||
| Lad, Neil | 16299917 | 2088 | 3-day | |||
| Chodniewicz, Asher | 30288162 | 1939 | 3-day | |||
| Bader, Jeremy | 14928004 | 2031 | 3-day | |||
| Bhaskaran, Siddharth | 30043807 | 1942 | 3-day | 1 | ||
| Cai, Benjamin | 16322627 | 1900 | 3-day | |||
| Gundam, Rohit Reddy | 14908373 | 2285 | 3-day | |||
| Trey, Justin | 15592064 | 2075 | 2-day | 2 | ||
| Kaliyur, Rohith | 13388205 | 2050 | 3-day | |||
| Singi, Advay | 30201175 | 2012 | 3-day | |||
| Serna, Jeffrey Michael | 12867105 | 2187 | 2-day |
| Name | USCF ID | Rating | Title | Schedule | Byes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matos, Alexander | 16953544 | 1779 | 3-day | |||
| Ni, Alan | 30701271 | 1724 | 2-day | |||
| Patel, Siddharth | 31908590 | 1905 | 3-day | |||
| Balaji, Tanav | 30779464 | 1806 | 2-day | |||
| Ganesan, Vikash | 16427685 | 1818 | 2-day | |||
| John, Austin Abraham | 15506120 | 1791 | 3-day | |||
| Pirani, Shams | 15919861 | 1892 | 2-day | |||
| Choi, Jay | 31876704 | 1794 | 3-day | |||
| Nguyen, Dang | 13942075 | 1965 | 2-day | |||
| Wang, Kai | 30528820 | 1839 | 2-day | |||
| Sivaraju, Subbu | 30066824 | 1738 | 3-day | |||
| Kerbow, Jeff | 15238358 | 1760 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Kandi, Pranav | 31493287 | 1833 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Perez-Daple, Brian | 13704827 | 1792 | 2-day | 3 | ||
| Tang, Martin | 31982613 | 1700 | 2-day | |||
| Ratheesh, Nived | 30687838 | 1715 | 3-day | |||
| Sanepalli, Guna Advik Reddy | 30790886 | 1826 | 3-day | |||
| Rajagopalan, Aadhya Jay | 30065644 | 1784 | 3-day | |||
| Praveen, Aayush | 30204505 | 1790 | 2-day | |||
| Rajesh, Ashwin | 17140588 | 1848 | 2-day | |||
| Badrinarayanan, Ashwath | 30906827 | 1719 | 3-day | |||
| Arun, Anish | 31187934 | 1697* | 3-day | |||
| Kolts, John | 10141699 | 1762 | 3-day | |||
| Ramey, Alexander | 30280135 | 1809 | 3-day | |||
| Vuyyuru, Aryan | 17064058 | 1764 | 2-day | 1 | ||
| Kornienko, Alexander | 12842747 | 1902 | 2-day | |||
| Brown, Walker Blake | 30111126 | 1861 | 2-day | |||
| Brown, Lawson Bennett | 30118312 | 1868 | 2-day | |||
| Bitar, Waleed | 30299044 | 1814 | 2-day |
| Name | USCF ID | Rating | Title | Schedule | Byes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sykora, Landon | 12840203 | 1603 | 3-day | |||
| Chui, Jeffrey | 30882595 | 1613 | 3-day | |||
| Cromartie, Julius | 12428265 | 1600 | 3-day | |||
| Kaul, Anika | 17072545 | 1585 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Chen, Yiheng | 30441678 | 1613 | 3-day | |||
| Ganesan, Vidhun | 16442420 | 1665 | 2-day | |||
| Larionov, Dmitrii | 30097581 | 1742 | 3-day | |||
| Garza, Gabriel | 30346166 | 1640 | 3-day | |||
| Kanike, Uday Kumar | 15188134 | 1774 | 3-day | |||
| Lingutla, Charvith | 30639612 | 1613 | 2-day | |||
| Rudra, Abhik | 31170585 | 1586 | 3-day | |||
| Pratheep Kumar, Amudha | 31456373 | 1458 | 3-day | |||
| Tumuluri, Madhav | 31984765 | 1609 | 3-day | |||
| Desu, Srihaas | 30037713 | 1615 | 3-day | |||
| Yandrapati, Nirvaan | 31178909 | 1522 | 3-day | |||
| Vance, Eric Patrick | 31905773 | 1538 | 3-day | |||
| Gardner , Kendrick | 13024716 | 1672 | 2-day | 1 | ||
| Richmond, Scott R | 12858050 | 1682 | 3-day | |||
| Bhandari , Sanjay | 12724815 | 1683 | 2-day | |||
| Bhattacharjee, Ahir | 31246619 | 1518 | 2-day | |||
| Avila-Patricio, Friday Jean-Alexander | 12875378 | 1659 | 2-day | |||
| Bumireddy, Nidhish Reddy | 30719653 | 1585 | 3-day | |||
| Omshankar, Vyas | 30543508 | 1659 | 3-day | |||
| Borse, Tanvi | 15992594 | 1667 | 2-day | |||
| Bejawada, Surya | 17310034 | 1564 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Serikar , Arav | 30360853 | 1683 | 2-day | |||
| Thota, Taran Sudhakaran | 16230677 | 1679 | 2-day | 2 | ||
| Balamurali, Mahith | 32017229 | 1640 | 2-day | |||
| Pidathala, Esha | 16808204 | 1514 | 2-day | |||
| Gao, Albert | 30496668 | 1591 | 3-day | |||
| Davis, Charles | 12561407 | 1639 | 3-day | |||
| Santillanes, Elonzo | 15089695 | 1697 | 2-day | |||
| Osborn, Chris | 12907526 | 1513 | 2-day | 5 |
| Name | USCF ID | Rating | Title | Schedule | Byes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gopu, Akhil | 32029095 | 1481 | 3-day | |||
| Rajeshkanna, Advaithkrishna | 31630743 | 1485 | 3-day | |||
| Peng, Grace | 30665735 | 1497 | 3-day | |||
| Bhargav, Ryan | 31339682 | 1296 | 3-day | |||
| Joshi, Anirudha Satish | 30414835 | 1530 | 3-day | |||
| Furlong, Calvin H | 12794576 | 1452 | 3-day | 5 | ||
| Islam, Nameer Raif | 30325677 | 1353 | 2-day | |||
| Keresey, James D | 31877606 | 1477 | 3-day | |||
| Thota, Mani Karthikeya | 31342698 | 1498 | 3-day | |||
| Werther, Oliver | 30759552 | 1323 | 3-day | |||
| Little, Darrin | 30927898 | 1372 | 3-day | |||
| Sivaraju, Sai Karthik | 31922646 | 1497 | 3-day | |||
| Ho, Christopher D | 16456105 | 1462 | 2-day | |||
| Papisetti, Rutvik | 30383392 | 1313 | 3-day | |||
| Topcu, Oguzhan | 32782902 | 0-UNR* | 3-day | |||
| Jeedigunta, Shreyan | 31469701 | 1385 | 3-day | |||
| Avinashkarthi, Tharun | 30675122 | 1535 | 2-day | |||
| Sathish, Skanda | 30286250 | 1365 | 2-day | |||
| Bandaru, Venkateswara Rao | 32224413 | 1411 | 3-day | |||
| Phillips , Dalton | 30642594 | 1468 | 2-day | |||
| Parikh, Parv | 30065214 | 1447 | 3-day | |||
| Gamboa, Noel | 16846080 | 1564 | 2-day | |||
| Ramey, John | 30387710 | 1567 | 3-day | |||
| Chodniewicz, Beckham | 30288144 | 1511 | 3-day | 1 | ||
| Stenglein, Jack | 31005525 | 1519 | 3-day | |||
| Dhamanwala, Keshav | 16449795 | 1535 | 3-day |
| Name | USCF ID | Rating | Title | Schedule | Byes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanmuganathan, Zayn | 31968176 | 1317 | 3-day | |||
| Pytel, Michael A | 12439637 | 1300 | 2-day | |||
| Anbalagan, Ananyasree | 30669157 | 1203 | 3-day | |||
| Gaur, Yogesh | 31539271 | 1033 | 3-day | |||
| Chakraborty, Aahan | 30456077 | 1054 | 3-day | |||
| Munjal, Cian | 30746192 | 1285 | 3-day | |||
| Abraham, Mark | 12751529 | 1355 | 3-day | |||
| Raina, Advika | 30497120 | 1246 | 3-day | |||
| Wu, Evan | 32003699 | 908 | 2-day | |||
| Kammari, Karthik | 31494364 | 1229 | 2-day | |||
| Delacruz, Jesse | 32484050 | 1024 | 2-day | |||
| Gondle, Sathvik | 31642308 | 1256 | 3-day | |||
| Amaral, Keith | 15280218 | 1302 | 3-day | |||
| McClure, Donald Hudgins | 12777849 | 1308 | 3-day | |||
| Coker, Colin | 30847464 | 1009 | 3-day | |||
| Plock, Liam A | 32225331 | 1385 | 3-day | |||
| Manikandaraam, Anirudh | 32315342 | 915* | 2-day | |||
| Deshpande, Akhil | 16363805 | 1123 | 3-day | |||
| Hamons, Chris Ryan | 32492156 | 1110* | 3-day | |||
| Bryant, Jack | 17051245 | 1315 | 3-day | |||
| Spelling, Adrian | 32696797 | 996 | 2-day | |||
| Myles , Adrion | 32708571 | 0-UNR* | 3-day | |||
| Uppuluri, Venkata Naga Sai Akshith Kumar | 30575167 | 1136 | 2-day | |||
| Lakshmiganapathy , Praveen | 30628959 | 1065 | 2-day | |||
| Gonzales, Christian Bryce | 13419744 | 1237 | 2-day | |||
| Campos, Eli | 31490882 | 1022 | 2-day | |||
| Redhouse, Syrus | 31531564 | 1079 | 2-day | |||
| Garcia, Kevin Alberto Hernandez | 30723385 | 1229 | 2-day | |||
| Salinas, Joel Adrian | 12878459 | 1354 | 2-day | |||
| Giambalvo, Jonathan | 32355601 | 1065 | 3-day | |||
| Connaughton, James Patrick | 12647418 | 1215 | 3-day | |||
| Phatak, Arjun | 30823825 | 1304 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Phatak, Ashwin | 31123362 | 1238 | 3-day | |||
| Valencia, Brandon | 32760042 | 0-UNR* | 3-day | |||
| Chodniewicz, Edison | 30280271 | 1079 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Joshi, Sarvesh | 31369174 | 1137 | 3-day | |||
| Brown, Jackson Tyler | 31661443 | 1029 | 3-day | |||
| Jain, Arini Kamala | 32090268 | 1253 | 3-day | |||
| Veerapaneni, Yashas | 16783046 | 1153 | 2-day | |||
| Sriram, Sairam | 31759211 | 1034 | 2-day | |||
| Hernandez, Jose Santiago | 15190704 | 1342 | 3-day | |||
| Amorim, Thomas | 31903472 | 1083 | 2-day | |||
| Sahin, Taha | 16816095 | 1024 | 3-day |
| Name | USCF ID | Rating | Title | Schedule | Byes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdulrahman , Abdulkareem | 32467863 | 735 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Anbalagan, Rihaan | 31932744 | 989 | 3-day | |||
| Obubo, Abraham | 30539388 | 868 | 3-day | |||
| Madsen, Stuart Scott | 12383300 | 876 | 3-day | 5 | ||
| Kaul, Avanya | 32455874 | 492 | 3-day | 2 | ||
| Sawarna, Hariom | 32514180 | 832 | 3-day | |||
| Chen, Sonny | 32557768 | 0-UNR | 3-day | |||
| Raju, Gopu | 32506461 | 853 | 3-day | |||
| Pirani, Nuraiz | 30857208 | 844 | 2-day | |||
| Chetlapalli, Shiv | 31649868 | 874 | 3-day | |||
| Kanike, Tanish | 30432364 | 771 | 3-day | |||
| Angirasa, Avi Enzo | 32259791 | 286 | 2-day | |||
| Pradeep, Chris Nolan | 31824556 | 979 | 2-day | |||
| Manpragada, Skanda | 31041144 | 855 | 3-day | |||
| Boone, Russell A | 16020517 | 733 | 3-day | |||
| Dosapati, Jishnu Sai | 17307821 | 894 | 3-day | |||
| Seelam, Tanav | 30343181 | 854 | 3-day | |||
| Sriram, Adhvay | 31817443 | 522 | 2-day | |||
| Gajula, Kaarthikeya Siddharth | 30558875 | 838 | 2-day | |||
| Gardner, Byron | 30167947 | 674 | 2-day | 1 | ||
| Massaro, Matt | 32792047 | 0-UNR | 2-day | |||
| Bandaru, Shourya | 32193247 | 967 | 3-day | |||
| Lewis, Colton | 32791629 | 0-UNR | 3-day | |||
| Kraft, Kurt James | 32792447 | 0-UNR | 2-day | |||
| Carlisle, Clayton James | 31272090 | 746 | 3-day | |||
| Bhandari , Osiav | 32793464 | 0-UNR | 2-day | |||
| Gourineni, Moksh | 32613334 | 689 | 3-day | |||
| Frommer, Aaron | 31454994 | 875 | 2-day | |||
| Lasch, Beckett Houston | 32620529 | 822 | 3-day | |||
| Mohan, Dev | 32401523 | 610 | 3-day | |||
| Pala, Karthik | 30220477 | 616 | 3-day | |||
| Albach, Charles Augustus | 31945344 | 904 | 3-day | |||
| Manikandaraam, Adhitya | 32426612 | 706 | 2-day | |||
| Ranjith, Aditya | 32413970 | 482 | 2-day | |||
| Singh, Aarav | 32797065 | 0-UNR | 3-day | |||
| Topcu, Talia | 32798822 | 0-UNR | 3-day | |||
| Fan, Yacheng | 32799095 | 0-UNR | 2-day | |||
| Zhao, Enoch | 32800035 | 0-UNR | 2-day | |||
| Grover, Prasad | 32495898 | 700 | 2-day | |||
| Kornienko, Tracy | 32802503 | 0-UNR | 2-day | |||
| Rajgure, Nisheet | 31289238 | 774 | 3-day | |||
| Rajagopalan, Vedha | 32522973 | 124 | 3-day | |||
| Zumino, Louis | 32685827 | 0-UNR | 2-day |
Total: 223
*Section qualification based on live or converted rating. Published USCF ratings are used for pairings and prizes.
Description:
There is going to be one Open Section which will follow a Swiss format. Players above 1400 USCF are going to be allowed to play in the tournament.
This tournament is FIDE and USCF rated.
Top 3 Finisher Prizes:
$1200, $800, $400
For 3rd Austin Chess Tour 10 Finalists:
The top 1 finisher among the people qualified through the 3rd ACT Grand-Prix Tournaments will earn the right to participate in the next IM Norm tournament organized by Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy.
Eligibility Information can be found here
Tournament Capacity: 40 players
Organizers:
Chief: GM Alex Mista
Deputy: GM Andrey Stukopin
Email: info@austin-chess.com
Chief Arbiter: FA Sarah Brauner
When: December 26-30, 2025
Playing Venue:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste.100
Austin, TX 78729
Hotels Nearby:
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Austin Northwest/Research Blvd,
13087 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78750 (1.1 miles away)
SpringHill Suites by Marriot Austin North
13309 North US Highway 183, Austin, TX 78750 (1.5 miles away, our recommended hotel)
Entry Fees:
GM, WGM, IM, WIM, FM, WFM Titled Players – Free
$100 Early Bird Registration – on or before November 30th, 2025
$150 – on or after December 1st
Note: All 3rd ACT Grand-Prix Winners (top 7 qualified players from the Open Qualifiers and top 3 qualified players from the Junior Qualifiers) will have their entry fee reimbursed to them given that they complete all their games. The list can be found here.
Time control:
G/90 minutes; increment 30 seconds – 90 minutes for the entire game plus 30 second increment from move 1. There is only one time control, no additional time at move 40. Players must keep accurate scoresheets for the entire game.
Schedule:
Round | Day | Date | Time |
1 | Friday | Dec 26 | 6:00 pm |
2 | Saturday | Dec 27 | 10:00 am |
3 | Saturday | Dec 27 | 4:00 pm |
4 | Sunday | Dec 28 | 10:00 am |
5 | Sunday | Dec 28 | 4:00 pm |
6 | Monday | Dec 29 | 10:00 am |
7 | Monday | Dec 29 | 4:00 pm |
8 | Tuesday | Dec 30 | 9:00 am |
9 | Tuesday | Dec 30 | 3:00 pm |
Regulations
The tournament is held in the Event Space to the very left of the library upon entering. It’s where the Sunday Open Chess Play is held.
Tournament capped at 100 students! My past tournaments have always filled up, so REGISTER ASAP! Will note here and/or potentially stop accepting registrations once it fills up, but will accept 10-20 kids onto the waitlist in case there are withdrawals.
425 S Parkwest Dr
Cedar Park, TX 78613
United States
USCF rated swiss chess tournament on January 9-11, 2026. We offer 6 sections and a guaranteed prize fund of $7000. There will be 5 rounds in total with two schedules. The top 3 sections are FIDE rated.
See the player reminder email sent Thursday 1/8/26 HERE
Onsite notes:
The hotel created a special menu for our event this weekend! Check out the options HERE or scroll all the way to the bottom of this page, and help support the venue by eating onsite.
LIMIT 80 players in any single section.
Courtyard by Marriott Austin Pflugerville and Pflugerville Conference Center
16100 Impact Way
Pflugerville, TX 78660
View the Advance Entry List.
Online registration is requested.
Please register onsite.
Discounted group room rate here: Hotel Booking Link – extended! If you have any trouble booking a room in the block, please email austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com
Please support the tournament by staying at the event hotel!
3-DAY
Round 1: Friday, 7:15pm (G/90, +30)
2-DAY
Round 1: Saturday, 9:30am (G/60, +10) (*Games in this round will not be FIDE rated*)
ALL PLAYERS (G/90, +30):
Round 2: Saturday, 1pm
Round 3: Saturday, 6:30pm
Round 4: Sunday, 10:00am
Round 5: Sunday 3:15pm
*Reentry: from 3-day to 2-day round 1 is available for a $40 fee. For reentry into round 1, contact us no later than 8:30am, the Saturday of the event.
*Forfeit time for all rounds and sections is 60 minutes. Please contact us (Sarah Brauner austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) if you are running late for any round or wish to withdraw. Phone number will be posted onsite and provided via email to players prior to round 1.
One 1/2 point bye allowed.
*Deadline to request/remove half-point byes: Saturday 6pm, or before round 2 ends (whichever comes first for your section)
*Deadline to request/remove zero-point byes/withdraw: before your section is paired for the affected round
Please register onsite.
Online registrations and online payment are requested. Please contact the registrar (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) to request help or accommodations.
Titled players (IM/GM/WIM/WGM) play for free if space allows. (No entry fee required and no entry fees deducted from winnings if registered by December 6th! Registrations on or after December 7th must pay entry fee – returned after completion of 5 rounds of play.) All players should register online. Contact registrar (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) for coupon code and to inquire about additional conditions.
Withdrawal with refund available if requested by 9pm on the Wednesday before the event (1/7/2026). After that time, no refunds. Any refunds will incur a $10 processing and transaction fee.
$7000 in prizes 100% guaranteed
Plus Mixed Doubles prizes, enter onsite before round 2
Six Sections
Players are only eligible for the prizes listed within their section. Limit 80 players in any one section (exceptions granted for ratings 2200+).
All sections are closed, meaning that there is no playing up unless you are rated within 100 points of the minimum of your chosen section by the event start date.
Mixed Doubles teams can be registered onsite prior to the start of round 2 with no extra fees. NO changes to mixed doubles team after round 2 begins. A mixed doubles team is a male-female team. The team’s average rating cannot be above 2000.
Championship, Class A, and Class B sections will be FIDE rated and use FIDE rules. USCF ratings used for pairings.
Championship (2000+)
*Players rated 1900-1999 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section, but are only eligible for place prizes*
• 1st -$925 2nd-$525 3rd-$375
• Expert (2000-2199): 1st -$250 2nd-$150
Class A (1800-1999)
*Players rated 1700-1799 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$540 2nd-$320 3rd-$210 4th-$140
Class B (1600-1799)
*Players rated 1500-1599 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$540 2nd-$320 3rd-$210 4th-$140
Class C (1400-1599)
*Players rated 1300-1399 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$480 2nd-$260 3rd-$160 4th-$100
Class D/E (1000-1399)
*Players rated 900-999 may pay an extra $40 to compete in this section.
• 1st -$430 2nd-$230 3rd-$140 4th-$85
Novice (U1000)
• 1st -$300 2nd-$150 3rd-$100
**January 2026 Supplement (‘Regular’ OTB) ratings will be used for pairing and placement purposes. If no regular rating is available, then other USCF ratings (quick, blitz, online) can and will be considered for section placement.
**Requests to play down will not be honored.
**Requests to play up will only be honored if the conditions mentioned above are met and the appropriate fee has been paid.
**Unrated players will be placed at TD’s discretion and are only eligible for place prizes
**Unrated players must disclose foreign and online ratings.
Internet or Bluetooth enabled devices must be turned off completely during play (not just on silent) and must remain in the player’s bag or face up on the playing table. Devices may not be removed from the playing hall during your game. Devices include phones, smartwatches, tablets, etc. These may NOT be on the player’s person or leave the board during the games. Penalties up to or including loss of game and removal from the tournament for violations of this policy. Link to device policy. If you need a medical exception, contact us prior to your first game.
No notation devices will be approved for the FIDE sections. Any notation devices in other sections must be reviewed and logged at chess control no later than 30 minutes prior to player’s first round to receive an approval card. Please review the US Chess Notation Device policy.
Spectators, if allowed, must have devices turned completely off.
Boards and sets provided. Bring an increment capable clock if possible. A limited number of clocks will be available for purchase onsite.
Only water (drinks) allowed at the chess board. All food must remain outside the playing room.
See our USCF Online TLA!
Contact Sarah Brauner (austinchessclub@austinchesstournaments.com) if you have questions about this event.
A one-day tournament on November 22, 2025 offering G/24 with 5 sec. delay per move. 4 Round Swiss. Sections dependent on turnout. EF: $15.00 all. USCF membership required. Online registration and payment requested.
Austin Chess Club is a wonderful atmosphere for the mature, experienced chess player. Scholastic players are welcome, but expected to play quiet, serious chess. We suggest that scholastic players have reached a rating of 400 before participating. USCF membership must not expire before November 30, 2025. Please renew with the USCF (https://new.uschess.org/) before coming to the event.
We would like to start on-time. Please arrive early. Entries must be received and paid in full by 3:45pm. Online entry preferred.
Entry fee is $15/player. We would like the first round to begin at 4:00pm sharp. Doors open at 3:00pm, so please arrive early. Follow the signs to our meeting areas.
Equipment provided. We look forward to seeing you!
Location: entrance is at the back of the parking lot, up the stairway with the Austin Chess Club sign
3407 Red River St
Austin TX 78705
Finding the club Click for picture of area.
FIND THE ENTRANCE: Enter the front parking lot of the school via Luther Lane (green line on photo). Find the elevator outside the building (marked on photo by green dot);
go up the stairs to enter via the door, follow the hallway until you find lit classrooms.
PARKING: Additional parking may be found at:
For more information about the Austin Chess Club, including contact information, click here.
We recently founded a non-profit corporation called Longhorn Chess, with the goal of creating a welcoming and inclusive space for local chess enthusiasts.
We’re hosting weekly chess meetups and tournaments every Wednesday at Taco Bell, 1545 N US Hwy 183, Leander, TX 78641 (near Lowe’s).
Event Name: Longhorn Chess Weekly Games
Dates: Every Wednesday
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Taco Bell, 1545 N US Hwy 183, Leander, TX 78641
Format: G/25; d5 – 3 games per night
Organizer: Longhorn Chess (Non-Profit Organization)
Contact: longhornchess25@gmail.com
We are hosting an In-Person USCF Rated Scholastic Tournament on December 20, 2025 starting at 10:00 AM. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 100 players!
LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78729
Free parking provided!
TOURNAMENT STYLE:
SECTION A: 1600+ USCF rating
SECTION B: 1200 – 1599 USCF rating
SECTION C: 800 – 1199 USCF rating
SECTION D: 400 – 799 USCF rating
SECTION E: Under 400 USCF rating and/or unrated.
*Note that no player will be allowed to play up or down*
*The higher of the official or most recent rating will determine section selection.**
*If two adjacent sections each have an odd number of players, and the highest-rated player in the lower section is within 50 rating points of the higher section, they may be moved up to balance the sections**
These rules are to avoid byes and better pairings for all.
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*
RATING INFORMATION:
● December 2025 official USCF ratings will be used.
Time Controls:
Section A: G/60, d5 (60 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section B: G/60, d5 (60 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section C: G/45, d5 (45 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section D: G/30, d5 (30 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
Section E: G/30, d5 (30 minutes per player with a 5-second delay)
4 or 5 Round Swiss System Schedule, depending on section
Number of rounds and round times vary by section. Please read the below carefully!
Sections A & B (all rounds G/60, d5)
● 1st round: 10:00 AM
● 2nd round: 12:15 AM
● Lunch break: 2:30 PM
● 3rd round: 3:30 PM
● 4th round: 5:45 PM
Section C (all rounds G/45, d5)
● 1st round: 10:00 AM
● 2nd round: 11:45 AM
● Lunch break: 1:30 PM
● 3rd round: 2:30 PM
● 4th round: 4:15 PM
Sections D & E (all rounds G/30, d5)
● 1st round: 10:00 AM
● 2nd round: 11:15 AM
● 3rd round: 12:30 PM
● Lunch Break: 1:30 PM
● 4th round: 2:30 PM
● 5th round: 3:45 PM
Closing ceremony for any section takes place after the last game finishes for that section.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
Players may not posses cell phones during the tournament. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting an Open USCF Rated Tournament on December 6, 2025 starting at 10:00 AM. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 100 players!
LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Ste 100
Austin, TX 78729
Free parking provided!
TOURNAMENT STYLE:
4SS, time controls determined by section
SECTION A: 1800 + USCF rated
SECTION B: 1400 – 1799 USCF rated
SECTION C: 1000-1399 USCF rated
SECTION D: U1000 USCF rated
*USCF MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED*
**Players are not allowed to play up or down**
RATING INFORMATION:
● December 2025 official USCF ratings will be used.
● Unofficial USCF ratings will be used if unrated or to play in a
higher section.
● Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, and other over-the-board
ratings. These ratings will be adjusted, if necessary, and may be
used if they are higher than USCF ratings.
Sections A & B (all rounds G/60, d5)
● 1st round: 10:00 AM
● 2nd round: 12:15 AM
● Lunch break: 2:30 PM
● 3rd round: 3:30 PM
● 4th round: 5:45 PM
Sections C & D (all rounds G/45, d5)
● 1st round: 10:00 AM
● 2nd round: 11:45 AM
● Lunch break: 1:30 PM
● 3rd round: 2:30 PM
● 4th round: 4:15 PM
● Closing ceremony for any section takes place after the last game finishes for that section.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
Players may not posses cell phones during the tournament. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
ENTRY FEES:
● Early Bird: $50 by November 30th at 11:59 pm.
● $60 on or after December 1st (if space is available)
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
Link for registration: https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/act-3-open-qualifier-5/
PRIZES:
● Section A : $400, $200, $100
● Section B: $200, $100, $50
● Section C: $100, $75, $50
● Section D: Chess books
Medals will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in each section.
OPEN QUALIFIER POINTS:
The top 10 places in Section A will earn points according to the following table
1st Place: 25 OQ Points
2nd Place: 18 OQ Points
3rd Place: 15 OQ Points
4th Place: 12 OQ Points
5th Place: 10 OQ Points
6th Place: 8 OQ Points
7th Place: 6 OQ Points
8th Place: 4 OQ Points
9th Place: 2 OQ Points
10th Place: 1 OQ Points
For more information about the point system, visit https://austin-chess.com/tournaments/
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you do not wish to participate in our tournament after paying the entry fee, please email us at info@austin-chess.com no later than 24 hours in advance. We reserve the right to charge a $15 service fee for cancellations. NO refunds will be issued if we are notified of cancellation within 24 hours of the start of the event.
WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you would like to withdraw from the tournament after it begins, please alert the tournament director.
NO refunds will be issued after the tournament begins.
NO-SHOW POLICY: There are NO refunds or credit for players who do not show up for their scheduled tournament matches.
Please contact us at info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns.
