Southwest Chess - Chess Tournaments, Events, and Meetups around the U.S. Southwest

Grand Rapids, MI

8/7 - 8/9

BayAreaChess REAL-FIDE 2026 August Championship

8/9

BayAreaChess Kids Signature Quads @ Milpitas

8/9

BayAreaChess Kids Signature Swiss @ Milpitas

8/9

BayAreaChess Open Rapid G/10 d2 @ Milpitas

8/9

Unity Weekly Blitz

8/9

Unity Sunday Weekly G/30

8/11

Frisco Quick Weekly

Texas Chess Center

Frisco, TX

8/11

GAME VAULT CHESS CHAMPIONS

Game Vault El Paso

El Paso, TX

8/11

GAME VAULT CHESS CHAMPIONS

Game Vault El Paso

El Paso, TX

Link to Renowned chess writer Andrew Soltis analyzes the strategies of today's blockbuster player Magnus Carlsen.

Magnus Carlsen: 60 Memorable Games

8/14 - 8/16

Central California Open

Fresno, CA

8/14

USCF Rapid Rated Tournament

Brain Powers

8/15

2026 Utah Class Championships

8/15

BayAreaChess Cash Day Quads G/60 d5 @ Fremont

Fremont, CA

8/15

Tarrant County Chess Club G/60

8/15

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

8/15

BayAreaChess Kids Signature Swiss @ Fremont

Fremont, CA

8/15

BayAreaChess Rising Star (Aug 15, 2026)

8/15

IHOP Stetson Hills Saturday Evening Quick Quads

8/15

Little Masters

Southern Arizona Chess Association

8/15

SACA August 2026 Swiss

Tucson, AZ

8/15

Cheetah Chess Tournament 2

Tommy Wen

El Monte, CA

Chess Tactics for Kids

8/15

Saturday Open

8/15

Phoenix Saturday Action

8/15

SDCC Gambito

8/16

BayAreaChess Cash Day Quads G/60 d5 @ San Jose

8/16

BayAreaChess Kids Signature Swiss @ San Jose

8/16

35th Anniversary Tournament for ChessPalace

8/16

Unity Weekly Blitz

8/16

Unity Sunday Weekly G/30

8/19

Pygmalion Tournament

8/21 - 8/23

2026 US Amateur West (Individual) National Championship

8/21

USCF Rapid Rated Tournament

Brain Powers

8/22

August Weekend Blitz Classic – Irvine (Sat)

Judgement Day Chess Club

8/22 - 8/23

August Weekend Chess Classic – Irvine

Judgement Day Chess Club

8/22

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

8/22 - 8/23

2026 Albuquerque Chess Classic

Albuquerque Chess Club

Albuquerque, NM

8/22

BayAreaChess u1000 Blitz G/4 d1 @ Sunnyvale

Colorado Master/Expert tour

8/22

Master/Expert: Reti or Not!

TBD, CO

8/22

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

Utah Valley South Chess Club

8/22

UVSCC Back to School Tournament G/25+5

Spanish Fork, UT

8/22

2026 US Amateur West (Individual) u1000 National Championship [Saturday]

8/22

Saturday Open

8/22

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

8/22

RiseNShine Friends & Family Unrated Swiss

RiseNShine Chess

Gilbert, AZ

8/22

SDCC Gambito

Link to Celebrate the timeless wisdom of chess with this special 100th-anniversary edition of

Chess Fundamentals: 100th Anniversary Edition

8/23

August Weekend Blitz Classic – Irvine (Sun)

Judgement Day Chess Club

8/23

August Glendale Open

8/23

BayAreaChess 1000+ Rapid G/10 d2 @ Sunnyvale

8/23

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

8/23

Sunday Rated Action

StarWizard Chess Castle

Las Vegas, NV

8/23

Unity Weekly Blitz

8/23

2026 US Amateur West (Individual) u1000 National Championship [Sunday]

8/23

Unity Sunday Weekly G/30

8/26

Pygmalion Tournament

8/29

BayAreaChess Cash Day Quads G/60 d5 @ Cupertino

Cupertino, CA

8/29

August 29 The Alan Rodenstein Open

Poison Pawns Chess Club

Houston, TX

8/29

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

Tournament Standard Chess Set

8/29

BayAreaChess Kids Signature Swiss @ Cupertino

Cupertino, CA

8/29

IHOP Stetson Hills Saturday Evening Quick Quads

Phoenix Chess Academy, Unity Chess, M&B Chess

8/29

Arizona Open

1,200 Prize Money

8/29

Saturday Open

8/29

Arizona Summer Scholastic

8/29

SDCC Gambito

8/30

2026 Summer Chess-Fest Tournament

Chess-Fest

Hidden Hills, CA

San Gabriel Valley Chess Club and Rooklogic

8/30

Checkmate for a Cause

San Gabriel, CA

September 2026

9/1

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

9/1

DCC Tuesdays

9/1

SMBCC ONE NIGHT RAPIDS

9/1

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

9/2

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

9/2

Pygmalion Tournament

9/3

September Thursdays (1 Round Weekly)

9/4 - 9/7

92nd Southwest Open

Texas Chess Association

San Antonio, TX

9/4 - 9/7

2026 Southern California Open

American Chess Academy

Glendale, CA

Colorado State Chess Association

9/4

2026 Colorado State Blitz Championship

9/4 - 9/6

$1,500 SEPTEMBER CHAMPIONSHIP 2026

Poison Pawns Chess Club

Houston, TX

9/5 - 9/7

2026 Hawaii Open

Hawaii Chess Federation

Honolulu, HI

9/5 - 9/7

2026 Phoenix Open

6,000 Prize Money

Colorado State Chess Association

9/5 - 9/6

2026 Colorado State Open Chess Championship

9/5

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

9/5

2026 Phoenix Open - Bughouse

9/5

Saturday Open

9/5

2026 September ICEA Chess @ Irvine

9/5

Monthly Saturday Swiss

9/5

SDCC Gambito

9/6

Phoenix Open - Blitz

9/7

Quick Quad Mondays at Urban Tandoor

9/8

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

9/9

Pygmalion Tournament

9/12

2027 New Mexico K-12 Scholastic State Championship

9/12

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

9/12

Kings of Chess Tournament

Kings of Chess

Aurora, CO

9/12

IHOP Stetson Hills Saturday Evening Quick Quads

9/12

Rising Star September Grand Prix

9/12

Saturday Open

9/12

2026 September ICEA Chess @ West LA

9/12

Game 40 Challenge

9/12

SDCC Gambito

9/12

2nd Annual Y2L Back-to-School Community Chess Tournament

Y2L Academy

Lathrop, CA

9/19 - 9/20

Kings for Cure

Monterey Park, CA

10,000 Prize Money

9/19

Tarrant County Chess Club G/60

9/19 - 9/20

THE SUNLAND PARK SUPER OPEN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Cruces Chess Club

Santa Teresa, NM

9/19

Little Masters

9/19

Phoenix Saturday Action

9/19

RiseNShine Quads

RiseNShine Chess

Gilbert, AZ

9/19

SDCC Gambito

9/19

Summit School of Chess Tournament

9/19

Summit School of Chess Tournament

9/26 - 9/27

NMCO 2026 New Mexico Open

New Mexico Chess

Albuquerque, NM

9/26

2026 Utah Blitz Championship

9/26

IHOP Stetson Hills Saturday Evening Quick Quads

9/26

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

9/26

PALS September Chess Tournament

9/26

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

9/26

SDCC Gambito

9/27

2026 LA Back to School

American Chess Academy

Glendale, CA

9/27

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

9/27

2026 Fall ICEA Free Chess @ The Wende

October 2026

10/1

October Thursdays (1 Round Weekly)

10/3

Monthly Saturday Swiss

10/3

SDCC Gambito

10/4

2026 October ICEA Chess @ Irvine

10/5

Quick Quad Mondays at Urban Tandoor

10/6

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

10/6

DCC Tuesdays

10/6

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

10/6

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

10/7

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

10/9 - 10/11

DFW FALL FIDE

10/10

Tarrant County Chess Club G/60

10/10

Kings of Chess Tournament

Kings of Chess

Aurora, CO

10/10

Rising Star October Grand Prix

10/10

2026 October ICEA Chess @ West LA

10/10

Game 40 Challenge

10/10

SDCC Gambito

10/16 - 10/18

2026 South Dakota Governor's Cup

Chess Weekend

Sioux Falls, SD

12,000 Prize Money

10/16 - 10/18

San Diego Open

10/17 - 10/18

2026 Utah Open

10/17

2026 Big Sioux Blitz

10/17

Little Monsters Chess Tournament

10/17

RiseNShine Swiss $$ Cash $$ Sectional

RiseNShine Chess

Gilbert, AZ

10/17

PALS Colorado Springs Oct Chess Tournament

10/17

Phoenix Saturday Action

10/17

Summit School of Chess Tournament

10/24 - 10/25

Emiliano Perea Memorial Open in Albuquerque

New Mexico Chess

Albuquerque, NM

10/24

Central Valley October Quads (Fresno/Clovis)

Clovis Chess Club

Clovis, CA

10/24

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

10/24

PALS October Chess Tournament

10/24

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

10/25

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

10/31

Game 60 Challenge

November 2026

11/1

2026 November ICEA Chess @ Irvine

11/2

Quick Quad Mondays at Urban Tandoor

11/3

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

11/3

DCC Tuesdays

11/3

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

11/3

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

11/4

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

11/5

November Thursdays (1 Round Weekly)

11/6 - 11/8

Los Angeles Open

11/6 - 11/8

Coconino Open I

11/7

Kings of Chess Tournament

Kings of Chess

Aurora, CO

11/7

Rising Star November Grand Prix

11/7

Monthly Saturday Swiss

11/14 - 11/15

NMCO 2026 New Mexico State Chess Championship (NM Residents)

New Mexico Chess

Santa Fe, NM

11/14

Tarrant County Chess Club G/60

11/14 - 11/15

Best of Phoenix City Championship 2026

11/14

Little Masters

11/14

2026 November ICEA Chess @ West LA

11/14

PALS Colorado Springs Nov Chess Tournament

11/14

Phoenix Saturday Action

11/14

Summit School of Chess Tournament

11/21

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

11/21

PALS November Chess Tournament

11/21

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

11/22

2026 Winter ICEA Free Chess @ The Wende

11/23 - 11/29

American Open (Main Tournament)

11/27 - 11/29

Rising Star Thanksgiving Classic

11/28

Rising Star Thanksgiving Blitz

11/28

Game 40 Challenge

11/28

Rising Star Thanksgiving U800

December 2026

12/1

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

12/1

DCC Tuesdays

12/1

SMBCC ONE NIGHT RAPIDS

12/1

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

12/2

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

12/3

December Thursdays (1 Round Weekly)

12/5

Little Masters Championship

12/5

Rising Star December Grand Prix

12/5

Phoenix Saturday Action

12/6

2026 December ICEA Chess @ Irvine

12/7

Quick Quad Mondays at Urban Tandoor

12/8

SMBCC Unrated Blitz

12/11 - 12/13

2026 National K-12 Grade Championships

Orlando, FL

12/12

2026 ICEA Scholastic Annual Championship

12/12

Tarrant County Chess Club G/60

12/12

PALS December Chess Tournament

12/12

Monthly Saturday Swiss

12/12

Summit School of Chess Tournament

12/19

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

12/19

PALS Colorado Springs Dec Chess Tournament

12/19

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

12/20

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

12/26 - 12/30

North American Open

Las Vegas, NV

12/26

Game 40 Challenge

January 2027

1/1 - 1/4

2027 Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship

Chess Weekend

1/5

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

1/8

Captain Vigil's San Diego Sendoff

Hawkeye Chess Club

1/9

Captain Vigil's Chess Festival at Sea 2

Hawkeye Chess Club

1/16

PALS Colorado Springs Jan Chess Tournament

1/23

PALS January Chess Tournament

February 2027

2/13

PALS Colorado Springs Feb Chess Tournament

2/13

Summit School of Chess Tournament

2/20

2027 TEXAS ACTION CHAMPIONSHIP

2/20

PALS February Chess Tournament

March 2027

3/13

PALS Colorado Springs Mar Chess Tournament

3/13

Summit School of Chess Tournament

3/20 - 3/21

2027 TEXAS SENIOR CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Poison Pawns Chess Club

Houston, TX

3/20

PALS March Chess Tournament

April 2027

4/2 - 4/4

2027 National High School (K-12) Championships

Schaumburg, IL

4/10

PALS Colorado Springs Apr Chess Tournament

4/10

Summit School of Chess Tournament

4/17

PALS April Chess Tournament

4/24

2027 QUICK CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

4/30 - 5/2

2027 National Elementary (K-6) Championships

Columbus, OH

May 2027

5/8

PALS Colorado Springs May Chess Tournament

5/14 - 5/16

2027 National Middle School (K-8) Championships

Round Rock, TX

5/15

PALS May Chess Tournament

5/15

Summit School of Chess Tournament

5/31

BayAreaChess Signature Swiss @ San Jose

June 2027

6/30 - 7/5

World Open

Philadelphia, PA

July 2027

7/17 - 7/18

2027 Kansas Open State Chess Championship

Kansas Chess Association

Wichita, KS

December 2027

12/3 - 12/5

2027 National K-12 Grade Championships

Orlando, FL