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

Cornerstone Chess Academy

2/20 - 2/22

Cornerstone February FIDE Swiss

Sunnyvale, CA

2/21

2026 New Mexico Women's and Girls Open

2/21

Prescott Blitz #24

2/21

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

Cornerstone Chess Academy

2/21 - 2/22

Cornerstone February U2000 Swiss

Sunnyvale, CA

2/21

Texas Action Championship 2026

Houston Chess Studio

Houston, TX

2/21

Little Masters

2/21

Rising Star February Grand Prix

Southern Arizona Chess Association

2/21

SACA - Wakefield Open

Tucson, AZ

Link to Multiple time controls. Can be manually set without a smart phone!

TapNset Professional Chess Clock

2/21

Summit Chess Monthly Open

Utah Valley South Chess Club

2/21

UVSCC Pin-To-Win

Spanish Fork, UT

2/21

Saturday Open

2/21

Day & Knight February Open 2026

Day & Knight Chess Club

Tustin, CA

2/21

Tri-Valley Open Feb 2026

Emerald Hills Chess

Dublin, CA

2/21

Phoenix Saturday Action

2/21

SDCC Gambito

2/22

2026 LA Super City Championships

Glendale, CA

2/22

2026 BAC February Blitz

BayAreaChess

Fremont, CA

2/22

Checkmate for Charity Chess Tournament (G/25)

Checkmate for Charity

2/22

Tornado

2/22

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

2/22

A Match Made in h7

Sante Fe Chess

Santa Fe, NM

2/22

Unity Weekly Blitz

2/22

Feb 22 u1400 Signature Kids Quads G/25 d5

BayAreaChess

Fremont, CA

2/22

2026 February ICEA Chess @ Irvine

2/22

Unity Sunday Weekly G/30

2/25

Pygmalion Tournament

2/27 - 3/1

South Texas FIDE

2/27

USCF Rapid Rated Tournament

Arizona State University Chess Club

2/28

ASU Spring 2026 Rapid and Blitz

2/28

3 in 1 Speed Saturday

Chess Academy of Denver

2/28

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

2/28

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

Northern Arizona Chess Center

Link to Carlsen and Howell show how you can keep a game alive, how you can keep posing problems to your opponent, how you can recognize the first small mistakes, and how you can grind your opponent down until he cracks.

Grind Like a Grandmaster

2/28

Northern Arizona Chess Championships-Flagstaff

Flagstaff, AZ

2/28

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

2/28

2ND CHESS4SMILES OPEN Chess Tournament

Simply Chess

Arcadia, CA

2/28

Knights Leap Ahead

The Meadows School

2/28

Saturday Open

2/28

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

2/28

Reno Chess Quads

2/28

SDCC Gambito

March 2026

3/1

Fide March Blitz

Judgement Day Chess Club

3/1

Cyclone

3/1

2026 March ICEA Chess @ Irvine

3/2

IHOP Quick Quad Mondays in March 2026

IHOP Chess

3/3

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

3/3

DCC Tuesdays

3/3

SMBCC Club Championship

3/3

Temecula Tuesday Tourney

3/4

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

3/4

SPCC Chess Run Wednesday

Santa Paula Chess Club

Santa Paula, CA

3/4

Pygmalion Tournament

3/5

Monthly Thursday Series

Continental Chess Association

3/6 - 3/8

33rd Annual Western Class Championships

3/6

USCF Rapid Rated Tournament

3/6 - 3/8

2026 Northern Nevada State Seniors Championship

Silver State Chess

3/7

2026 New Mexico All-Girls Scholastic State Championship

Chess Tactics for Kids

3/7

2026 Southern Nevada Scholastic Championship

3/7

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

3/7

KOC GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP

Women/Girls

3/7

Phoenix Monthly Scholastic

3/7

Rising Star March Grand Prix

3/7

BayAreaChess CashDay Swiss G/60 d5

BayAreaChess

Milpitas, CA

3/7

Saturday Open

3/7

Monthly Saturday Swiss

3/7

SDCC Gambito

3/8

Earthquake

3/10

Game Vault Tuesdays

Game Vault

El Paso, TX

3/11

Pygmalion Tournament

3/12

Chess Knight Blitz

Cornerstone Chess Academy

3/13 - 3/15

Cornerstone Spring Classic

Sunnyvale, CA

3/13 - 3/15

2026 Lone Star Open

Cypress Chess

Cypress, TX

12,500 Prize Money

3/14

2026 Southern Nevada Girls Scholastic Championship

3/14

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

3/14

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

3/14

Chess Emporium Saturday Swiss - G25

3/14

2026 Lone Star Scholastic

Cypress Chess

Cypress, TX

3/14

Kings of Chess Tournament

3/14

Summit Chess Monthly Open

3/14

Texas Spring Championship

Texas Chess Center

McKinney, TX

3/14

Saturday Open

3/14

2026 Intermountain Collegiate Chess

Elevate Chess

3/14

2026 March ICEA Chess @ West LA

3/14

PALS March Chess Tournament

PALS Chess Academy

3/14

Game 40 Challenge

3/14

Basis Phoenix Chess Fundraiser

Rama Krishnan

3/14

SDCC Gambito

3/15

2026 SDCC MARCH SCHOLASTIC

3/17

2026 LA Spring Youth Chess Championship

Glendale, CA

3/18

Pygmalion Tournament

3/20 - 3/22

DFW Spring FIDE

Colorado Springs Chess Club

3/20

2026 Colorado Quick Chess Championship

3/20 - 3/22

2026 SuperStates State Championships

3/21 - 3/22

DCC Spring Classic 2026

Arizona State University Chess Club

3/21 - 3/22

2026 TEXAS SENIOR CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

3/21

ASU Spring 2026 Classical

Northern Arizona Chess Center

3/21

Southwest Regional Chess Championships for Women & Girls

Flagstaff, AZ

Women/Girls

3/21

Little Masters

3/21

Prescott Quads #31

Prescott Chess Club

Prescott, AZ

3/21

SLCC Afternoon Quick Chess

3/21

Saturday Open

3/21

Phoenix Saturday Action

3/21

SDCC Gambito

3/22

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

3/22

RiseNShine Monthly Quads

RiseNShine Chess

Gilbert, AZ

3/27 - 3/29

2026 National High School (K-12) Championship

Chicago, IL

3/28

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

3/28

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

3/28

ChessMates G30 Swiss

ChessMates

Fort Collins, CO

3/28

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

3/28

Reno Chess Quads

3/28

SDCC Gambito

3/29

Hurricane

Day and Knight Chess Club

3/29

March Open 26

Walnut, CA

April 2026

4/1

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

4/1

SPCC Chess Run Wednesday

Santa Paula Chess Club

Santa Paula, CA

4/2 - 4/5

CCC FIDE Spring Classic Apr 2026

4/2

Monthly Thursday Series

4/3 - 4/5

13th Annual Larry Evans Memorial Open

27,500 Prize Money

4/4

Kings of Chess Tournament

4/4

Phoenix Monthly Scholastic

4/4

Rising Star April Grand Prix

4/4

2026 April ICEA Chess @ Irvine

4/4

Monthly Saturday Swiss

4/4

RiseNShine Monthly Quads

RiseNShine Chess

Gilbert, AZ

4/4

SDCC Gambito

4/6

IHOP Quick Quad Mondays in April 2026

IHOP Chess

4/7

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

4/7

DCC Tuesdays

4/7

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

4/7

Temecula Tuesday Tourney

4/9

Chess Knight Blitz

4/10 - 4/12

2026 All-Girls National Championships

Chicago, IL

Women/Girls

4/11

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

4/11

TMS Grand Finale

The Meadows School

4/11

2026 April ICEA Chess @ West LA

4/11

PALS April Chess Tournament

PALS Chess Academy

4/11

Game 40 Challenge

4/11

SDCC Gambito

4/12

Tsunami

4/14

Game Vault Tuesdays

Game Vault

El Paso, TX

4/18

Prescott Blitz #25

4/18

2026 Northern Nevada State Scholastic

4/18

Chess Emporium Saturday Swiss - G25

4/18

2026 April ICEA Chess @ Gardena

4/18

Little Masters

4/18

Summit Chess Monthly Open

4/18

Spring Bloom Championship

Texas Chess Center

McKinney, TX

4/18

ChessMates G30 Swiss

ChessMates

Fort Collins, CO

4/18

Phoenix Saturday Action

4/18

SDCC Gambito

4/19

2026 Northern Nevada Girls Scholastic Championship

4/19

Aftershock

Paradise Valley, AZ

4/25

2026 TEXAS QUICK CHESS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

4/25 - 4/26

2026 Boulder Open

Boulder, CO

4/25

2026 New Mexico K-12 Scholastic State Championship

4/25

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

4/25 - 4/26

Governor's Cup State Championship 2026

4/25

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

4/25

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

4/25

Reno Chess Quads

4/26

2026 Spring Chess-Fest

West Hills, CA

4/26

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

Sheridan Chess Association

May 2026

5/1 - 5/3

2026 WYOMING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OPEN

Sheridan, WY

9,000 Prize Money

5/1 - 5/3

Houston FIDE

5/1 - 5/3

2026 National Elementary (K-6) Championship

Baltimore, MD

5/2

Kings of Chess Tournament

5/2

Rising Star May Grand Prix

5/2

Monthly Saturday Swiss

5/4

IHOP Quick Quad Mondays in May 2026

IHOP Chess

5/5

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

5/5

DCC Tuesdays

5/5

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

5/5

Temecula Tuesday Tourney

5/5

Tuesday G45 Chess Tournament

5/6

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

5/6

SPCC Chess Run Wednesday

Santa Paula Chess Club

Santa Paula, CA

5/7

Monthly Thursday Series

5/8 - 5/10

2026 World Chess Festival - Disneyland

Hanley Chess Academy

Anaheim, CA

5/9

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

5/9

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

5/9

Prescott Quads #32

Prescott Chess Club

Prescott, AZ

5/9

2026 May ICEA Chess @ West LA

5/9

PALS May Chess Tournament

PALS Chess Academy

5/9

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

5/12

Game Vault Tuesdays

Game Vault

El Paso, TX

5/14

Chess Knight Blitz

5/15 - 5/17

2026 National Middle School (K-8) Championship

Round Rock, TX

5/16

Little Masters

5/16

Summit Chess Monthly Open

5/16

Phoenix Saturday Action

5/23 - 5/25

Rising Star Memorial Day Classic

5/23

Game 40 Challenge

5/23

Reno Chess Quads

5/30

Game-in-30 Chess Tournament (Advance registration required)

5/31

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

June 2026

6/2

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

6/2

DCC Tuesdays

6/2

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

6/2

Temecula Tuesday Tourney

6/3

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

6/4

Monthly Thursday Series

6/5 - 6/7

North Texas FIDE

6/6

Rising Star June Grand Prix

6/6

Monthly Saturday Swiss

6/10 - 6/14

2026 National Open

Vegas Chess Festivals

6/11

Chess Knight Blitz

6/12 - 6/14

Summer FIDE 2026

6/13

Game 40 Challenge

6/20

Little Masters

6/20

2026 June ICEA Chess @ West LA

6/20

Phoenix Saturday Action

6/27

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

6/27

2026 June ICEA Chess @ Irvine

6/27

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

6/27

Reno Chess Quads

6/28

Scholastic@ChessPalace Cypress

6/28

2026 Summer ICEA Free Chess @ The Wende

July 2026

7/1

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

7/3 - 7/5

Rising Star Independence Day Classic

7/4

Monthly Saturday Swiss

7/7

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

7/7

DCC Tuesdays

7/7

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

7/7

Temecula Tuesday Tourney

7/9

Chess Knight Blitz

7/11

2026 July ICEA Chess @ West LA

7/11

Game 40 Challenge

7/18

Little Masters

7/18

Phoenix Saturday Action

7/24 - 7/26

Gulf Coast FIDE 2026

7/25

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

7/25

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

7/25

Reno Chess Quads

7/31 - 8/2

2026 World Chess Festival - Las Vegas

Hanley Chess Academy

August 2026

8/1

Rising Star August Grand Prix

8/1

2026 August ICEA Chess @ Irvine

8/1

Monthly Saturday Swiss

8/4

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

8/4

DCC Tuesdays

8/4

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

8/5

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

8/8

2026 August ICEA Chess @ West LA

8/8

Game 40 Challenge

8/13

Chess Knight Blitz

8/15

Little Masters

8/15

Phoenix Saturday Action

8/22

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

8/22

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

8/29

Game 60 Challenge

8/29

Arizona Summer Scholastic

September 2026

9/1

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

9/1

SMBCC ONE NIGHT RAPIDS

9/1

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

9/2

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

9/4 - 9/7

2026 Southern California Open

Glendale, CA

9/5 - 9/7

2026 Phoenix Open

9/5

2026 Phoenix Open - Bughouse

9/5

2026 September ICEA Chess @ Irvine

9/5

Monthly Saturday Swiss

9/6

Phoenix Open - Blitz

9/8

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

9/10

Chess Knight Blitz

9/12

Rising Star September Grand Prix

9/12

2026 September ICEA Chess @ West LA

9/12

Game 40 Challenge

9/19

Little Masters

9/19

Phoenix Saturday Action

9/26

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

9/26

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

9/27

2026 Fall ICEA Free Chess @ The Wende

October 2026

10/3

Rising Star October Grand Prix

10/3

Monthly Saturday Swiss

10/4

2026 October ICEA Chess @ Irvine

10/6

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

10/6

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

10/6

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

10/7

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

10/8

Chess Knight Blitz

10/10

2026 October ICEA Chess @ West LA

10/10

Game 40 Challenge

10/16 - 10/18

2026 South Dakota Governor's Cup

Chess Weekend

Sioux Falls, SD

12,000 Prize Money

10/17

Little Monsters Chess Tournament

10/17

Phoenix Saturday Action

10/24

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

10/24

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

10/31

Game 60 Challenge

November 2026

11/1

2026 November ICEA Chess @ Irvine

11/3

Tuesday Night USCF Tournament

11/3

SMBCC 4 Round Swiss

11/3

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

11/4

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

11/7

Rising Star November Grand Prix

11/7

Monthly Saturday Swiss

11/12

Chess Knight Blitz

11/14

Little Masters

11/14

2026 November ICEA Chess @ West LA

11/14

Phoenix Saturday Action

11/21

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

11/21

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

11/22

2026 Winter ICEA Free Chess @ The Wende

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

SMBCC ONE NIGHT RAPIDS

12/1

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

12/2

ChessPalace Wednesday Knights (1 Round each Week)

12/5

Little Masters Championship

12/5

Rising Star December Grand Prix

12/5

Phoenix Saturday Action

12/6

2026 December ICEA Chess @ Irvine

12/8

SMBCC Unrated Blitz

12/10

Chess Knight Blitz

12/11 - 12/13

2026 National K-12 Grade Championships

Orlando, FL

12/12

2026 ICEA Scholastic Annual Championship

12/12

Monthly Saturday Swiss

12/19

Phoenix Saturday Blitz

12/19

Arizona Golden Cup (Year-Long USCF Chess Series)

12/26

Game 40 Challenge

January 2027

1/5

Temecula Tuesday Tourney G45

1/8

Captain Vigil's San Diego Sendoff

Captain Vigil's

April 2027

4/2 - 4/4

2027 National High School (K-12) Championships

Schaumburg, IL

4/30 - 5/2

2027 National Elementary (K-6) Championships

Columbus, OH

May 2027

5/14 - 5/16

2027 National Middle School (K-8) Championships

Round Rock, TX

December 2027

12/3 - 12/5

2027 National K-12 Grade Championships

Orlando, FL