Category: Past Events
2026 Texas State Girls’ Championship
Registration:
To register, please visit: https://www.coppellchessclub.com/tourRegister/texas-state-girls-championship-2026
Club: Coppell Chess Club
The 2026 Texas State Girls’ Championship will take place at Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel in 4440 West John Carpenter Frwy, Irving, TX 75063 on October 10, 2026.
This official state championship crowns champions in five sections:
High School (9th–12th)
Middle School (6th–8th)
Elementary (K–5)
Primary (K–3)
Kinder–1st
Eligibility: Open to Texas female residents or students enrolled in Texas schools (including home schools). USCF and TCA memberships are required.
All participants must have active memberships with both the US Chess Federation and the Texas Chess Association (TCA) in order to compete.
TCA Membership: For most players, the “Junior Online” membership is the most appropriate option. It costs $3 and grants eligibility to participate in all Texas championship events for one year with no additional TCA fees.
When:
Saturday Oct 10, 2026.
Round 1: 9:00 am, Round 2: 12:00 pm, Round 3: 2:30 pm, Round 4: 5:00 pm
Please try to have lunch between 11 am to 12 pm
Where:
Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel
4440 West John Carpenter Frwy,
Irving, TX 75063
Time Controls:
G/60;d10 (60 mins with 10 seconds delay)
Sections and Prizes:
High School (9th–12th)
Middle School (6th–8th)
Elementary (K–5)
Primary (K–3)
Kinder–1st
Trophies for first 5 places
Team Trophies for first 2 places for each section
Section may be merged based on entries.
Entry Fee:
| All Sections: |
| $55 Before Aug 30, 2026 $65 Regular Fee $75 After Sep 27, 2026 |
School and Bulk Registrations: Please call us @ 214-534-6730 or email coppell.chessclub@gmail.com for Bulk School Registrions and discounts.
Byes:
- Up to one ½ point bye allowed for any round except for the last round. Bye has to be requested before end of round 2.
- Zero-point bye/withdraw has to be requested before the section pairing is done.
Withdrawals:
- Withdrawals can be requested 1 week before the tournament start date (Oct 10, 2026). Refunds will incur a $15 processing and transaction fee.
- NO REFUNDS/NO CREDITS after Oct 2, 2026 and NO EXCEPTION.
More Details:
- US Chess ratings and rules will be used for pairings and awarding prizes.
- No Spectators allowed in tournament area.
- All non-essential communication devices must be powered off completely while inside the playing hall and must remain in the player’s bag or face up on the table.
- Only US Chess approved electronic notation devices are allowed.
- Notation required for all sections and must continue until last 5 mins of the game
- Please bring your own clock. Boards and sets will be provided.
- Only snacks and drinks allowed at the chess board. All other food must remain outside the playing room.
- Default late forfeiture time is one hour. TD may extend this time at TD’s discretion.
Contact:
Email: coppell.chessclub@gmail.com
Phone: 214-534-6730
Registration:
To register, please visit: https://www.coppellchessclub.com/tourRegister/texas-state-girls-championship-2026
Wednesday Rapid Night 10/7/26
Register and view entry list at https://austin-chess.com/events/tournaments
Entry fee: $20 standard; $30 late
Rules
- SECTIONS: All players will be playing in the same section. (USCF Rated)
- Only players rated above 1100 USCF, will be allowed into the tournament.
- TIME CONTROL: Game 10 min + 3 sec increment
- 5-Round Swiss System Schedule
- Rounds will be started as soon as the last game is finished.
- There will be a 5 minute break after Round 3. Estimated end of the event is 8:30 PM
- NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
- PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Please leave your phone at home, in your car, or turned off (vibrate/silent not acceptable) on top of your table.
- Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
Prizes
- Prizes are determined by paid entry fees.
- First Place: 30%
- Second Place: 20%
- Third Place: 10%
- There will be no closing ceremony but prizes will be sent after the tournament is complete via PayPal
Policies
- Cancellations made 7+ days before the event receive a full refund.
- Cancellations made within 7 days of the event receive a 50% refund.
- No refunds for cancellations made on the day of the event.
- No-shows will not receive a refund.
Contact: info@austin-chess.com
Wednesday Blitz Night 10/14/26
Register and view entry list at https://austin-chess.com/events/tournaments
The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting a weekly blitz tournament on Wednesday evenings for players aged 14+ or younger players with mature ratings (1400+). 6:00-8:30. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 60 players
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail
Austin, TX 78729
TOURNAMENT STYLE:
9 Round Swiss, one section, Time control: G/3;+2
RATING INFORMATION:
● Published 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.
TIME CONTROL & SCHEDULE:
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
One section: G/3;+2
Schedule: rounds asap
PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
ENTRY FEES:
● $20 regular entry, $30 late entry, online at https://austin-chess.com/events. Members save 15%!
Sections
Blitz
Prizes
Prizes are determined by paid entry fees.
First Place: 30%
Second Place: 20%
Third Place: 10%
There will be no closing ceremony but prizes will be sent after the tournament is complete via PayPal
Rules
SECTIONS: All players will be playing in the same section. (USCF Rated)
Players aged 14 or older, as well as those rated above 1400 USCF, will be allowed into the tournament.
TIME CONTROL: Game 3 min + 2 sec increment
9-Round Swiss System Schedule
Rounds will be started as soon as the last game is finished.
There will be a 10 minute break after Round 5.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Please leave your phone at home, in your car, or turned off (vibrate/silent not acceptable) on top of your table.
Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
See event website for policies such as byes, withdrawals, electronics, etc.
Contact: info@austin-chess.com
Wednesday Rapid Night 9/30/26
Register and view entry list at https://austin-chess.com/events/tournaments
Entry fee: $20 standard; $30 late
Rules
- SECTIONS: All players will be playing in the same section. (USCF Rated)
- Only players rated above 1100 USCF, will be allowed into the tournament.
- ENTRY FEE (members save 15%!):
- Standard Fee: $20 before 11:59PM on 9/20
- Late Fee: $30 on or after 9/21
- TIME CONTROL: Game 10 min + 3 sec increment
- 5-Round Swiss System Schedule
- Rounds will be started as soon as the last game is finished.
- There will be a 5 minute break after Round 3. Estimated end of the event is 8:30 PM
- NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
- PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Please leave your phone at home, in your car, or turned off (vibrate/silent not acceptable) on top of your table.
- Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
Prizes
- Prizes are determined by paid entry fees.
- First Place: 30%
- Second Place: 20%
- Third Place: 10%
- There will be no closing ceremony but prizes will be sent after the tournament is complete via PayPal
Policies
- Cancellations made 7+ days before the event receive a full refund.
- Cancellations made within 7 days of the event receive a 50% refund.
- No refunds for cancellations made on the day of the event.
- No-shows will not receive a refund.
Contact: info@austin-chess.com
Wednesday Blitz Night 9/16/26
Register and view entry list at https://austin-chess.com/events/tournaments
The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting a weekly blitz tournament on Wednesday evenings for players aged 14+ or younger players with mature ratings (1400+). 6:00-8:30. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 60 players
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail
Austin, TX 78729
TOURNAMENT STYLE:
9 Round Swiss, one section, Time control: G/3;+2
RATING INFORMATION:
● Published 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.
TIME CONTROL & SCHEDULE:
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
One section: G/3;+2
Schedule: rounds asap
PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
ENTRY FEES:
● $20 regular entry, $30 late entry, online at https://austin-chess.com/events
Sections
Blitz
Prizes
Prizes are determined by paid entry fees.
First Place: 30%
Second Place: 20%
Third Place: 10%
There will be no closing ceremony but prizes will be sent after the tournament is complete via PayPal
Rules
SECTIONS: All players will be playing in the same section. (USCF Rated)
Players aged 14 or older, as well as those rated above 1400 USCF, will be allowed into the tournament.
ENTRY FEE (members save 15%!):
Standard Fee: $20 before 11:59PM September 13th
Late Fee: $30 on or after September 14th
TIME CONTROL: Game 3 min + 2 sec increment
9-Round Swiss System Schedule
Rounds will be started as soon as the last game is finished.
There will be a 10 minute break after Round 5.
NOTE: Half-point byes are acceptable for all rounds, limit 1. Must commit before the 1st round.
PLAYERS MAY NOT POSSESS CELL PHONES DURING THE TOURNAMENT. Please leave your phone at home, in your car, or turned off (vibrate/silent not acceptable) on top of your table.
Any violators may be subject to disqualification and forfeiture.
For additional questions, please contact us at info@austin-chess.com
See event website for policies such as byes, withdrawals, electronics, etc.
Contact: info@austin-chess.com
Waco October Swiss 10/3/26
Waco October 3 Swiss – Registration Link: https://forms.gle/7zjiNn28N6Ht9pNH8
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 1624 Wooded Acres Dr., Waco, TX 76710 (Behind Target)
(Enter through main door and turn right. Tournament room is at the end of Parish Hall.)
VIEW ENTRY LIST (This is manually entered, so it may not reflect recent registrations.)
4 Rounds at a time control of G/45;d5 (45 minutes with a 5 second delay)
3 Sections:
- Championship- Ratings 1600+ (1400-1599 may play up for $10 fee)
- Under 1601- Ratings 1000-1600 (800-999 may play up for $10 fee)
- Under 1000- Ratings 0-999
Notes on Sections:
- Most unrated players should play in the Under 1000 section, but you may play up in the U1601.
- We go by monthly published ratings, but if your live current rating goes up before the tournament, you may request to move sections.
- There is a $10 PLAY-UP FEE for those playing up to a higher section. You must still meet the section minimum rating to play up.
Check in & Pay: 9:30 to 9:50 AM
(*Because we do not accept payment in advance, players not checked in by 9:50 am will NOT be paired in Round 1 –unless you notify us that you are on the way. If you are registered, but can no longer play, please let us know.)
Round Times:
- Round 1- 10:00 AM
- Round 2- 11:45 AM
- Round 3- 2:00 PM
- Round 4- 3:45 PM
Entry Fee: $20 CASH (no credit, no debit) upon arrival. Exact change is appreciated! Extra $10 play-up fee for those playing up.
Cash Prizes- Based on the number of entries. The prize list will be posted on-site, after the start of Round 1.
Limited Capacity of 70 players!
Register by filling out the form below.
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This is a rated tournament. Current US Chess membership required (https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess.)
Please check that your membership is not expired before registering (https://ratings.uschess.org.) If you need help creating or renewing your US Chess membership, please email us (contact info is below.)
Notation is required. We provide notation sheets. You may also use your own notation book/ sheets or a USCF approved notation device. Please bring a pen or pencil.
If you don’t know how to notate, learn here: https://www.chesshouse.com/blogs/education/how-to-read-and-write-algebraic-chess-notation
Please bring a chess clock if you have one. The club has a limited supply. Chess sets are provided.
For those new to tournaments: Swiss means all players will play all 4 rounds, unless there is a requested bye (1/2 point) because you need to miss a round or an assigned bye (full point) due to uneven sections.
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For questions or problems registering, please email:
Dan Shafer (daniel_m_shafer@baylor.edu) or Deborah Shafer (dshaferchess@yahoo.com)
(For parents registering children, you may enter the parent email and phone number, but please enter the player’s name.)
Personal Information will not be shared. Only the player’s name, USCF ID, rating, and expiration date will be posted on the entry list.
2026 Region VI Girls Championship
The Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy is hosting the Region VI Girls’ Championship on October 3, 2026. USCF Membership required. Capacity: 48 players
Registration link HERE
This tournament is a qualifier for the Texas invitational which will be held in the spring to decide Texas’ nominee for the Annual WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions! The winner will be the Region VI participant in the Haring section of the Texas Junior Invitational. Players may also qualify through state championship scholastic events. Questions? Email txchessmom@gmail.com.
LOCATION:
Austin Grandmaster Chess Academy
12466 Los Indios Trail, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78729
TOURNAMENT STYLE:
5SS, G35;d5
Both US Chess and TCA memberships required
This is a TCA event and all participants must have a valid TCA membership. You can get it by going to https://texaschess.org/memberships/, if you think you might have it already, you can check it under https://texaschess.org/ -> Memberships -> Membership List
Eligibility: open to female players in grades K-12 from Region VI (see the list of counties included in region VI HERE).
RATING INFORMATION:
● October 2026 official USCF ratings will be used.
See tournament website linked above for information regarding byes, cancellation, and other policies.
Please email info@austin-chess.com for any additional questions or concerns.
Open Section at Paragon 9/19/26
Awards:
Full pairings and standings can be found at the registration link below (click on the blue “Live” text to get to them).
Full pairings and standings can be found at the registration link below (click on the “View live tournament dashboard” link to get to them).
Basics
This is a Swiss-system US Chess-rated tournament, so everyone plays all day—there is no “elimination.” Players must know how to play the game of chess! We follow US Chess 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.
Location
Paragon Prep
7944 Great Northern Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757
Eligibility
Open Section:
All adults – if you have a child in a scholastic section, include a note with their full name when registering.
Any youth who have reached at least 1200 monthly published rating as of September 2026 (exceptions made for live ratings).
Ineligible entries will be moved to the appropriate ‘under’ scholastic section of the Paragon 9/19/26 Scholastic Tournament.
This is a rated tournament. You must have a US Chess ID and your membership can be purchased/ renewed online with US Chess in advance of registration. You can verify your US Chess membership ID and expiration by visiting https://ratings.uschess.org. Anyone can become a US Chess member. Adults new to tournament chess are welcome to play in the open section. Youth players MUST have a ratings history. Your US Chess membership cannot expire before September 30, 2026.
Schedule
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!
9:15am Open sections begin. Open has 4 rounds of G/45,+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.
Approximate Round Times
Open:
rd 1 – 9:15am, rd 2 – 11:10am, rd 3 – 1:30pm, rd 4 – 3:30pm
Notes
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.
Food will be available for purchase. You may bring your own 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.).
Registration Information
*$40 (youth) /$30 (adult) through Thursday, 9/3/2026
*$50 (youth) /$40 (adult) through Saturday, 9/12/2026
*$55 (youth) /$45 (adult) as of Sunday, 9/13/2026 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 9/17/26
*$65 (youth) / $50 (adult) Last chance and onsite entry, if space available, after 5 pm Thursday through the tournament date. Open section first round play requires registration and payment before 8:45am Saturday.
Withdrawals requested via email before midnight on Wednesday 9/16/26 are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 service fee). No exceptions. No refunds for US Chess memberships after purchased from US Chess.
If you need byes (rounds when you won’t be available to play), please request when you register by adding a note. First bye receives 1/2-point. Further byes receive 0-points. Email us to make changes to your requested byes. Deadline to add/remove 1/2-point byes is before the start of round 2.
*Open section: Will be paired onsite. Round 1 changes must be made no later than 8:45am.
Email Sarah Brauner at AustinChessTournaments@gmail.com with other questions.
Organized by Rocks & Rooks (Gary Gaiffe)
View the ONLINE TLA
Paragon Scholastic 9/19/26
Awards:
Full pairings and standings can be found at the registration link below (click on the blue “Live” text to get to them).
Full pairings and standings can be found at the registration link below (click on the “View live tournament dashboard” link to get to them).
US Chess rated chess tournament on September 19th in multiple RATED scholastic sections: K-3 U400, K-5 U600, K-5 U1000, 6-12 U1000, and K-12 Elite (for players rated 950-1399. Please note: all scholastic players rated 1400 and over must play in the Open Section. At the event pairings will be posted online only.
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 US Chess rules including: touch-move, mandatory clocks if available, and notation. K-3 U400 section is excused from taking notation. Please review the Parent/Coach Responsibilities before registering
Location
Paragon Prep
7944 Great Northern Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757
Eligibility
This is a rated tournament. You must have a US Chess ID and your membership can be purchased/ renewed online with US Chess in advance of registration, or contact Dallas Chess Club at info@dallaschess.com at least a few days before the tournament for half-price junior memberships. You can check your US Chess membership ID and expiration by visiting https://ratings.uschess.org. Anyone can become a US Chess member. Players new to tournament chess are welcome to play. Your US Chess membership cannot expire before September 30, 2026. New players in 3rd grade and below may email us to request a non-member ID as a part of the Junior Tournament Player program. JTPs ok in K-3 U400 only.
“Under” sections are only for students meeting the rating criteria. All players who are new to tournaments are eligible for their age appropriate ‘under’ section. (Look up your player’s rating here. Please email the registrar or ask your chess coach for placement information.
If your 6th grader attends an Elementary School, please email us. With enough registrations, any section may be divided into two sections so we can offer more prizes. Sections with fewer than 20 entries may be merged into a similar section to provide optimal pairings and competition.
September 2026 ‘Regular’ OTB ratings will be used for section placement and pairing. If no regular rating is available, then other US Chess ratings (quick, blitz, online) can and will be considered for section placement. Requests to play down will not be honored. FYI: Any event that is rated after August 19th 2026 will not affect your September published rating, as those events take place after September ratings are calculated.
All players in this event must be in 12th grade or lower.
Schedule
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!
8:00am Chess Control opens for onsite registration. Onsite registrations before 9:30am accepted, but must start play in round 2.
8:30am Announcements begin in all scholastic playing rooms.
Players and coaches should be present.
9:00am Rd 1 begins. Scholastic sections have 5 rds, G/25,+5, except K-12 Elite which is 5 rounds G/35,+5.
9:00am Open section (different event allowing adults) begins. Open has 4 rounds, G/45,+5.
9:15am-5:00pm Chess control open for event issues. No changes for round 1 (bye or section) allowed after online registration closes. Requests for byes, withdrawals, and player or school information edits go in effect immediately if made via email before the close of online registration. Changes requested onsite go into effect as of round 2.
Approximate Round Times
All Scholastic Under Sections:
rd 1 – 9:00am, rd 2 – 11:00am, rd 3 – 12:45pm, rd 4 – 2:30pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm
K-12 Elite Section:
rd 1 – 9:00am, rd 2 – 10:40am, rd 3 – 12:40pm, rd 4 – 2:20pm, rd 5 – 4:00pm
Notes
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. Parents and/or coaches, please provide age-appropriate activities during the time between rounds. The organizers cannot baby-sit. No child should be left unattended!
Food will be offered for purchase. You may also bring lunch and snacks. Only water bottles allowed at the chess board.
Awards
Trophies & Medals to Top Contenders! Ribbons to all participants!
Trophies to the top individuals in each scholastic section. Trophies to the top teams in all sections. NOTE: A team refers to players in the same section from a particular school, not a club; in the School/Team field please provide the player’s school rather than their chess program. Number of individual and team trophies will depend on number of entries. Chess medals will go to all players (excluding Open section) that finish the tournament with a positive score (3.0 & 3.5 points). Trophies to players scoring 4.0 and above. No teams in Open section, but special trophies will be awarded to the highest scoring Family & Child teams (Uncles, Aunts, Siblings, Parents, Grandparents, or coach paired with at least one scholastic aged player.)
Registration Information
*$40 through Thursday, 9/3/2026
*$50 through Saturday, 9/12/2026
*$55 as of Sunday, 9/13/2026 and ENDS at 5pm on Thursday 9/17/26
*$65 Last chance and onsite entry, if space is available. If after 7:30am on 9/19, receives 1/2pt bye in round 1, and begins play in round 2.
Withdrawals requested via email before midnight on Wednesday, 9/16/2026 are eligible for a refund (minus a $10 service fee). No refunds for US Chess memberships after purchased from US Chess.
If you need byes (rounds when your player won’t be available to play), please request when you register by adding a note. First bye receives 1/2-point. Further byes receive 0-points. Email us to make changes to your requested byes. Deadline to add or remove a 1st round requested bye is 7:30am Saturday 9/19/2026. All other 1/2-point byes must be requested/removed before the end of round 2. After 9am Friday, please make all changes and requests onsite at Chess Control.
Email Sarah Brauner at austinchesstournaments@gmail.com with other questions.
Organized by Rocks & Rooks. Gary Gaiffe, tournament organizer.
View the ONLINE TLA