2026 Utah Open
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9:00 AM – Sunday, October 18, 2026, 5:00 PM
University of Utah Warnock Engineering Building, Salt Lake City
Entry fee: $30
Register
until October 16th at 10 pm
2026 Utah Open Chess Championship
Saturday, October 17th, 2026 (Four Sections; Annual Meeting)Sunday, October 18th, 2026 (Open Section only)
University of Utah – Warnock Engineering Building (WEB)72 South Central Campus DriveSalt Lake City, UT 84112
Four Sections.
Thanks to a donation by Silman-James Press we will offer a couple books as prizes. Details to be announced.
OPEN SECTION
5 Rounds: Saturday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 5:30 pm, Sunday 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. Time Control: G/75 +30 (increment 30). Titles and Trophies: Trophy and title of 2026 Utah Open Champion to top Utah resident; trophy and title of 2026 Utah Women’s Champion to top female Utah resident. Cash Prizes: $200-100-75, Class A (1800 – 1999): $75-50, U1800: $75-50, Top Female: $100.
U1700 SECTION
4 Rounds: Saturday at 9:30 am, (then lunch) 12:45 pm, 3:15 pm, and 5:45 pm. Time Control: G/60 +10 (increment 10). Prizes: $150-100-75, (1300 – 1499): $75-50, (U1300): $75-50.
U1200 SECTION
4 Rounds: Saturday at 9:30 am, 11:30 am, (then lunch) 2:15 pm, 4:15 pm.Time Control: G/45 +5 (increment 5). Prizes: $125 -100- 75, Class F (800 – 999): $75-50, U800: $50.
U800 SECTION
4 Rounds: Saturday at 9:30 am, 10:45 am, 12:00 pm, and 1:15 pm. Time Control: G/30 d/5. Prizes: $100 -75- 60, Class H (400 – 599): $75-50, U400: $75.
Registration: Online: via link at www.utahchess.com. Onsite: Saturday 8:30 to 9 am. Players should not expect to be able to register during the annual meeting.
Entry Fees: All Sections: $30 if registered and paid by Friday, October 16th at 10 pm (online; use link at www.utahchess.com), $40 late/onsite. GM/IM/FM/WGM free (EF withheld from prize).
An additional surcharge of $60 for the Open section unless rated 1400 or above.
Annual Meeting: Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
Utah Chess Association Annual Membership Meeting: The annual meeting will be held on Saturday, October 17, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting is expected to take less than 30 minutes. We will be electing directors to the seven-member Board of Directors and conducting such other business as may properly come before the meeting. If you have a proposed by-law amendment, please submit it in a timely fashion to the UCA via email to utchess@gmail.com.
Additional Tournament Notes
Utah Closed Qualifier: Anyone scoring* 3.5 or better in the Open Section qualifies to participate in the 2026 Utah Chess State Championship (Utah Closed), currently scheduled to be held November 20-22, 2026. *Byes requested by the player do not count towards the 3.5 points.
Byes: Half-point byes – Up to two (2) half-point byes may be taken but must be requested prior to pairing of Rd 2. Last round bye requests are irrevocable. (See US Chess Federation Rule 22C.)
Prizes: Top three prizes in each section are 100% guaranteed, other prizes are b/25 paid entries per section but are 60% guaranteed. Standard tie-breaks (per US Chess Federation Rule 34E) will be used to break ties for trophies. Non-residents of Utah may compete hors concours with full eligibility for cash prizes. Title of Utah Open Champion/Women’s Champion and trophies will be awarded to the highest-placed eligible Utah resident. Utah residency shall be determined as defined in the resolution of the UCA Board of Directors (available upon request).
Unrated players: May enter any section, but may not win more than $75 in U1700 Section or $50 in the U1200 Section, balance goes to the next player(s) in line.
Schedule: At the TD’s discretion, rounds may be paired as soon as possible after the previous round has finished, and if both players agree, games in those rounds may start before the scheduled round time, i.e., if your opponent agrees, you may start your game as soon as the pairings have been posted even though it may be before the official round time. Otherwise, you must wait until the round times noted above.
Players are responsible for supplying equipment (pieces, board and clock) and for knowing how to set clocks. (US Chess Federation Rule 16B)
Questions? Send an email to utchess@gmail.com.
until October 16th at 10 pm
2026 Utah Open Chess Championship
Saturday, October 17th, 2026 (Four Sections; Annual Meeting)Sunday, October 18th, 2026 (Open Section only)
University of Utah – Warnock Engineering Building (WEB)72 South Central Campus DriveSalt Lake City, UT 84112
Four Sections.
Thanks to a donation by Silman-James Press we will offer a couple books as prizes. Details to be announced.
OPEN SECTION
5 Rounds: Saturday 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 5:30 pm, Sunday 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. Time Control: G/75 +30 (increment 30). Titles and Trophies: Trophy and title of 2026 Utah Open Champion to top Utah resident; trophy and title of 2026 Utah Women’s Champion to top female Utah resident. Cash Prizes: $200-100-75, Class A (1800 – 1999): $75-50, U1800: $75-50, Top Female: $100.
U1700 SECTION
4 Rounds: Saturday at 9:30 am, (then lunch) 12:45 pm, 3:15 pm, and 5:45 pm. Time Control: G/60 +10 (increment 10). Prizes: $150-100-75, (1300 – 1499): $75-50, (U1300): $75-50.
U1200 SECTION
4 Rounds: Saturday at 9:30 am, 11:30 am, (then lunch) 2:15 pm, 4:15 pm.Time Control: G/45 +5 (increment 5). Prizes: $125 -100- 75, Class F (800 – 999): $75-50, U800: $50.
U800 SECTION
4 Rounds: Saturday at 9:30 am, 10:45 am, 12:00 pm, and 1:15 pm. Time Control: G/30 d/5. Prizes: $100 -75- 60, Class H (400 – 599): $75-50, U400: $75.
Registration: Online: via link at www.utahchess.com. Onsite: Saturday 8:30 to 9 am. Players should not expect to be able to register during the annual meeting.
Entry Fees: All Sections: $30 if registered and paid by Friday, October 16th at 10 pm (online; use link at www.utahchess.com), $40 late/onsite. GM/IM/FM/WGM free (EF withheld from prize).
An additional surcharge of $60 for the Open section unless rated 1400 or above.
Annual Meeting: Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
Utah Chess Association Annual Membership Meeting: The annual meeting will be held on Saturday, October 17, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting is expected to take less than 30 minutes. We will be electing directors to the seven-member Board of Directors and conducting such other business as may properly come before the meeting. If you have a proposed by-law amendment, please submit it in a timely fashion to the UCA via email to utchess@gmail.com.
Additional Tournament Notes
Utah Closed Qualifier: Anyone scoring* 3.5 or better in the Open Section qualifies to participate in the 2026 Utah Chess State Championship (Utah Closed), currently scheduled to be held November 20-22, 2026. *Byes requested by the player do not count towards the 3.5 points.
Byes: Half-point byes – Up to two (2) half-point byes may be taken but must be requested prior to pairing of Rd 2. Last round bye requests are irrevocable. (See US Chess Federation Rule 22C.)
Prizes: Top three prizes in each section are 100% guaranteed, other prizes are b/25 paid entries per section but are 60% guaranteed. Standard tie-breaks (per US Chess Federation Rule 34E) will be used to break ties for trophies. Non-residents of Utah may compete hors concours with full eligibility for cash prizes. Title of Utah Open Champion/Women’s Champion and trophies will be awarded to the highest-placed eligible Utah resident. Utah residency shall be determined as defined in the resolution of the UCA Board of Directors (available upon request).
Unrated players: May enter any section, but may not win more than $75 in U1700 Section or $50 in the U1200 Section, balance goes to the next player(s) in line.
Schedule: At the TD’s discretion, rounds may be paired as soon as possible after the previous round has finished, and if both players agree, games in those rounds may start before the scheduled round time, i.e., if your opponent agrees, you may start your game as soon as the pairings have been posted even though it may be before the official round time. Otherwise, you must wait until the round times noted above.
Players are responsible for supplying equipment (pieces, board and clock) and for knowing how to set clocks. (US Chess Federation Rule 16B)
Questions? Send an email to utchess@gmail.com.