2024 East Bay Open

$2,000 in guaranteed cash prizes plus trophies. Free entry for GMs, IMs and other titled players. Five sections suitable for world-class players to novices.

The 2024 East Bay Open is a revival, a partnership between Emerald Hills Chess, Fallon Chess Club, Tri-Valley Chess League and the Contra Costa Chess Club, and a championship fit for the most-populous (2.8 mln residents) region of the SF Bay Area.

Date: Saturday Sept 7th, 2024

Location: Fallon Middle School, 3601 Kohnen Way, Dublin

Sections (all USCF-rated except Novices)

Open

4-Round Swiss open to all ages

Time control: G/40; d5 (Game in 40 minutes with 5 second delay)

Rating range: 1500+ (based on Sept. 2024 supplement); 1300-1499 players can play up for an additional $20 fee.

Entry fee: $50 by Sunday Sept. 1st, $60 afterward. 

Free entry for USCF and FIDE titled players (including GMs, WGMs, IMs, WIMs, FMs, WFMs and NMs). Must register by Friday Aug 30 for free entry (Under Payment: Entry Type, choose [$0] - Open (free entry for titled players). $10 fee if registering after August 30th. Waived entry fee will be deducted from any prizes won. Monetary prizes will be awarded within two weeks of the tournament’s finish via check.

Prize fund ($1,500, money shared evenly in case of ties): 1st - $500, 2nd - $300, 3rd - $200; 1st U1600 - $300; 2nd U1600 - $200   

Experts (U1500) and Premier (U1000)

5-round Rated Swisses open to all ages

Time control: G/30; d5

Rating range: Under 1500 according to Sept. 2024 supplement

Entry fee: $30 before Sunday Sept. 1, $40 afterward (current US Chess Federation membership required)

Trophies: Top 5 in each section, Top 2 U1200 and U700, and all other players scoring 3.5 or more

Cash prizes ($500 total): 1st Place - $150/$100, 2nd - $100/$50, 1st U1200/U700 - $50 (shared evenly in case of ties) 

Junior Challenger

5-round Rated Swiss open to K-12 only

Time control: G/25; d5

Rating range: USCF Under 500/unrated

Entry fee: $20 before Sunday Sept 1st, $25 afterward (current $20 US Chess Federation junior membership required)

Trophies: Top 5, Top 2 U300, and all other players scoring 3.5 or more

Junior Novices

5-round Non-Rated Round-Robin open to K-12 only

Time control: G/15; d3

Rating range: Unrated first-time tournament players only (NO US Chess Federation membership required)

Entry fee: $10 before Sunday Sept. 1st, $15 afterward

Trophies: Top 2 in each round-robin group, plus any other players scoring 3.5 or more

Team Championship

Open to all teams (min 2) of any age from the same club or school

Team score is calculated based on the top 4 individual scorers overall, weighted higher for players in higher sections:

Trophies: Top 5 teams, Top elementary school team