Event Overview
$2,000 in guaranteed cash prizes. 60+ individual trophies and 15 K-12 school/club team trophies. Free entry for GMs and other titled players as well as coaches. Five sections suitable for world-class players to novices.
Emerald Hills Chess, Tri-Valley Chess League, and the Emerald Knights Chess Club present the fifth East Bay Open 2026 and Youth Team Championship.
Our last three East Bay Opens have drawn 233, 210, and 235 players. GM Enrico Sevillano will be back to defend his title for the 5th straight time.
Free on-site 1:1 game analysis by titled player or nationally-ranked junior - bring your clean notation.
Up to 2 half-point byes available (requested by round 3)
When: Sat Oct 17 2026, 9-3 PM; awards ceremony start after 3 PM (on-site registration before 8:45 AM ok, 1st-round pairing not guaranteed)
Location: Pleasanton Middle School MPR, 5001 Case Ave., Pleasanton (see map)
Sections (all USCF-rated except Novices)
Championship (1500+) Swiss (4 rounds, all ages)
Time control: G/35; d5 (Game in 35 minutes with 5 second delay)
Round times: 9 AM, 10:30 AM, Noon, 1:30 PM
Rating range: 1500+ (published rating as of Oct. 2026 supplement; live rating ok upon request; unrateds with FIDE or foreign rating will be assigned an estimated rating based on USCF's standard conversion formula); play-up ok with fee
Free entry for USCF and FIDE titled players (including GMs, WGMs, IMs, WIMs, FMs, WFMs and NMs) as well as Coaches bringing players.
Prize fund: ($1,500, money shared evenly in case of ties): 1st - $500, 2nd - $300, 3rd - $200; 1st U1600 - $300; 2nd U1600 - $200
Experts (1000-1500) Swiss (5 rounds, all ages)
Time control: G/25; d5
Round times: 9 AM, 10:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:45 PM, 2 PM
Rating range: USCF 1000-1500 according to official Oct. 2026 supplement (live rating ok; play-up for 900+ only; FIDE equivalent ok)
Cash prizes ($300 total): 1st Place - $150, 2nd - $100, 1st U1200 - $50 (shared evenly in case of ties)
Trophies: Top 10, Top 5 U1200, and all other players scoring 3.5 or more
Premier (Under 1000/unrated) Swiss (5 rounds, all ages)
Time control: G/25; d5
Cash prizes ($200): 1st Place - $100 2nd $50 Top U700 $50 (shared in case of ties)
Trophies: Top 10, Top 5 U700, and all other players scoring 3.5 or more
Junior Challenger (U500/unrated) Swiss (5 rounds, K-12 only)
Time control: G/25; d5
Trophies: Top 8, Top 3 U300, and all other players scoring 3.5 or more
Non-rated Junior Novices Swiss (5 rounds, K-12 only, no USCF membership required)
Time control: Game in 15 minutes with 3 second delay (G/15; d3)
Open to: 1) unrated, 2) have provisional (under 25 games) USCF rating under 300; 3) have not won a Top 3 trophy in a prior Novices tournament.
Trophies: Top 5, Top 3 K-2, and all other players scoring 3 or more (awards held at 1 PM)
Youth Team Championship
Open to all teams (min 2 players) from the same youth club or K-12 school. Awards include:
Top 8 Teams - based on the top 4 individual scorers overall, weighted higher for players in higher sections.
Top 4 Junior Varsity teams - Challenger and Premier sections only; players may count towards both Top 8 AND Top 3 JV; no weighting used
Top 3 Novice teams
Organizers
Emerald Hills Chess is a 501c3 local non-profit serving 300+ kids in 15 locations around the Tri-Valley. Learn more and register for our fall tournament training classes and after-school chess clubs!
The Tri-Valley Chess League is a student-led non-profit that holds tournaments and classes.
The Emerald Knights Chess Club is a student-led group that holds tournaments and classes.
5301 Case Avenue
Pleasanton, CA 94566
United States