BayAreaChess REAL-FIDE 2025 July Championship

Take your game to the next level with BayAreaChess REAL-FIDE tournaments—tailored for players seeking FIDE ratings and serious competition! Whether you're chasing norms or climbing the international ladder, the BayAreaChess REAL-FIDE offers a professional chess environement, perfect for ambitious scholastic and adult players alike.

Register here

• You must log in or sign up before you can register.
• Online registration closes at 12:00 a.m. the day of the tournament.
• Onsite registration is subject to availability (additional fee incurred).
• Late fees ($30) applied on July 10 or when reaching capacity.

Schedule:

• 2 schedules available (More Info)
  • 3-day option:
    • Rounds: 6
    • Time Control: 6x G/90 +30
    • Round Times:
      ‣ Fri, 7/11 - 6:30 p.m.     @ BayAreaChess Inc., 2050 Concourse Dr. #42, San Jose, CA 95131
      ‣ Sat, 7/12 - 9:30 a.m., 1:50 p.m., 6:10 p.m.
      ‣ Sun, 7/13 - 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.
  • 2-day option:
    • Rounds: 6
    • Time Controls: 2x G/55 d5, 4x G/90 +30
    • Round Times:
      ‣ Sat, 7/12 - 9:00 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1:50 p.m., 6:10 p.m.
      ‣ Sun, 7/13 - 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.
  • Friday round is at BayAreaChess Inc., Saturday and Sunday rounds are at Courtyard San Jose Cupertino.
  • ½-point byes are available for any round (Max byes: 3; byes must be requested at least 30 min before that round's start except last round byes; last round bye must be requested latest before Round 3)
  • 0-point byes are available for any round (player must play at least half the rounds to be eligible for prizes)
• Open Blitz:
  • Time Control: G/3 d2
  • Round Times:
    • Sun, 7/13 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Rolling schedule)
      (Mandatory check-in by 6:15 p.m.)

Sections:

• REAL-FIDE:
  • Players will be placed into sections based on published USChess rating supplement.
  • A player may pay to play up one higher section, double play up is NOT allowed.
  • Players must be within 300 points of the rating cutoff to play up, and within 200 points in highest section.
    (Note: The rating used to determine if a player may play up is their published USChess rating)
• Open Blitz:
  • Players will be placed into groups of 6 based on published USChess rating supplement.
    (Note: If the number of players is indivisible by 6, a group can have up to 11 players)

Prizes:

• REAL-FIDE:
  • Prize Fund: $4,000 Guaranteed (More Info)
  • Regular entry winners get full prize, Econ entry winners get 50% prize.
  • Unrated winners: Max $200 (except in the top section)
  • A player who withdraws during the tournament is not eligible for prize money.
  • Prizes will be paid out by check (mail), PayPal or Zelle.
• Open Blitz:
  • For every group, the top overall player earns $60; the top player in the bottom half earns $40.

Fees:

• Regular entry: $132
• Econ entry: $99
• Play up fee: +$28
• Blitz only: $33
• Discount for BayAreaChess Membership Subscribers (More Info)
• Onsite fee: +$33 (membership discounts are not redeemable onsite)

Other requirements:

• USCF membership must be active.