BayAreaChess REAL-FIDE 2026 October 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 environment, perfect for ambitious scholastic and adult players alike.

Register here

• GMs and IMs register free!
• Online registration closes at 12:00 a.m. the day of the tournament, or when maximum capacity is reached.
• Onsite registration is subject to availability (additional $44 fee incurred).
• Late fee ($30) applied on Oct. 1 or when reaching capacity.

Schedule

• 2 schedules available (More info)
  • 3-day option:
    • Rounds: 6
    • Time Control: 6x G/90 +30
    • Round Times:
      ‣ Fri, Oct. 2 - 6:30 p.m.
      ‣ Sat, Oct. 3 - 9:30 a.m., 1:50 p.m., 6:10 p.m.
      ‣ Sun, Oct. 4 - 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, Oct. 3 - 9:00 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1:50 p.m., 6:10 p.m.
      ‣ Sun, Oct. 4 - 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.
• 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)

Sections

• Players will be placed into one of the three USCF- and FIDE-rated sections based on October 2026 Published Supplement rating:
  • 2000+
  • 1600-1999
  • u1600
• 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 October 2026 Published Supplement rating.)

Prizes

• Prize Fund: $6,000 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.
• GMs and IMs entry fee will be deducted from prizes.

Fees

• 3-day option:
  • Regular entry: $155
  • Econ entry: $116
• 2-day option:
  • Regular entry: $144
  • Econ entry: $108
• Play up fee: +$28
• Discount for BayAreaChess Membership Subscribers (More info)
• Onsite fee: +$44 (membership discounts are not redeemable onsite)

Withdrawals

• Withdrawals are eligible for a partial refund, subject to a 7% processing fee.
• Only withdrawals made before the tournament day are eligible for refund.

Change requests

• After registration, changes can be requested at bayareachess.com/changeform and are subject to the following fees:
  • until Sep. 30, $7 change fee.
  • from Oct. 1, $15 change fee.
• The following requests are exempt from the change fee:
  • playing up to a higher section.
  • requesting byes.

Other requirements

• USCF membership must be active.

More information available here.