Salinas Valley Open

Salinas Valley Open

Sponsored and hosted by Salinas Valley Chess Club – Organized by Days & Knights of Monterey County

Saturday, July 20

Salinas Valley Community Church, 368 San Juan Grade Rd, Salinas CA

Player registration 9:15-10am

No eliminations. No withdrawals unless arranged at registration (1/2-point bye for unplayed game) or if requested at least 15 minutes before scheduled round.

Group portrait at 3:30pm.  Awards ceremony at 5:30pm.

3 sections: USCF-rated Champions, USCF-rated Challengers, and non-rated Club

Entrants to rated sections must be current members of USCF (join or renew at uschess.org)

Swiss-system pairings. Accelerated Swiss-system pairings if more than 8 players in section

Champions section limited to top 8 entrants

Games timed with 30 minutes per player, plus 30s increment added with each move. (G/30;+30)

Chess sets, clocks, and official scoresheets are provided

Players must record all moves of their games on official scoresheets or in their own scorebook

$10 entry fee (waived for Salinas Valley Chess Club members and K-12 students)

Additional donation toward Days & Knights of Monterey County chess outreach is gratefully accepted

Free parking

$350 guaranteed prize fund with cash award to 1st and 2nd in each section! 

Champions 100-70, Challengers 80-40, Club 40-20

Trophy to 1st place in each Section,  Medal to runners-up in each section

Trophy to All-Churches Champion (awarded to the top finisher representing his/her place of worship)

Playoff blitz match in the event of ties

For more information, or to subscribe to Play Chess Monterey! weekly email newsletter, contact

Joseph Rice, USCF Tournament Director, Click here to show mail address  831 524-4488

Upcoming tournaments 8/17, 9/14, 10/12, 11/16, 12/14.

Salinas Valley Chess Club meets Fridays 7-9pm at Salinas Valley Community Church, contact Abe 831 229-5772