Event Date: August 3, 2026
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
The 2025 Weeramantry Blitz Co-Champions: IM Liam Putnam of New York and (not pictured) Nehanraj Ramesh of Iowa. (Photo by David Llada)
Weeramantry Information & Rules
Revised February 21, 2026
The FM Sunil Weeramantry National Blitz Tournament of State Champions is an annual invitational tournament run by US Chess that has determined the Weeramantry National Champion since 2020. The 2025 co-champions were IM Liam Henry Putnam (2562, NY) and Nehanraj Ramesh (2100, IA).
This tournament is open only to players in the 6 invitational national championships held concurrently with the U.S. Open:
- John T. Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions
- GM Arnold Denker National Tournament of High School State Champions
- WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions
- Dewain Barber National Tournament of Middle School State Champions
- John D. Rockefeller III National Tournament of Elementary School State Champions
- GM Maurice Ashley National Tournament of K-3 State Champions
Those invitational players are welcome to register for the free, optional Weeramantry blitz tournament by filling out an online form, the link to which will be emailed to them.
Registration Deadline: 7 days before the tournament. No onsite signups.
5 sections:
- Championship: 2100+
- 1800-2099
- 1500-1799
- 1200-1499
- Under 1200
Prizes: $4,000 ($800 per section; 5 sections). Gift Certificates for the U.S. Open Chess Store.
- 1st $240
- 2nd $200
- 3rd $160
- 4th $120
- 5th $80
If multiple players were to finish with a tied score for 1 of these financial prizes, then it would go to the highest finisher based on tiebreaks (1. Modified Median, 2. Solkoff, 3. Cumulative, and 4. Cumulative of Opposition); there would not be a playoff.
Gift certificates may be redeemed only onsite with the U.S. Open Chess Store vendor. The Weeramantry certificates will be given out at the start of the Invitationals’ opening ceremony.
Rounds: 4DSS: 4 round Double Swiss (2 games per round, alternating colors) with Swiss-system pairings.
Time Control: G3 +2: 3-minutes base time with a 2-second increment added after each move.
Event Date, Time, etc.: Monday, August 3, 2026, 10 AM - 1 PM—before the invitationals’ required check-in, opening ceremony, and group photos in the afternoon and Round 1 in the evening. Optional. No entry fee. Section eligibility and pairings determined strictly by US Chess Regular rating for the month of the start date of the tournament—no playing up. US Chess will provide boards and pieces—but not clocks. Players must bring a chess clock that supports time increment and know how to set it (consult YouTube). If neither player brings a clock to the board, then both players will forfeit the round. The tournament follows US Chess rules and is US-Chess-blitz-rated. US Chess National Scholastic Chess Tournament Regulations do not apply. 9:45 AM: announcements & review rules.
INFORMATION FOR ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS
Consistent with the Guidelines for Accessible Chess Events, send requests for reasonable accommodations during the tournament to Click here to show email address 2-3 weeks before the tournament. Requests for accommodations made on site will be handled to the best of our ability.
Sponsors
QUESTIONS?
Contact the Chair of the US Chess National State Invitationals Committee, Mike Nietman, at Click here to show email address or 608.467.8510 (landline; no texting) by Saturday, August 2. Otherwise, email Click here to show email address.
If a tournament-related situation arises that is not covered by the text above, then it will be resolved by the Chair of the US Chess National State Invitationals Committee.