The Wisconsin chess community is gearing up for a milestone event as the 49th Annual Green Bay Open takes center stage from June 27 to June 28, 2026. Held at the Oneida Casino Hotel, this long-running tournament is officially designated as a featured stop on the 2026 Wisconsin Chess Tour, attracting both seasoned veterans and rising local talents.
The tournament is structured into two distinct divisions to accommodate all skill levels, offering a fully guaranteed $3,200 prize fund:
- The Open Section: Available to all competitors, including unrated players. The champion will walk away with a $600 top prize and the championship trophy, with additional cash payouts for second place ($350), Experts ($245), and specialized rating class prizes for the 1900s down through the 1600s.
- The Reserve Section: Restricted to players rated 1599 and below (unrated players welcome). The winner of this group will secure $350 plus a trophy, with a deep tier of class prizes down to the under-800 and unrated categories.
The event will be contested over a short 5-round Swiss system format. Players will compete under standard classical time controls of 90 minutes for the entire game, with a 30-second increment added from move one.
The playing schedule is identical for both sections:
- Saturday, June 27: Round 1 at 10:00 AM, Round 2 at 2:30 PM, and Round 3 at 7:30 PM.
- Sunday, June 28: Round 4 at 10:00 AM and the final Round 5 at 3:00 PM.
To offer players greater strategic flexibility, a single half-point bye is available for rounds 1, 2, or 3, provided it is requested alongside the initial tournament entry.
The entry fees are tiered based on timing and rating. For the Open Section, the standard entry is $65, or $75 for players rated 1599 and below or unrated. For the Reserve Section, early registration is set at $50. All entries received after the June 24 deadline will incur an additional $10 late fee.
Organized by Luke Ludwig, players can register in advance by mail or online via King Registration. Complete accommodation rates, pairing updates, and full event guidelines can be accessed through the official website at greenbaychess.net.
