The 61st American Open Chess Championship will take place from 24–29 November 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, California.
One of the established events on the American chess calendar, the Thanksgiving-week tournament will feature six playing sections, a guaranteed prize fund of $40,000 and 150 Enhanced US Chess Grand Prix points.
This year’s edition coincides with the US Masters in Charlotte, North Carolina, creating two major chess destinations for players across the country during Thanksgiving weekend. Despite the scheduling clash, both tournaments are expecting huge turnouts, reflecting the demand for competitive chess events in the United States.
The American Open will feature six sections: Championship, Expert, Section A, Section B, Section C and Under 1400, allowing players of different rating levels to compete.
The Championship Section will be played over nine classical rounds, while the remaining sections will feature eight rounds, with participants able to choose between four-day and three-day schedules.
The Championship Section will use a time control of 90 minutes for the game, with a 30-second increment per move. It will also offer opportunities for FIDE title norms, provided players meet the applicable requirements. The Championship, Expert and Section A sections will be FIDE-rated under the published conditions, while all six sections will receive US Chess ratings.
The guaranteed $40,000 prize fund will be distributed across the six sections. In the Championship Section, the winner will receive $3,500, with $1,500 for second place and $800 for third. Additional prizes will be awarded for fourth through sixth place, as well as rating-category awards for players rated below 2450 and 2300.
Beyond the main competition, the American Open program will run from 23–29 November and include a range of additional chess activities. These will feature a chess camp, scholastic tournaments, a Grandmaster simultaneous exhibition, lectures, Blitz and Action chess events, creating opportunities for players and families to participate throughout the week.
Currently top rated players are GM Ehsan Ghaemmaghami 2551 Iran, GM Batchuluun Tsegmed 2508 Mongolia, GM Melik Khachiyan 2450 USA, GM Richard Bitoon 2371 Philippines, GM Enrico Sevillano 2366 USA, GM Jim Tarjan 2313 USA etc
Further information about registration, schedules and tournament conditions is available at americanopen.org.
