🌺 Rochester Chess Festival 🎪
July 10-12, 2026 🗓️
7pm Fri, July 10
3 Events! 🤹♀️
Tournament Director 🎬️
Sarah Wahl
MSCA & Rochester Chess are partnering to produce this Chess Festival. 🍿
♟️ Rochester Open (open to all players) & Midwest Women & Girls Championship run concurrently at venue.
🏁 Rochester Open and Midwest Women & Girls tournaments are part of the 2026 MSCA Summer Grand Prix series!
📽️ Projected Prizes!
Rochester Open: $5,400 💰️
(based on 150 players)
Midwest Women & Girls: $1,650 💰️
(based on 30 players)
Parking 🗺️
Parking is free in the Civic Center ramp, 100 1st Ave SE, 5pm-2:30am Friday and all day Saturday/Sunday until 2:30am. (No overnight parking.) Cross the skyway on the second level to enter the Civic Center.
Lodging 🏨
Many great hotel options in Rochester! 🔗 See our partner hotels and be sure to register via this page to receive event rates.
See also: dedicated W&G flyer ✈️
Tandem Simultaneous Chess Exhibition
7pm Friday, July 10 🗓️
♟️ Featuring Minnesota International Masters John Bartholomew and Sean Nagle.
♟️ Limited to 40 players. FREE for tournament participants thanks to MSCA sponsorship! 🎉
♟️ $10 for others, paid onsite. 🎟️
♟️ Chess sets will be provided. (Clocks not needed.)
📌 Rochester Open & Women and Girls
July 11-12 🗓️
5 Round Swiss
US Chess rated (USCF membership required; see below to learn more)
Rochester Open
🟠 Premier 🟣 U1900 🔵 U1500 🟢 U1100 🔴 U700
Women & Girls
🟠 Premier 🟢 U1100 🔴 U700
Time Control
G/60 +30s increment per move
Byes
max two ½ pt byes, any rounds, declared before round 3
Rounds
Saturday 10am • 2pm • 6pm 🕕️
Sunday 10am • 2pm 🕙️
⏱️ Forfeit time is 30 minutes after round start time
🟥 Chess boards, pieces, and clocks will be provided.
🖊️ Register online by Fri 7/10 7pm 🕖️
🖊️ Register onsite Sat 7/11 8:30 - 9:30am 🕗️
💵 Cash/check only onsite! 💵
🥷 Free entry for Masters if registered by June 25. All Masters, including those whose current rating is < 2200, can register by sending an email to Sarah Wahl semmons2848@gmail.com with your USCF ID and noting any bye requests.
📬️ Mail-in entries, received by Tues 6/30:
Rochester Chess, c/o Dennis Mays
2202 Ponderosa Drive SW
Rochester MN 55902
Send check made payable to Rochester Chess. Please include the section you want to play in and any bye requests. Please email dennismays101@gmail.com to let us know a check is coming. 📧
Projected Prizes 💵 Rochester Open
🟠 Premier
1st $1000 2nd $650
Top U2100 $250
🟣 U1900
1st $600 2nd $400
Top U1600 $200
🔵 U1500
1st $500 2nd $250
Top U1300 $150
🟢 U1100
1st $400 2nd $250
Top U800 $150
🔴 U700
1st $250 2nd $150
Top U500 $100 UNR $100
($5,400 based on 30 players per section x 5 sections = 150 players)
Unrated players can only win unrated prize in 🔴 U700 section or 1st/2nd place overall in the 🟠 Premier section.
Projected Prizes 💵 Midwest Women & Girls
🟠 Premier
1st $750 2nd $500
Top U1500 $100
🟢 U1100
1st $150 2nd $100
Top U800 $50
🔴 U700
Trophies for Top 10 finishers 🏆️
🏆 Premier winner will be crowned the 2026 Midwest Women and Girls Champion and receive the championship trophy! 🌹
($1,650 incash prizes based on 10 players per section x 3 sections = 30 players)
Unrated players can only win a trophy in 🔴 U700 section or 1st/2nd place overall in the 🟠 Premier section.
W&G sections with less than 6 entries may be combined; 50% of published projected prizes guaranteed under US Chess guidelines; players are only eligible for 1 cash prize.
Additional Details
🏛️ MSCA Policies Adopted for this Rochester Chess Event
Rochester Chess is proud to partner with the Minnesota State Chess Association (MSCA) as an official affiliate. As part of this partnership, Rochester Chess will fully adopt and enforce all MSCA policies for this tournament detailed below.
🏞️ The MSCA strives to have all of our facilities and events available to as many community members as possible. We will attempt to accommodate access requests to the best of our abilities. Please let us know how we can help improve your chess experience!
⚖️ The MSCA Electronic Device and Fair Play Policy will be enforced for players and spectators at this tournament.
🧮 Please see the MSCA Unrated Policy to learn how rating may be determined from USCF live/online or FIDE ratings.
🚨 Published unrated players who possess FIDE ratings MUST disclose their FIDE rating. See the MSCA Unrated Policy.
🏁 This tournament is part of the MSCA’s Summer Grand Prix Series. The winners of this multi-event points race will claim $2,500 in guaranteed prize money and 4 State Championship Playoff Qualification spots! 🏆️ (2026 Grand Prix details TBD.)
🛡️ The MSCA recognizes the importance of a safe and hospitable environment at our chess events. To promote this type of environment, the MSCA has developed a Policy on Safe Play & Conduct. The MSCA also follows US Chess guidelines for training TDs with materials developed by the US Center for SafeSport. To support a safe and hospitable environment, the MSCA reminds all chess participants and attendees that they are responsible for their actions, and that parents/guardians of minors are responsible at all times for the welfare and safety of their children/dependents.
🎟️ You can pay for a new US Chess membership or renewal during registration, or sign up directly with US Chess today. There are options for new members (get a new USCF ID and pay) and for existing members (already have an ID) to create a website login. If you already have a login/ID, you can use it to pay for a renewal. There may be a delay of days for registration membership payments to be applied.
