46th Annual Lina Grumette Memorial Day Classic takes place on May 23-25, 2026 at the Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX Hotel in Los Angeles, California, USA.

This is a chess tournament in Los Angeles, California, in 2026. It is one of the established Memorial Day weekend events in Southern California and offers a FIDE-rated Open section alongside five additional class sections.

Players can choose between a full 3-day schedule and a faster 2-day schedule that merges into the main event on Sunday. Therefore, the format works well for both local competitors and visiting players.

The airport hotel setting also makes the event practical for travel, while the six-section structure gives strong masters, class players, and improving club players clear options. As a result, the tournament remains a serious and accessible over-the-board chess event in Los Angeles.

🏁 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament uses a 6-round Swiss format. The 3-day schedule follows a classical time control of 40 moves in 80 minutes, then sudden death in 30 minutes, with a 30-second increment from move one.

Meanwhile, the 2-day schedule uses G/45 with a 10-second delay for the first three rounds. After that, those players merge into the main event on Sunday afternoon. The Open section is FIDE rated, so it also appeals to players who want international rating activity.

💰 Prize Fund

The published prize fund is USD 20,000 based on entries.

Unrated players may enter any section, but prize limits apply: USD 100 in U1200, USD 200 in U1400, USD 300 in U1600, USD 300 in U1800, and USD 400 in U2000. In addition, provisionally rated players may win up to 50% of a prize outside the Open section.

♟️ Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

👤 Organizer

Southern California Chess Federation organizes this long-running Memorial Day weekend tournament as part of its established Southern California calendar. The federation regularly runs major open events and championship-level competitions, so players can expect a structured and experienced event team.

Phone: +1 858 432 8006
Email: chucnglo@aol.com

📍 Venue

Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX Hotel, 5985 W. Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA

The playing venue gives the tournament a practical airport-area location for a holiday weekend event. In addition, the published chess hotel rate is USD 149, and the organizer lists parking at USD 16 per day or USD 26 with in/out privileges.

🚗 How to Get There

The hotel sits near Los Angeles International Airport, so it is convenient for players arriving by air. It is also easy to reach by car from the Century Boulevard airport corridor. Because Memorial Day weekend can be busy, arriving early is a smart choice for check-in and round preparation.

It is a strong option for players who want a serious Memorial Day weekend chess tournament in Los Angeles with broad section coverage and a deep prize structure.