Over Presidents Day weekend, the 17th annual Southwest Class Championships return to the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel from Thursday, February 12 to Monday, February 16, 2026 in Irving, Texas, USA. You play in a major American Classic that awards 200 enhanced US Chess Grand Prix points and serves as a US Chess Junior Grand Prix and National Championship event. The tournament uses the spacious ballroom space at the airport hotel, where you enjoy free parking, a free airport shuttle, and a professional playing environment just minutes from Dallas–Fort Worth air connections.

You choose from seven rating-based sections ranging from Master to Class E and pick a 5-day, 4-day or 3-day schedule that fits your calendar. The top three sections play FIDE-rated classical chess, the Master section offers norm chances for GMs and IMs, and the entire event features a fully guaranteed $35,000 prize fund plus Mixed Doubles team prizes. Continental Chess uses official February US Chess ratings, online regular ratings for unrated players and foreign ratings where applicable, so every class player finds an appropriate, competitive section.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

Organizers guarantee a total prize fund of $35,000 and publish detailed prizes for each section, plus special incentives for foreign titled players and Mixed Doubles teams. All prizes are guaranteed regardless of turnout, and prizes not claimed on site usually go out later by PayPal.

Master (USCF 2100+ or FIDE 2000+, FIDE rated, norms possible):

Expert (1900–2199, FIDE rated):

Class -A (1700–1999 or unrated, FIDE rated):

Class-B (1500–1799 or unrated):

Class-C (1300–1599 or unrated):

Class-D (Under 1400 or unrated):

Class-E (Under 1200 or unrated):

Unrated players may enter Class A through Class E, but they must respect maximum prize limits of $500 in Class A, $400 in Class B, $300 in Class C, $200 in Class D and $100 in Class E.

Mixed Doubles team prizes (across all sections and schedules, rounds 1–7):

Mixed Doubles teams consist of one male and one female player with an average rating under 2200; teammates may play in different sections and schedules, must register the team before both start round 2 and may form only one Mixed Doubles team per player. Prize limits for individual section prizes do not restrict Mixed Doubles awards.

Minimum prizes in the Master section reward foreign GMs with at least $800 and foreign IMs/WGMs with at least $400, provided they enter online by February 1 and play all nine games without taking byes.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

• Master 5-day schedule (Feb 12–16): you play a 9-round Swiss with FIDE ratings used. Each game uses 40 moves in 80 minutes, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second delay from move 1 (40/80, SD/30; d30). GM and IM norms are possible in this section.

• Expert–Class E 4-day schedule (Feb 13–16): you play a 7-round Swiss with the same classical time control of 40/80, SD/30 with 30-second delay.

• Expert–Class E 3-day schedule (Feb 14–16): you play rounds 1–2 at G/60 with a 10-second delay (G/60; d10), then merge into the 4-day schedule with the longer 40/80, SD/30; d30 control for the remaining rounds.

Continental Chess uses official February US Chess ratings in Expert and below, along with unofficial uschess.org or Online Regular ratings when needed for otherwise unrated players. Players cannot enter a section if their online regular rating falls more than 100 points below that section’s minimum. Arbiters apply standard US Chess Swiss pairing rules and limit byes to two per player, which you must request and fix before the start of round 3.

📂 Sections / Groups

Section rating boundaries overlap to allow some players from the top half of a lower section to play up, subject to detailed rules posted at peakrating.us and the tournament director’s approval.

📅 Schedule

The tournament offers three schedules. All times are local and use a 12-hour clock.

5-day schedule (Master section only, 9-round Swiss):

4-day schedule (Expert–Class E, 7-round Swiss):

3-day schedule (Expert–Class E, 7-round Swiss with faster start):

A separate Southwest Class Blitz event takes place on Sunday night at 9:30 p.m., with on-site registration closing at 9:10 p.m. for players who want extra fast-chess action.

📝 Registration

You enter the 17th annual Southwest Class Championships online at:
https://chessaction.com

Select the Southwest Class Championships event, choose your section and schedule, and pay the appropriate entry fee. Master section entries cost $278 if you register online by February 11; the fee increases to $300 for later online entries or payment at the site by 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 12. Expert, Class A, Class B and Class C entries cost $168 online by February 11 or $190 later or at the site until one hour before round 1. Class D and Class E entries follow the same deadlines but run $70 less than the Expert–Class C entry fees.

Re-entry (except from Master back into Master) costs $80 and allows you to restart in a lower section or different schedule. The organizers do not accept checks but accept credit cards for entry fees. You can also purchase a special one-year US Chess membership with magazine when you pay online by following instructions at:
https://chessevents.us

All players should confirm their section choice based on their official February US Chess rating, any higher online regular rating and foreign rating information where applicable. You may request up to two half-point byes, but you must lock in any byes before round 3 begins. Entries and advance entry lists appear at:
https://chessaction.com (click “entry list” after you enter)

👥 Organizer

Continental Chess organizes the Southwest Class Championships as one of its flagship American Class events, combining a large prize fund, flexible schedules and rigorous rating rules to deliver a serious but friendly national-level tournament. The company has run major open events across the United States for decades and continues that tradition in Irving with FIDE-rated top sections and strong support for traveling players.

• Organizer: Continental Chess

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.chesstour.com

🏨 Venue

You play all rounds at the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel, 4545 W John Carpenter Freeway, Irving, Texas 75063, USA. The hotel sits just outside Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport along the freeway and offers large meeting rooms for the tournament, comfortable guest rooms, on-site dining and bar options, fitness facilities and a free airport shuttle. Free parking for guests and day visitors makes it convenient to drive in for the weekend or stay on site for the full five days.

🛎️ Accommodation

Continental Chess arranges a special chess rate at the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel. Players and families can book rooms at approximately $132 per night (single or double) by using the hotel-reservation link provided at:
https://chessevents.us

You can also reserve by calling the hotel at 972-929-4500 and mentioning the “Chess Rate.” The organizers recommend that you book by Tuesday, January 27, 2026, because the special rate may increase after that date or once the room block sells out. The hotel offers standard Westin amenities such as comfortable bedding, workspace, Wi-Fi access and access to the fitness center and pool, which makes it easy to relax between rounds.

🚗 How to Get There

You can fly into Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and then ride the hotel’s free airport shuttle directly to the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel on West John Carpenter Freeway. Drivers can reach the hotel by following State Highway 114 (John Carpenter Freeway) toward the airport and exiting near the hotel’s address at 4545 W John Carpenter Freeway; free on-site parking and clear signage make arrival straightforward. Local players can also car-pool from around the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and arrive in time for their chosen schedule’s late registration deadline.

You can turn this Presidents Day weekend into a major national chess experience, chase deep section prizes and Mixed Doubles awards, and test yourself in FIDE-rated classical play at the 17th annual Southwest Class Championships in Irving.

🧾 Other

• Byes are available in all sections (maximum two) and you must commit to your bye choices before round 3; late changes are not available.

• The tournament uses strict electronic-device rules described at https://devicerules.com, and the organizers strongly encourage you to leave phones and smart devices in your hotel room, car or a bag away from the board.

• Prizes not claimed on site usually go out later by PayPal, refunds incur a $15 service charge and the organizers ask players to bring their own chess sets, boards and clocks because the tournament does not supply equipment.