Chess competitors can head to Houston for the 2026 Lone Star Open from Friday, March 13 to Sunday, March 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas, United States. Cypress Chess, LLC runs this Grand Prix weekend at a hotel venue near George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), offering a practical travel setup with an airport shuttle and on-site playing space. The tournament uses a five-round Swiss format across multiple rating sections, including FIDE-rated options at the top.
Serious tournament players can choose between a full three-day pace or a two-day option that starts on Saturday. The event advertises a substantial overall prize pool tied to entry totals, plus an extra women’s prize in the Open. The organizers also provide a discounted chess room rate at the host hotel when players book by the stated deadline.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | March 13-15, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Houston, Texas, United States |
| 🏨 Venue | DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Intercontinental Airport, 15747 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032 |
| ♟️ Format | 5-round Swiss system |
| ⭐ Rating | Open and U2000: FIDE-rated option available · Other sections: US Chess-rated |
| 📂 Sections | Open · U2000 · U1800 · U1600 · U1300 |
| ⏱️ Time control | Open and U2000: G/90 + 30-second increment · Other sections: G/120 + 5-second delay · 2-day option Round 1: G/60 + 5-second delay |
| 💰 Prize fund | $11,750 (based on 225 full-paid entries; U1300 counts at 70%) |
🏆 Prize Fund
The tournament lists an overall $11,750 prize fund based on entry totals and publishes section prize lists plus a special women’s prize in the Open.
Open prizes:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,700 |
| 2nd | $900 |
| 3rd | $600 |
| 4th | $400 |
| U2200 | $200 |
| 5th | $700 |
| 6th | $400 |
U2000 prizes:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $800 |
| 2nd | $400 |
| 3rd | $300 |
| 4th | $150 |
| 5th | $100 |
U1800 prizes:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $800 |
| 2nd | $400 |
| 3rd | $200 |
| 4th | $150 |
| 5th | $100 |
U1600 prizes:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $800 |
| 2nd | $400 |
| 3rd | $300 |
| 4th | $150 |
| 5th | $100 |
U1300 prizes:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $550 |
| 2nd | $350 |
| 3rd | $250 |
| 4th | $150 |
| 5th | $100 |
Special prize:
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Top female (Open) | $250 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament runs all sections as 5-round Swiss events.
Time controls:
-
Open and U2000: Game in 90 minutes with a 30-second increment per move
-
Other sections: Game in 120 minutes with a 5-second delay
-
Two-day option: the event runs Round 1 at G/60 with a 5-second delay, and this Round 1 does not count as FIDE-rated play for Open and U2000.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating / target group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Open section | FIDE-rated option available on the standard schedule |
| U2000 | Under 2000 | FIDE-rated option available on the standard schedule |
| U1800 | Under 1800 | US Chess-rated |
| U1600 | Under 1600 | US Chess-rated |
| U1300 | Under 1300 | US Chess-rated; entry totals count at 70% toward the listed prize fund condition |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2026 | Friday | Round 1 (standard three-day schedule) |
| March 14, 2026 | Saturday | Rounds (three-day schedule continues) and two-day option begins |
| March 15, 2026 | Sunday | Final rounds and completion of all sections |
📝 Registration
Players register online through the tournament registration portal.
Early registration ends on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Titled player policy:
-
The event offers free entry for GMs, IMs, WGMs, and WIMs.
-
The event waives the entry fee for titled players and deducts the waived fee from prize winnings for GM, IM, WGM, and WIM.
👥 Organizer
Cypress Chess, LLC runs the Lone Star Open series and manages tournament operations, entries, and player communications for this Grand Prix weekend.
Phone: 7137252877
Website: https://cypresschess.net/
🏨 Venue
The tournament takes place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Intercontinental Airport, 15747 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032, United States. The hotel sits about one mile from IAH and provides complimentary self-parking plus a free airport shuttle, which makes the venue practical for both local and traveling players.
🛎️ Accommodation
The host hotel offers a special chess room rate.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Chess room rate | $92 + tax when reserved by March 1, 2026 |
🚗 How to Get There
You can fly into George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and use the hotel’s free shuttle to reach the venue. Drivers can reach the hotel from major Houston roadways and use complimentary self-parking on site.
Join the Lone Star Open weekend in Houston and compete for major section prizes in a Grand Prix five-round Swiss.
Additional Details
Prize Fund - $11,750
Organizer
Cypress Chess, LLC is a chess events company based in the Houston–Cypress area of Texas, United States. It operates as a dedicated tournament organizer for competitive over-the-board chess. Moreover, the organization is closely associated with the Knights of Cypress chess community.
In addition, Cypress Chess, LLC runs major weekend events such as the Lone Star Open and the Houston Open. Many tournaments are a US Chess–rated tournament, and selected sections are also a FIDE-rated tournament. Furthermore, its schedule emphasizes classical chess while also supporting rapid chess and blitz side events when offered.
