Plan a spring chess weekend at the 2026 Wyoming Community Foundation Open on May 1-3, 2026 in Sheridan, United States. The tournament offers a $9,000 guaranteed cash purse and 100 US Chess Grand Prix points in a marquee Western event. You can choose from seven sections, including both three-day and two-day options across multiple rating groups. The format fits ambitious improvers and experienced competitors who want serious classical games and clear section choices. The event welcomes a broad field and highlights strong competition, including titled players.

The tournament runs at the Bridges Conference Center on the Bridges Campus in Sheridan, Wyoming. Elite and Three-Day sections play a Friday–Sunday schedule with classical time control and five rounds. Two-Day sections start on Saturday, then merge with the Three-Day sections in Round 3 for the final rounds. The organizer also offers an entry-fee waiver for titled players who request it by the stated deadline. Online registration runs through Caissa Chess Software and supports secure payment processing.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

The tournament guarantees a $9,000 cash purse and awards the following prizes.

Elite Division

U1800

U1400

U1000

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament runs 5 rounds. Elite and all Three-Day sections use G/90 +30-second increment. Two-Day sections use G/60 +5-second delay for Rounds 1–2, then switch to G/90 +30-second increment from Round 3. The tournament merges Two-Day and Three-Day sections in Round 3. Each player can request one ½-point bye, and players must submit bye requests for Rounds 4 and 5 to the tournament director before the end of Round 3.

📂 Sections / Groups

📅 Schedule

Elite and Three-Day Sections

Two-Day Sections

📝 Registration

Register online here: https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/7227

Entry Fees (Early by April 15, 2026 vs. On-site cash)

Players need an active US Chess membership: https://new.uschess.org/form/membership. Tournament staff pairs Elite and Three-Day on-site registrations that arrive by 5:30 PM on Friday; later on-site registrations take a ½-point bye and start in Round 2. Tournament staff pairs Two-Day on-site registrations that arrive by 9:00 AM on Saturday; later on-site registrations take a ½-point bye and start in Round 2. Players can play up one section, and players can add extra sections for a $25 per-section play-up fee. The registration system processes payments through Square.

👥 Organizer

Brian Kuehl and the Sheridan Chess Association run the Wyoming Community Foundation Open in Sheridan and manage registration through the official online entry platform. The organizer also supports titled-player entry-fee waivers by request and coordinates on-site pairing cutoffs for each schedule option.

• Email: admin@sheridanchess.com

• Phone: 202-679-6779

🏨 Venue

Bridges Conference Center, Bridges Campus, 13 Lane Ln, Sheridan, WY 82801, United States
The tournament takes place at the Bridges Conference Center on the Bridges Campus in Sheridan. The venue supports over-the-board play across multiple sections that run on coordinated schedules.

🚗 How to Get There

Travel to Sheridan, Wyoming, and navigate to Bridges Conference Center on Bridges Campus at 13 Lane Ln, Sheridan, WY 82801. You can fly into Sheridan County Airport (SHR), and you can connect through Denver for commercial air service. Plan to arrive in time for your section’s first round, especially for the Friday evening start in Elite and Three-Day sections.

Bring your best preparation and take your shot at a guaranteed prize pool in one of the West’s standout spring tournaments.