The 31st Annual Mid-America Open will take place from March 19–21, 2027, at the Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis–Clayton in Clayton, Missouri. Organized by the Continental Chess Association, this long-running US Chess Heritage Event offers five rounds of classical chess, $20,000 in guaranteed prizes, and 120 Enhanced US Chess Grand Prix points.

Players can choose between a traditional three-day schedule beginning Friday evening and an accelerated two-day schedule beginning Saturday morning. The main tournament uses 40/80, SD/30; d30, while the accelerated schedule starts with two G/60; d10 games before joining the main field for Round 3.

Six rating sections provide competition from the Major level through U1200. The Major and Under 2100 sections are FIDE rated, while all sections are US Chess rated. Additional opportunities include U2300 prizes in the Major section, Mixed Doubles bonuses, re-entry, half-point byes, and a separate Saturday-night Mid-America Open Blitz Championship.

♟️ Event Details

The Mid-America Open combines a traditional weekend Swiss with substantial guaranteed prizes, class-based sections, FIDE-rated upper divisions, flexible schedules, and one of Continental Chess’s established annual events in the Midwest.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The tournament consists of five Swiss-system rounds. Players selecting the full three-day option use the principal classical time control throughout, while two-day participants play two accelerated rounds before merging with the main schedule.

At 40/80, SD/30; d30, each player receives 80 minutes for the first 40 moves and another 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second delay throughout.

The accelerated opening rounds give each player 60 minutes for the entire game with a 10-second delay.

Both schedules merge for Round 3 at 5:00 PM Saturday.

FIDE Rating

The Major and Under 2100 sections are officially listed as FIDE rated.

The remaining sections are US Chess rated but are not advertised as FIDE-rated divisions.

Half-Point Byes

Players may request up to two half-point byes.

Advance opening-round byes can be selected during online registration. After a player has begun the event, CCA asks participants to arrange later byes directly with tournament staff.

🏆 Prize Fund

The $20,000 prize fund is guaranteed rather than based on a minimum number of entries.

The published individual prizes, Major U2300 awards, $100 winner bonus, and Mixed Doubles prizes together account for the full $20,000 total.

Major Section

The Major section has the tournament’s largest first prize and additional awards for players rated under 2300 US Chess.

A clear tournament winner, or the first-place player on tiebreak when first place is shared, receives an additional $100 bonus.

Major – US Chess U2300

Under 2100

Under 1900

Under 1700

Under 1500

Under 1200

Mixed Doubles

A separate $1,400 Mixed Doubles prize pool is available to players from all six sections.

Each team consists of one male and one female player.

The two players may compete in different sections and may also choose different tournament schedules. Their average rating must be below 2200.

Mixed Doubles registration is free and must be completed by 2:00 PM Saturday.

The team result is calculated from the combined tournament scores of both players.

Unrated Player Prize Limits

Unrated players can compete, but maximum individual prize limits apply in three lower sections.

If an unrated player’s finishing position would normally earn more than the applicable limit, the excess amount is redistributed according to the organizer’s prize rules.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The tournament has six sections. Major has a minimum published rating, while the five lower groups use upper-rating limits.

Ratings Used

The tournament uses the March 2027 Official US Chess Rating List.

If a player would otherwise be unrated, Continental Chess may use a more current unofficial US Chess rating or US Chess Online Regular rating.

Players cannot enter a section below their US Chess Online Regular rating minus 100 points.

CCA may also consider applicable foreign, FIDE, scholastic, league, state, provincial, or other established over-the-board ratings where necessary to determine appropriate section placement.

Peak Rating Rule

The Major section requires a rating of at least 1900.

Under CCA’s current PeakRating.US rule, a player may use the highest qualifying post-tournament US Chess Regular rating achieved during the previous year to qualify for a higher section with a minimum-rating requirement.

Both over-the-board Regular and Online Regular peak ratings may qualify under the published rule.

A player cannot use an older or unofficial rating to enter a section lower than their current official rating.

🗓️ Schedule

Players can select either a three-day schedule beginning Friday evening or an accelerated two-day schedule beginning Saturday morning.

3-Day Schedule

Registration closes Friday at 6:00 PM.

2-Day Schedule

Registration closes Saturday at 10:00 AM.

The first two rounds of the two-day schedule use G/60; d10. Beginning with Round 3, both schedules compete together.

📝 Registration

Entry fees depend on the section and registration date.

Major Through Under 1500

The top five sections share the same standard entry-fee structure.

Late online or onsite entries are accepted until one hour before Round 1 of the selected schedule.

Under 1200

The U1200 entry fee is $20 lower at every registration stage.

Missouri Chess Association Discount

Members of the Missouri Chess Association receive a $3 online entry-fee discount.

Players can join or renew their MCA membership separately through the association.

Official Hotel Discount

Players entering online by February 26 receive an additional $10 tournament entry discount when they provide a Clayton Plaza Hotel chess-block confirmation number.

Use the organizer’s HOTEL discount code during online registration.

Grandmasters

Grandmasters receive free entry, with $100 deducted from any prize won.

Re-Entry

Re-entry is available for $60.

A player may not re-enter Major from Major.

US Chess Membership

A current US Chess membership is required for participation.

Continental Chess also provides special one-year US Chess membership options through its online entry system.

Payment

Registration is handled through ChessAction.

Checks are not accepted onsite, while credit cards are accepted.

No mailed tournament entries are accepted.

Refund requests are subject to a $15 service charge when a player chooses a cash refund rather than applying the full entry fee toward a future CCA event.

👥 Organizer

Players requesting a section or schedule change should include both the tournament name and player name in the email subject line.

Withdrawals before play begins should be sent to the organizer’s dedicated withdrawal address.

📍 Venue

The tournament is held at the Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis–Clayton, the long-time home of the Mid-America Open.

Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis–Clayton – 7750 Carondelet Ave, Clayton, MO 63105, United States

The hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi, a heated indoor/outdoor saltwater pool, fitness center, business center, and a complimentary full hot breakfast featuring made-to-order omelets and waffles.

Chess Hotel Rates

Continental Chess has arranged special room rates for tournament participants.

These rates include the hotel’s full hot buffet breakfast.

Players should reserve by February 26, 2027. Rates may increase after the deadline, and the chess room block can sell out earlier.

The hotel lists standard check-in beginning at 4:00 PM and check-out by 11:00 AM.

Parking

The US Chess tournament announcement lists free parking.

The hotel’s current general parking policy also states that its attached garage is complimentary from Friday at 7:00 PM through Monday at 7:00 AM, which corresponds closely to the tournament playing weekend.

🚆 How to Get There

Clayton Plaza Hotel is located in central Clayton, west of downtown St. Louis, with convenient road and MetroLink access.

From St. Louis Lambert Airport by MetroLink

Players can use MetroLink rather than renting a car.

Take the Red Line from Lambert Airport toward the city, transfer at Forest Park–DeBaliviere, and continue on the Blue Line toward the Clayton area.

From Clayton Station, the hotel is only a short walk.

Players should check current MetroLink timetables shortly before traveling because service patterns and construction work can change.

By Car

From I-64 West / US-40 West, use Exit 32B and travel approximately 1.2 miles north on Hanley Road toward the Clayton area.

ℹ️ Other Information

Chess Equipment

Continental Chess asks players to bring a chess set, board, and clock whenever possible.

Tournament equipment is not guaranteed to be supplied.

Cellphones and Electronic Devices

CCA applies strict rules on electronic devices during tournament games.

Players should not carry an active cellphone during play. The safest options are to leave phones at home, in a hotel room, in a vehicle, or secured according to the tournament director’s instructions.

Players may also be required to cooperate with an electronic-device search when requested by tournament officials as part of the organizer’s anti-cheating procedures.

Prize Payments

Continental Chess strongly encourages prizewinners to receive their prizes at the tournament.

Players receiving $600 or more must provide the identification and tax information required under U.S. law before a prize can be issued.

Unclaimed prizes may be mailed or sent by electronic payment after the event, but CCA advises that processing can take several weeks.

12th Annual Mid-America Open Blitz Championship

A separate Mid-America Open Blitz Championship will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2027, at the same hotel.

The Blitz is not included in the main $20,000 prize fund.

The Blitz should finish at approximately 11:30 PM.

Its published prizes are:

For Blitz pairings and prizes, the organizer uses the higher of the player’s US Chess Regular or Blitz rating.

One pair of half-point byes is permitted, provided the player commits before Round 2.

Players must provide their own Blitz equipment.