The 5th Annual Jai Jagannath Chess Tournament will take place from December 18–20, 2026, at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sacramento NE Cal Expo in Sacramento, California. Organized by Learning Pawn, the tournament features seven rounds across five rating-based sections, including a dedicated Senior U1800 group for players age 50 and older.

Players can choose either a 3-Day or 2-Day schedule. The 3-Day schedule uses G/90 +30 throughout and is both FIDE Standard and US Chess rated. The 2-Day schedule begins with three faster G/60 +5 games that are US Chess rated only, before joining the 3-Day field for Round 4 and completing the tournament at the longer FIDE-rated time control.

The tournament advertises $10,000 in prizes based on 150 paid entries. The prizes are prorated if attendance is below 150 and are not increased beyond the advertised amounts if participation exceeds 150. Five section winners also receive trophies.

♟️ Event Details

The tournament provides five sections for players ranging from developing competitors to master-level participants. Section placement is based on the higher applicable published US Chess Regular rating or FIDE Standard rating.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The full 3-Day schedule uses a classical G/90 +30-second increment in all seven rounds. The 2-Day schedule uses an accelerated time control for its opening three rounds before merging with the main field.

All games on the 3-Day schedule are FIDE Standard and US Chess rated.

For the 2-Day schedule, Rounds 1–3 are US Chess rated only and are excluded from the FIDE rating report. After both schedules merge in Round 4, the remaining games are FIDE Standard and US Chess rated.

The two schedules merge on Saturday, December 19 at 6:30 PM.

🏆 Prize Fund

The tournament advertises $10,000 in cash prizes based on 150 paid entries. This is not a guaranteed $10,000 prize fund.

All advertised prizes are prorated according to:

Paid entries ÷ 150

If the tournament has more than 150 paid entries, the published prizes do not increase above the advertised amounts.

Cash prizes are divided equally among tied players, and each player may receive only one cash prize.

2100+ Section

The top section accounts for $4,250 of the published prize structure.

1800–2099 Section

This section has $2,200 in advertised prizes based on the full 150-entry calculation.

1500–1799 Section

The section carries $1,600 in advertised cash awards.

Under 1500 Section

U1500 offers $1,150 in advertised prizes, including an additional U1000 award.

The Top U1000 prize cannot be combined with another cash prize.

Senior U1800 Section

The Senior U1800 section offers $800 in published prizes and is limited to qualifying players age 50 and older.

The first-place finisher in every section also receives a trophy.

🧩 Sections / Groups

Five sections provide rating-based competition. Players are assigned according to the higher applicable published US Chess Regular rating or FIDE Standard rating.

For the Senior U1800 section, a player must have been born on or before December 1, 1976.

Players may play up subject to rating verification and payment of the $30 play-up fee.

The organizer reserves the right to correct section placement or combine sections when operationally necessary.

🗓️ Schedule

All five sections follow the same seven-round framework. The 3-Day schedule begins Friday evening, while the accelerated 2-Day option starts Saturday morning.

3-Day Schedule

The full schedule uses G/90 +30 for all seven rounds.

2-Day Schedule

The first three rounds use G/60 +5. Players then merge with the 3-Day field and switch to G/90 +30.

The schedules merge at Round 4 on Saturday at 6:30 PM.

📝 Registration

Entry fees depend on both the player’s section and registration date. The lowest rates apply through November 30.

2100+ and 1800–2099

1500–1799

U1500 and Senior U1800

For the 3-Day schedule, the late/onsite rate applies beginning December 18. For the 2-Day schedule, it applies beginning December 19.

The play-up fee is $30.

A current US Chess membership is required.

Players must also have a valid FIDE ID before participating in a FIDE-rated round.

Titled Players

GM, WGM, IM, and WIM players receive free entry in the 2100+ section with advance registration.

However, $150 is deducted from any prize won.

Tournament entry fees can be paid by Zelle or PayPal to:

learningpawn@gmail.com

Official tournament information and registration:
https://learningpawn.com/5th_annual_jai_jagannath_chess_fide_tournament/

👥 Organizer

Learning Pawn organizes the Jai Jagannath Chess Tournament as part of its tournament program in the Greater Sacramento area.

📍 Venue

The tournament takes place at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sacramento NE Cal Expo, a hotel with meeting facilities, complimentary breakfast, Wi-Fi, and on-site parking.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sacramento NE Cal Expo – 2224 Auburn Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95821, United States

The organizer plans to offer a discounted participant room rate, with final booking details to be published separately.

🚆 How to Get There

The hotel is located on Auburn Boulevard near Interstate 80, providing convenient road access from Sacramento and the surrounding region.

Players arriving at Sacramento International Airport should arrange a taxi, rideshare, rental car, or other ground transportation because the hotel currently does not provide an airport shuttle.

ℹ️ Other Information

The tournament’s default time is 30 minutes after the scheduled start of a round. A player arriving later than the applicable default time may lose the game unless the tournament director rules otherwise.

Players should bring their own chess set and chess clock.

For FIDE-rated rounds, the applicable FIDE Laws of Chess apply. Phones and smartwatches must be switched off and stored according to tournament staff instructions.

The organizer has not yet published the final bye policy and bye deadlines.

Learning Pawn reserves the right to make necessary operational adjustments, including correcting section placement and combining sections when appropriate, while remaining consistent with US Chess and FIDE regulations.

Official tournament page:
https://learningpawn.com/5th_annual_jai_jagannath_chess_fide_tournament/

US Chess listing:
https://new.uschess.org/5th-annual-jai-jagannath-chess-tournament