The 5th Music City Open takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, on February 19–21, 2027, with a $20,000 guaranteed prize fund ($25,000 projected). The tournament is organized by Nashville Chess Center, a nonprofit chess institution serving Middle Tennessee.

The main event is a five-round Swiss with seven US Chess-rated sections, including Open, five rating-limited groups, and Senior 50+. The three-day schedule uses G/90 with a 30-second increment. The two-day schedule starts with two G/45 +10 games, then joins the longer schedule for Round 3. The main event is not FIDE rated.

Players register through the Nashville Chess Center’s event calendar. Discounted entry fees apply through January 31; later online and on-site prices vary by section. Participants need an active US Chess membership. The event also offers re-entry, limited half-point byes, and a separate Saturday-night blitz competition.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

All seven main-event sections play a five-round Swiss tournament. The two schedule options meet in the same third-round session on Saturday. Consequently, the first two games differ in length between the three-day and two-day entry options.

Players may re-enter for $60 in any section. A $40 play-up fee applies, and entry to the Open section by playing up requires a rating of at least 2000. Players should review the official tournament rules before the first round.

🏆 Prize Fund

The main tournament advertises $25,000 in projected prizes, with a $20,000 guarantee. The individual amounts below add up to the projected total and are based on 200 entries; the organizer will scale prizes proportionally according to actual participation. They are not all guaranteed at their listed projected values.

Open

Under 2100

Under 1800

Under 1500

Under 1200

Under 900

Senior 50+

♟️ Sections / Groups

The competition has seven separately classified sections. Choose a division based on the published rating restrictions and any approved play-up arrangement; the Senior 50+ group is distinct from the rating-limited divisions.

📅 Schedule

The 2027 Music City Open provides a Friday–Sunday three-day schedule and a Saturday–Sunday two-day option. Each option has five rounds. All times below are local Nashville time (Central Standard Time); the two-day players join the three-day field for Round 3.

Three-Day Schedule · February 19–21

Two-Day Schedule · February 20–21

The Saturday-evening blitz side tournament starts at 9:30 PM after its 9 PM registration cutoff. It is a separate event and does not count toward the classical Swiss tournament.

📝 Registration

Entry is managed by the official 2027 Music City Open event page. Online registration is available from the organizer’s event calendar. Select February 2027 and the desired three-day or two-day event entry.

Registration for the three-day schedule closes at 6:15 PM Friday, February 19. For the two-day schedule, it closes at 10:15 AM Saturday, February 20. An active US Chess membership is required.

🏛️ Organizer

Nashville Chess Center is a Nashville-based nonprofit chess education and tournament organization founded in 1995. It runs regional competitions and school programs, and its Executive Director Aaron Caveny directs the 2027 Music City Open. The center also supports Tennessee’s scholastic and adult chess communities.

📍 Venue

Play takes place at Millennium Hotel Maxwell House Nashville, 2025 Rosa L Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37228, USA. The hotel provides conference and event rooms, guest accommodation, on-site dining, an outdoor pool, fitness facilities, and complimentary self-parking. The playing hotel is north of downtown Nashville.

🏨 Accommodation

These five properties offer accommodation at the playing hotel or within the wider MetroCenter area. Use the linked Stay22 booking options to compare availability for February 18–22, 2027; dates can be adjusted during booking. The organizer also advertises a $99-per-night tournament rate at the playing hotel, subject to booking conditions and availability; ask the hotel about that group offer if relevant.

🍽️ Nearby Restaurants & Cafés

Two dining options are inside the playing hotel, while the other choices are in neighboring Salemtown and Germantown. Follow the individual Google Maps listings for locations and current opening hours.

🚆 How to Get There

The tournament venue is on Rosa L Parks Boulevard, north of central Nashville. For the Friday opening round, allow flexibility for city traffic and airport connections; choose a route that fits the precise playing start time.

✈️ By Air · Nashville International Airport

Travelers flying into Nashville International Airport can take a taxi or rideshare directly to Millennium Hotel Maxwell House Nashville. The airport places app-based rideshare pickups in its Ground Transportation Center, Level 1 of Terminal Garage 2. See the official airport website for terminal maps and ground-transport information.

For public transport, WeGo Airport Route 18 links the airport with the downtown Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central. From downtown, continue by a suitable local bus connection or a taxi/rideshare to the hotel. The hotel does not operate an airport shuttle; its complimentary shuttle serves downtown Nashville instead.

🚌 Local & Intercity Bus

WeGo’s Route 22 Bordeaux and Route 42 St. Cecilia–Cumberland serve parts of the Rosa L Parks Boulevard / North Nashville corridor. Check the official stop maps and current schedule before choosing where to get off, then use a safe pedestrian route to the hotel’s entrance. Service may change for the tournament weekend.

Intercity bus passengers should confirm their arriving stop on the Greyhound Nashville station page. From the bus station, take local transit or a taxi/rideshare to the hotel. Do not confuse an intercity bus arrival with the separate WeGo downtown transit center.

🚉 Regional Rail

The WeGo Star regional train connects communities along the eastern corridor with Riverfront Station in Nashville. Passengers arriving there need an onward downtown bus or taxi/rideshare to the playing hotel. Verify the train’s operating days and available return services before relying on rail travel for a Friday or Sunday round.

🚗 By Car & Parking

Use 2025 Rosa L Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37228 as the destination. The official hotel lists complimentary on-site self-parking. Allow extra time for the Friday evening round and for access to the hotel’s conference-room entrance; road conditions and event traffic can vary. See the venue’s visitor information for current property details.

🚶 Walking & Within the Hotel

Players staying at Millennium Maxwell House can reach the tournament rooms without making an off-site transfer; confirm the exact ballroom or meeting room at check-in. From outside hotels, verify pedestrian access rather than assuming a convenient walking route across MetroCenter roads. The hotel’s free downtown shuttle is a leisure and city-center connection, not an airport transfer.

ℹ️ Other Information

Saturday Night Blitz

A separate four-double-round blitz tournament takes place on Saturday, February 20 at 9:30 PM. The time control is G/3 +2-second increment, with registration by 9 PM. Entry costs $20. The advertised prizes, based on 20 participants and scaled to actual entries, are $100 for first, $50 for second, $60 for top Under 2100, $50 for top Under 1800, and $40 for top Under 1500 or unrated.

Useful Official Links