Boston’s downtown chess scene takes center stage at the BCF Spring Festival on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The Boylston Chess Foundation runs this five-round Swiss weekend at the Boylston Chess Club and offers two sections that fit a wide range of competitive players. The tournament uses a classical time control that supports serious games while keeping the schedule compact across two days.
Competitors can fight for a fully guaranteed $4,000 main-event prize pool, and the weekend also adds two optional side events with separate prize money. The Open section requires at least 1650 on the March supplement (or a qualifying live MSA rating), while the U1850 section creates a clear target for class competitors. The event also keeps logistics simple with a central club address, fixed round times, and straightforward email procedures for byes and withdrawals.
🗓️ Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | Saturday, March 21, 2026 – Sunday, March 22, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| ♟️ Format | 5-round Swiss system |
| ⭐ Rating | US Chess-rated |
| 📂 Sections | Open · U1850 |
| ⏱️ Time control | G/90 with 5-second delay |
| 💳 Entry fee | $80 (BCF members) · $100 (non-members) · $30 discount for players U1500 · Add $10 after Wednesday, March 18, 2026 |
| 💰 Prize fund | $5,200 (approx. total prize money, including side events) |
| 👤 Eligibility | Open section: 1650+ on March supplement or qualifying live MSA rating |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | Free entry for GMs and IMs · Free entry for club members rated 2300+ (organizer deducts the entry fee from prizes won) |
🏆 Prize Fund
The main event guarantees $4,000 in prizes across the Open and U1850 sections. The weekend also offers two optional side events with separate prize pools: $500 for Bughouse and $700 for Time Odds Blitz.
Open prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $600 |
| 2nd | $300 |
| 3rd | $150 |
| Top U2200 | $200 |
| Top U2000 | $200 |
| Top Woman | $100 |
U1850 prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $500 |
| 2nd | $250 |
| 3rd | $125 |
| Top U1500 | $150 |
| Top U1300 | $150 |
| Top Woman | $75 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament runs a 5-round Swiss system.
Time control:
G/90 with a 5-second delay.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating / target group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open | 1650+ (March supplement or qualifying live MSA) | Upper section |
| U1850 | Under 1850 | Class section |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 | Round 1 |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | 14:00 | Round 2 |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | 18:00 | Round 3 |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | 20:00 | Bughouse side event |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | 10:00 | Round 4 |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | 14:30 | Round 5 |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | 18:00 | Time Odds Blitz side event |
📝 Registration
Players register online.
Website: https://boylstonchess.org/events/1460/spring-festival
Entry fees:
$80 for BCF members.
$100 for non-members.
Players rated under 1500 receive a $30 discount.
The organizer adds $10 after Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
Titled and high-rated member entry:
GMs and IMs receive free entry.
Club members rated at least 2300 receive free entry, and the organizer deducts the entry fee from any prizes won.
Byes and withdrawals:
Email: td@boylstonchess.org (send at least 30 minutes before the round).
👥 Organizer
The Boylston Chess Foundation operates the Boylston Chess Club in downtown Boston and runs regular rated tournaments with clear section rules and fixed weekend schedules.
Email: info@boylstonchess.org
Website: https://boylstonchess.org/events/1460/spring-festival
🏨 Venue
Boylston Chess Club hosts the tournament at 35 Kingston St, Unit 1, Boston, MA 02111, United States. The playing site sits in central Boston and provides a dedicated club environment for a full five-round weekend.
🚗 How to Get There
You can reach downtown Boston by public transit, rideshare, or car and continue to 35 Kingston St, Unit 1. Plan arrival early on Saturday so you can start Round 1 on time.
Join this downtown Boston classic weekend and compete for guaranteed prizes in two competitive sections.
🧾 Other
Side events (no additional fee for main-event players; otherwise $10 for members and $15 for non-members)
Bughouse: Saturday at 20:00 · Prize pool: $500 · Format: 4-round Swiss · Time control: G/3 with no delay · The organizer assigns partners randomly each round, and each match consists of four games.
Time Odds Blitz: Sunday at 18:00 · Prize pool: $700
Additional Details
Prize Fund - $4,000
Organizer
The Boylston Chess Foundation is a non-profit chess organization based in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It operates the historic Boylston Chess Club, one of the oldest continuously active chess clubs in the United States. From its modern premises on Kingston Street, the foundation runs a dense calendar of tournaments, leagues, clinics and casual events for players of all ages and levels.
The foundation’s mission is to promote chess as both a competitive sport and an educational tool. Therefore, it offers frequent US Chess-rated tournaments, scholastic programs during school breaks, and training opportunities led by experienced masters and coaches. Regular weeknight and weekend events, including classics like the BCF Spring Festival, give local and visiting players a reliable place to compete in a professional yet friendly setting.
In addition, the Boylston Chess Foundation maintains an active community presence through partnerships with schools, universities, and local chess groups. Volunteers, board members and tournament directors work together to keep the club vibrant, inclusive and accessible. As a result, the Boylston Chess Foundation has become a central hub for chess in the Greater Boston area and a reference point for serious over-the-board play in New England.
Address: 35 Kingston St, Unit 1, Boston, MA 02111, United States
Email: info@boylstonchess.org
Email 2: registration@boylstonchess.org
Phone: +1 617 714 3022
Phone 2: +1 781 733 0849
Website: https://boylstonchess.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/986522851415680
X (Twitter): https://x.com/BoylstonChess