Cincinnati Chess Masters FIDE Open
Friday, December 18 – Sunday, December 20, 2026
Embassy Suites by Hilton Blue Ash
4554 Lake Forest Dr, Blue Ash, OH 45242
- Reserve by Dec. 1st, before rooms are gone for the Chess Discount Rate
- 2 Room Suite – 1 King Bed – Balcony – Nonsmoking – $119.00
- 2 Room Suite – 2 Double Beds – Nonsmoking – $129.00
Call to Reserve: +1 513-733-8900.
Reserve Online and book your hotel room online at the Embassy Suites
Organized by Chess Earth
– Congress Tournament Shirt & Vending
$18,500 in Prizes
(based on 240 paid entries)
All pieces, boards, clocks, and score sheets provided.
5 Round Swiss. 2 or 3 Day Options:
3-Day Schedule: Registration ends 6:00 PM Friday, December 18, 2026. First Game 7:00 PM.
- Time Control for all Rounds in 3-day: G90+30 increment
2-Day Schedule: Registration ends 9:15 AM Saturday, December 19, 2026. First Game 10:00 AM.
- Time Control for Rounds 1-2: G60 +10 increment. Rounds 3-5: G90+30 increment.
Round Times:
3-Day Schedule: (G90+30 increment all rounds)
Round #1 – Dec. 18. Friday – 7:00 PM.
Round #2 – Dec. 19. Saturday – 10:00 AM
Round #3 – Dec. 19. Saturday – 4:00 PM
– Dec. 19. Saturday Blitz Tournament – 9:00 PM, Reg. by 8:45 PM. 5-Rounds. EF: $20. 3+2
Round #4 – Dec. 20. Sunday – 10:00 AM
Round #5 – Dec. 20. Sunday – 4:00 PM
BYES – Must request a BYE by 12:30 PM Saturday, Dec. 19.
2-Day Schedule: (G60 +10 for Rounds #1 and #2, Rounds 3-5 G90+30 increment)
Round #1 – Dec. 19. Saturday – 10:00 AM
Round #2 – Dec. 19. Saturday – 1:00 PM
Round #3 – Dec. 19. Saturday – 4:00 PM
– Dec. 19. Saturday Blitz Tournament – 9:00 PM, Reg. by 8:45 PM. 5-Rounds. EF: $20. 3+2
Round #4 – Dec. 20. Sunday – 10:00 AM
Round #5 – Dec. 20. Sunday – 4:00 PM
BYES – Must request a BYE by 12:30 PM Saturday, Dec. 19.
Entry Fee for all sections:
- $120 by Dec. 1st
- $130 by 9:00 AM Friday, December 18
- $140 On-site.
- GM, IM, WGM, WIM, FM FREE Entry; entry fee ($120) will be deducted from the prize.
- Play Up Fee: $20 – NOT Available for Under 2200 & Under 1900 Sections.
- Players can PAY to play up one section, but not more than one section; a $20 play-up fee applies.\
- Re-Entry: $40 – Available for 3-Day Schedule only
- Not available in the Open Section or Under 2200
- Not available to players in the 2-day schedule.
- Re-enter by 9:15 AM Saturday, December 19, 2026.
Register & Pay: https://www.kingregistration.com/register/CincinnatiMasters2026
Check out the Entry List of players who have registered
Scroll down (towards the bottom) for info on playing in the FIDE Open Section
Open Section – FIDE Rated: (1900+ USCF rated to enter)
1st-$3,000 2nd-$1,500 3rd-$800 4th-$500
Under 2200 – FIDE Rated: (1700+ USCF rated to enter)
1st-$1500 2nd-$1,000 3rd-$500
Under 1900: 1st-$1,300 2nd-$750 3rd-$500
Under 1600: 1st-$1,300 2nd-$750 3rd-$500
Under 1300: 1st-$1,300 2nd-$750 3rd-$500
Under 1000: 1st-$1,300+trophy 2nd-$750+trophy 3rd-$500+trophy 4th-$250+trophy
- If you score 4.0 points, you will receive a trophy in the Under 1000 Section.
Trophies for the winners in the Under 1000 Section and the Ohio State Champion.
– USCF official Regular as of December 1, 2026. Unofficial USCF ratings may be used if otherwise unrated.
– Players must reveal foreign, FIDE, or other over-the-board ratings, and these ratings, adjusted, may be used if higher than USCF.
– Notation required in all sections. Only US Chess-approved electronic score sheets allowed.
Doubles Prize: $200-100
Best male/female or female/female 2-player “team.”
- Combined score among all sections.
- Must average under 2200; may play in different sections.
- Register by 5:00 PM Saturday, December 19. Prize limits do not apply to the Doubles Prize. No additional fee to register.
Register & Pay: https://www.kingregistration.com/register/CincinnatiMasters2026
Check out the Entry List of players who have registered
Embassy Suites by Hilton Blue Ash
4554 Lake Forest Dr, Blue Ash, OH 45242
- Reserve by Dec. 1st, before rooms are gone for the Chess Discount Rate
- 2 Room Suite – 1 King Bed – Balcony – nonsmoking – $119.00
- 2 Room Suite – 2 Double Beds – nonsmoking – $129.00
Call to Reserve: +1 513-733-8900.
Reserve Online and book your hotel room online at the Embassy Suites
Organized by Chess Earth. (Congress Tournament Shirt & Vending)
- All pieces, boards, clocks, and score sheets provided.
- Chess Earth is the vendor and has created a tournament shirt.
- We are selling chess equipment, chess merch, and chess swag
- Questions? admin@chessearth.com
- More Info and Details https://chessearth.com/cincinnati-masters-2026/
FIDE Rules apply in the Open Section.
The information below pertains to the FIDE Open Sections only.
To play in the FIDE Open Section:
Players must be rated 1900+ USCF or higher to play in the Open FIDE Section (1700+ USCF for Under 2200). Players cannot “play up.” Players must have a FIDE Identification Number (FIN) and be current USCF members. If you do not have a FIN, please obtain one before entering the tournament. FIN APPLICATION FORM – APPLY HERE
FIDE Rating Requirements and USCF Membership
- Players do not need a FIDE rating to play in a FIDE section. But you need a FIDE Identification Number (FIN). A player must be a current member of the US Chess Federation (USCF) on the tournament dates to play in any FIDE section. A USCF membership may be purchased or renewed on the USCF website.
FIDE Identification Number:
In addition to a current USCF membership, players must have a FIDE Identification Number (FIN) to play in any FIDE section. If you do not have a FIN, please obtain one before entering the tournament. FIN APPLICATION FORM – APPLY HERE
Players who qualify for a FIN under the US Federation may obtain one by completing the FIN application form on the USCF website. Please make sure to apply for a FIN early enough to allow processing to be completed before the tournament. We recommend applying at least three weeks prior to the tournament. It does no harm to apply for a FIN even if you later decide not to enter a FIDE section, or do not enter the tournament at all. You could very well want to have a FIN at some future time, so getting a FIN now takes care of that.
Players who do not qualify for FIN under the US Federation must obtain their FIN through their national federation before entering the tournament.
FIDE Rating Considerations:
The time control for rounds 1 and 2 of the 2-day schedule does not qualify, so these games will not be submitted for FIDE rating. To earn a FIDE rating you need five games against rated opponents at a stipulated time control (over a period of 26 months)… are required to get a FIDE rating. Moreover, FIDE will not include a player on its list of rated players unless his or her FIDE standard rating is at least 1400. (FIDE Handbook, B. Permanent Commissions, 02. FIDE Rating Regulations (Qualification Commission), FIDE Rating Regulations effective from 1 March 2024, section 7.1.4.)
Arriving late to a game:
The default time (the period of time after a round starts that is allowed to a player to arrive at his or her board before forfeiting) is 60 minutes. Be aware that if both players are absent when a round is started, White’s clock will be started, and all the time that elapses until White’s arrival will reduce White’s time, even if Black also arrives late.