Fall Showdown Season Week 3 – Sunday, December 20, 2026
Official Chess® Fall Showdown Season
Week 3 – Sunday, December 20, 2026
See Registered Players & Buy Tickets
Every player receives a medal and a FREE Official Chess® Trading Card pack!
$2,000 guaranteed cash prize fund for the top two sections, plus trophies for the top 5 individuals and top 3 teams in every section.
Venue & Round Schedule
East Side Community High School
420 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10009
Between First Avenue and Avenue A
Use the 11th Street entrance.
All sections use Swiss pairings. Unrated–600 and 500–1000 are scholastic only. Parents, coaches and other adults may play in 900–1300 and above, including on the same team as their children.
| Section | Format | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrated–600 Scholastic only |
4 rounds G/30 d5 |
12:00 PM | 1:30 PM | 2:45 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 500–1000 Scholastic only |
4 rounds G/40 d5 |
11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 900–1300 | 4 rounds G/50 d5 |
9:30 AM | 11:30 AM | 1:45 PM | 3:45 PM |
| 1200–1600 | 4 rounds G/50 d5 |
9:30 AM | 11:30 AM | 1:45 PM | 3:45 PM |
| 1600–2000 | 4 rounds G/50 d5 |
9:30 AM | 11:30 AM | 1:45 PM | 3:45 PM |
| 1900+ | 3 rounds G/70 d5 |
9:30 AM | 12:30 PM | 3:00 PM | No round |
Round times are fixed. Look for pairing announcements and postings about 10 minutes beforehand. Clocks start at the listed times; games may begin earlier if both opponents are at the board and agree.
Ratings: Official December 2026 US Chess Published Ratings will be used. A player may choose a higher section only if their Live US Chess Rating exceeds that section’s minimum, even if their published rating does not.
Byes: Up to two are permitted. Each earns the same tournament points as a draw and does not affect the player’s US Chess rating.
Parking Options
Street parking is relatively plentiful for Manhattan. Nearby garages previously offered rates as low as $15 for 7:30 AM–7:30 PM, last verified September 21, 2026. Check the links below for December 20 rates and availability.
View SpotHero Options
View ParkWhiz Options
Three Tournaments. One Season.
Each Fall Showdown weekend is a standalone US Chess-rated Swiss tournament with its own pairings, individual and team standings, and awards. Play this event on its own. Players who compete in multiple weekends accumulate points toward the individual and team Season Championship trophies, with bonus points for each additional weekend played.
| Week | Date |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 |
| Week 2 | Sunday, October 11, 2026 |
| Canceled | |
| Week 3 | Sunday, December 20, 2026 This event |
Each tournament requires a separate registration. Register for December 20 at the bottom of this page.
Build Any Team You Want
Team up with your school, chess club, chess academy, coach, family, friends, summer camp, neighborhood, condo building or any organization. Teams need 2–25 players per weekend.
No roster is required. Register using the exact same team name to be grouped automatically. Leave the team field blank and your school becomes your team.
Choose a unique name and check the Advanced Listings before registering, unless you intend to join an existing team. Adding a number, such as Brooklyn Knights 67, can help distinguish your team.
Players may switch teams between weekends. Previous scores stay with the former team; future scores count toward the new team.
Awards & Team Scoring
Every weekend: Trophies for the top 5 individuals and top 3 teams in each section, plus Overall Team Championship trophies across all sections. Teams must have at least 2 players to qualify.
$2,000 Guaranteed Cash Prizes
| Section | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900+ | $600 | $300 | $150 | $100 | $100 | $1,250 |
| 1600–2000 | $350 | $150 | $100 | $100 | $50 | $750 |
Tied players split the combined cash prizes for their places equally. For example, two players tied for 1st in 1900+ each receive $450, splitting the $600 and $300 prizes.
Team Scoring
Section Team Championship: A team’s top 3 scores within that section count.
Overall Team Championship: A team’s top 6 scores across any combination of sections count.
Standard tournament scoring: 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 for a loss.
1900+ adjustment for overall team scoring: Because this section plays 3 rounds instead of 4, scores are adjusted for team trophy purposes: 1⅓ points per win, ⅔ point per draw and 0 per loss.
Coaches Corner
No personal coach or team room? Select Entry PLUS at checkout. An Entry PLUS ticket is required for Coaches Corner access. On-site master-level players and professional coaches offer real-time game reviews, tips and personalized advice between rounds.
Review your moves and reasoning while they are fresh, identify critical mistakes and missed opportunities, and strengthen your next-round performance, trophy chances and long-term skills.
The Week 3 coaching lineup will be posted and updated here.
Entry Fees
Basic Entry: $59, increasing to $69 (date to be confirmed).
Entry PLUS: $36 additional for Coaches Corner access.
Players who attend multiple 2026 Fall Showdown weekends receive a 5% refund on all tournament entry fees after the season ends.
Important Information
Supervision
This is not a drop-off event. A parent/guardian waiting area is available. Parents are not permitted in tournament rooms during games, but may leave the building during rounds if they remain reachable at all times and their children know how to locate their assigned boards. Children must be chaperoned at all times between games.
One responsible adult may chaperone multiple children. If that adult is not the parent or guardian completing registration, provide the chaperone’s full name and phone number during registration.
Equipment, Membership & Playing Rules
Provided: Chess sets, pencils and score sheets. Bring a chess clock and know how to set and operate it.
US Chess membership through December 2026 is required.
Notation is required in every section except Unrated–600. Notation books are permitted. Cell phones must be turned off and out of sight during play. Artificial intelligence devices and electronic eyeglasses are strictly prohibited in tournament rooms.
Photography, Results & Entry Policies
By registering your child, you acknowledge and agree that authorized staff, media representatives or partners may take photographs and/or video during the event for promotional and educational purposes. These may be used without compensation in publications, promotional materials, websites and social media associated with Official Chess, its organizers and affiliated partners.
Player names will appear in tournament results and reports, as is standard for US Chess-rated events.
Official Chess reserves the right to refuse entry or revoke a registration at its sole discretion or in accordance with US Chess rules, including the US Chess Safe Play Policies and Sanction List.
View the US Chess Safe Play Guidelines
View the US Chess Sanctioned Members List
Event details are subject to change. Material changes will be communicated to registered participants in advance.
Register for Week 3
Whether this is your first rated tournament or your hundredth, join players from across the New York metropolitan area for a fun, family-friendly day of chess on Sunday, December 20, 2026.
Registered players and tickets are below.
Warriors Registered
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