Sounds like a question that would spark an intense debate. While highly subjective, there might be be a way to evaluate what could make some games played “better” than others. All you need to is ask NM Ionatan Giurgiu, who has developed a program that considers the following:
While norm seekers and titled players are battling it out in the National Open, several hundred youth were putting up their own fight in the International Youth and Youth Trophy championships at the Westgate. Just as important as the learning game itself is fostering values of etiquette and sportsmanship. Chess is often seen as a […]
After a hat trick of draws in the early rounds, GM Jianchao Zhou take down IM Olexiy Bilych, who found himself in a complicated middlegame resulting in an imbalanced material situation that he was not able to overcome. GM Christopher Yoo surges ahead for a share of the lead, applying steady kingside pressure on the […]
IM Oleksii Bilych and GM Ehsan Ghaemmaghami play a solid game throughout with points in the game that Ehsah could have pressed for a greater advantage. With the position locked up, the only avenue of play was the open a-file, and both players felt content to let it evolve into an endgame and a draw […]
We are down to one sole perfect 5/5 score in the National Open. IM Bilych was a familiar face atop the leader board in last year’s National Open, and has been impressive this time around as well. Against GM Prraneeth Vuppala he gains an edge in the opening, leverages his open file in the center […]
Your undefeated leaders after 3 rounds are FM Megan Lee, WIM Munkhzul Davaakhuu, and WGM Carla Serrano after their victories Thursday night. FM Lee navigates the middlegame of a Ruy Lopez beautifully after fending off a push on her queenside. WIM Munkhzul executes the White side of a Caro Kann Two Knights Variation equally well. […]
Congrats to our first winner of the National Open, WFM Rachael Li. Rachel won her first four games and draws in the final round, securing a share of first and letting tiebreaks determine who will win out. A longtime competitor of the Womens Open, WFM Tsogtsaikhan Saikhanchimeg drew in Round 4 and needed a win […]
We understand that some of the checks issued to prize winners had a misprint that is preventing the banks from cashing them. We are sorry for this inconvenience, if you are impacted by this, please contact us at contact@vegaschessfestival.com so that we may get your hard earned winnings to you ASAP. UPDATE AS OF 6/30, […]
GM Ben Finegold and IM Eric Rosen will both give simuls on Thursday afternoon. If you have already signed up for the simul you will be assigned to one or the other. We can honor change requests on our contact page unless the desired simul is full. At that point you would be put on […]
We are thrilled to have IM and streamer Eric joining us again this year. Eric will be the guest host of our youth events. All of our festival participants will get a chance to meet him as he will also be part of a meet and greet, play blitz against all comers, and be a […]
Ben Finegold is an American grandmaster, teacher, and streamer. Known for teaching kids and having a unique brand of humor, he is part of a three-generation chess family; his father Ronald, brother Mark, and son Spencer all became master-level players as well. After earning his IM title in 1989, Finegold saw his FIDE rating near 2600 […]
If you have any problems with our new payment processor or any other problems with entry please contact us.
We are now accepting entries for most events in the 2022 Las Vegas International Chess Festival. Enter Now! Returning players who enter the National Open before January 31 are eligible for a $40 Early Bird Loyalty Discount. Make your hotel reservations early to be automatically enrolled in a drawing to get your room free.
We’ll be broadcasting some of the games from the 2021 National Open! Check out the broadcasts at any of the following links: National Open ChessBomb Chess.com Chess24 Lichess Follow Chess US Women’s Open ChessBomb Chess.com Chess24 Lichess Follow Chess Walter Browne Blitz ChessBomb Chess.com
The drawing was held this morning and the winner is L. F. of Franklin Tennessee. L.F.’s stay at the Las Vegas Chess Festival is on us. The recording of the drawing is here.
Nevada is relaxing (but not eliminating) restrictions, and we are confident that we can return to over the board chess with the Chess Event of the Year. We have delayed accepting entries until we were (nearly) certain that we could proceed. Players who have carried their entries over from previous events will be added to […]
We regret to announce that we must cancel the Las Vegas International Chess Festival scheduled for June 24-28, 2020. The most optimistic opening date for the host hotel is less than a week before our scheduled start, and we cannot be sure that date will be met. We are hoping to reschedule the event in […]
Congratulations to Illia Nyzhnyk, the winner of the National Open, and to all the winners of other events in the Chess Festival. We hope that every player goes home feeling like a winner. Final Standings are available on our Results Page, and hundreds of photos are on our Facebook Page. Unclaimed prize checks were mailed […]
Thank you!The National Open and the U.S. Women’s Open are co-sponsored by the U.S. Chess Federation.
The National Open is paired with Swisssys by ChessRoster. 
