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 […]
GM Ben Finegold Simul Announced
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 […]
Now Accepting entries for 2023
If you have any problems with our new payment processor or any other problems with entry please contact us.
Day 4: Pawnchained Melody and Battle of the Streamers
You tell your manager you are Out Of Office, but if they know chess, can’t you just say you are Castling Queenside, (O-O-O)? Welcome to Vegas! It all comes together with the Saturday evening merge, all sections chained under the same controls for the main event. The accelerated schedules offer flexibility to people wanting to […]
Day 3: Play you Children, Play your Troubles away
Viewing a child’s limitations is like staring into the trees but missing the forest The Youth Trophy Tournament draws over 200, and the International Youth Championship will soon follow Huge Showing for Youth The King of Rock and Roll also was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame, among his many accolades and talents. When […]
Day 2: Botez has Left the Building, Champions Crowned
Andrea Botez wins her first round match and the crowd in the meet and greet. 2021 US Women’s Open Champion Badamkhand Norovsambuu Trophy recipient on tie-break Step Aside King, the Queen has Arrived For over three quarters of my life, I have been heavily involved in a game where the Queen is the most powerful […]
Day 1: Chess Me Tender
Welcome to Opening Day of the Las Vegas International Chess Festival at the Westgate. We were graced by the presence of Elvis, perhaps to generate interest for the release of the biopic portrayed by Tom Hanks on June 24th. But, that is still a couple weeks away. In the meantime, Rock and Roll to chess! […]
Westgate Sold Out: overflow hotels available.
Our room block at the Westgate is sold out. All the rooms that the Westgate was holding for our group have been sold. We have arranged chess rates at nearby hotels.
Las Vegas Monorail Discounts
The Las Vegas Monorail is offering Las Vegas Chess Festival attendees exclusive fare discounts. Use the Monorail to travel the Strip and to the tournament without the hassles of traffic and wasted time. Be sure to purchase your tickets before the festival as the discounts are available for a limited time! Buy your discounted tickets at tix.lvmonorail.com/VCF22 […]
2022 Covid-19 Safety Protocols
Player safety and confidence is important to us. We will rigorously follow state and local regulations as well as Westgate Resort’s policies.
Now Accepting Entries for 2022 Chess Festival
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.
Broadcast Links
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
Winner of the Free Stay at the Westgate Hotel
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.
Zoom Town Hall
We will be holding two Town Hall Meetings where players and parents new to tournament chess or new to our event can have their questions answered. These meetings are open to players, parents, and coaches who have registered or wish to learn more before registering. Recordings of the meetings will be posted here for players […]
Dean of Scholastic Chess to be Guest Host
The Dean of Scholastic Chess, Dewain Barber, was chosen to be the guest host of the International Youth Championship. WGM Tatev Abrahamyan will give the Simul for Kids.
Over-the-Board Chess Returns June 16-20
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 […]
2020 National Open Rescheduled
2020 Chess Festival Cancelled
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 […]
Vegas Chess Festivals Coronavirus Response
We have received several inquiries as to whether the National Open and the Chess Festival will be canceled. We intend to hold the event as planned if it is at all possible and safe. We hope to make a firm decision by …
Join us for the 2020 Las Vegas International Chess Festival
It’s never to early to plan for the Chess Vacation of the Year! Once again we are offering a drawing with great prizes for early entries to the National Open and the International Youth Championship, and everyone who reserves a room with our group code will also be entered into a drawing for a free […]
Win Free Hotel Stay During Chess Festival
Reserve your room early for more chances to win! You must reserve your room at the Westgate before May 23rd. You must be part of the chess festival group. Use our online link to reserve your room or phone (800) 732-7117 and use our group code: SVCF9R.
Thank you for participating in the Las International Vegas Chess Festival
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 […]
Welcome and Important Rules Information!
Dear Participants, On behalf of the all the Tournament Directors (TD) I would like to welcome you to the 2019 Las Vegas International Chess Festival. As is customary at this Chess Vacation of the Year, our goal is to provide you with the best chess playing conditions and, despite the competitive nature such a money […]
Drawing for Free Hotel Room
The Drawing was held and the winner was the holder of ticket 6327. The guest with initials W C who made the reservation on January 30th for 6/12 through 6/17 on will have the room paid for by the festival. Congratulations! WC will be notified by email. The drawing for the Free Hotel Room will […]
Registration Now Open for 2019 Events
This year the Open Section of the National Open will be a 9-round Swiss with FIDE norms possible and discounts for titled players. All under sections remain at 7-rounds, a popular change we made last year. Extra discounts are also available for returning players who enter before the end of January. We call this the […]
