Chess tournaments in Washington: Where to look for the best ones?
- Sebastian Artigas
- Jun 2, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 15
Here is a list of chess tournaments that take place in Washington State weekly/monthly/yearly. We highly recommend our students participate in these tournaments (not just our free monthly tournament) to practice what they learned. As they say, practice makes perfect.
The first half of this post covers tournaments in Seattle, and the second half covers them Statewide. I you’d like to improve your skills before attending any of the tournaments, remember that you can learn from any of our Masters.
Chess Tournaments in Seattle
The Washington Chess Federation is an organization that supports and promotes chess-related activities throughout Washington State since 1946. They have a calendar of events that includes chess tournaments for all levels of players. Some of the tournaments they offer regularly are:
Washington State Championship:The 2025 Washington State Championship was confirmed to be held across two extended weekends in the winter: February 8-9 and February 15-17, 2025. For 2026 is not confirmed yet, but it should be around the same date as 2025.
Washington Open: One of the biggest annual open tournaments remains the Washington Open, scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2025, at the Redmond Marriott. This tournament attracts participants from across the region and includes popular side events such as the Washington Open Gary Dorfner Memorial Adult Novice Swiss and the Washington Open Fischer Chess960 Rapid tournament, catering to different competitive interests and skill levels.
Washington Class Championships: This important qualifying event is scheduled for November 28-30, 2025, in Redmond, WA. The format allows players to compete primarily within their rating class, with high finishers in the Master, Expert, Class A, and Class B sections potentially earning berths into the subsequent year's closed State Championship series.
Other tournaments from the WCF include:
Seattle Chess Classic: The 2025 iteration, now frequently billed as the Tiglon Open, marks a decisive venue change. Previously held in Seattle, the tournament has relocated to Hotel 116 in Bellevue, WA, and is scheduled for August 16-17, 2025. The relocation of this $6,500 prize fund event to the professional infrastructure of Bellevue confirms that organizers are favoring commercial hotel spaces for large-scale, triple-rated (FIDE, US Chess, NWSRS) weekend tournaments, signifying a tactical shift in competitive geography away from traditional club venues.
Seattle Seafair Open: This major dual-rated event (US Chess and FIDE) is co-hosted by the Seattle Chess Club and the WCF, and is scheduled for July 12-13, 2025. The tournament offers a significant prize fund of $4,500 based on 100 paid entries, and includes a Dual US Chess Blitz and FIDE Blitz rated event the same weekend.
You can find more information about their events on their website.
The Seattle Chess Club is one of the oldest and most respected chess clubs in the country. It has been around since 1879 and has hosted many national and international tournaments over the years. The club currently operates all of its in-person activities from the Orlov Chess Academy (OCA Greenlake) at 7212 Woodlawn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
The SCC hosts Friday Night Rated Chess every week. This is a USCF Regular Rated series utilizing a slow, classical time control: 40 moves in 90 minutes, followed by sudden death in 60 minutes, with a 10-second increment throughout.
Wednesday Casual Chess is offered weekly from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM. This is a free, non-rated drop-in session aimed at social play and informal training.
The club regularly hosts monthly, single-day rated tournaments, often in a quad or Swiss format, such as the November Quads scheduled for November 8, 2025. Other recurring events include the Seattle Fall Open (scheduled for October 18-19, 2025).
This institution offers many tournaments and events for all skill levels and ages, so I invite you to take a look at the SCC’s event calendar.
Roshen’s Chess Academy (RCA) is a Washington-based organization focused on providing coaching and organizing scholastic tournaments. It operates with a strong philanthropic mission, having raised over $91,000 for twelve non-profit organizations as of August 2025. Tournament proceeds specifically benefit organizations such as the Portland Chess Club and HECSA.
Tournament Schedule and Location: Contrary to the focus on the Seattle area in the original article, RCA’s competitive presence is highly integrated with the Oregon market. The Roshen's Chess Academy Scholastic Tournaments are frequently held monthly at the Portland Chess Club (2025 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR). Confirmed 2025 dates for these monthly events include January 18, March 29, July 5, August 9, November 8, and December 13.
Incentives for Diversity: RCA has implemented a notable policy offering complimentary entry to two specific groups: the first 16 USCF 1000+ rated players and all female players. This initiative, which has benefited hundreds of participants since its inception, serves as a powerful mechanism to lower financial barriers and actively promote gender equity and competitive engagement among highly skilled scholastic players.
Open Tournament Status: The previously referenced "Roshen's Spring Open" and "Roshen's Summer Open" are not listed as standalone adult or open events in the 2025 schedule, suggesting the organization has consolidated its competitive focus entirely on the monthly scholastic series.
The Northwest Chess Club is another great place for chess enthusiasts in Seattle. The club helps organize regular tournaments for players of all levels, including kids and beginners.
What we found really interesting is their updated event calendar and recommendations that you can access and find Scholastic tournaments, Grand Prix, and opens. Find more information about this by clicking here
The Medina Elementary School PTA maintains one of the largest and most respected elementary school chess clubs in the state. However, both of its major annual tournaments have shifted slightly past the scope of this 2025 calendar update. The two major events are confirmed to be:
Medina All-City Tournament: Scheduled for January 31, 2026.
Queen’s Quest All-Girls Tournament: Scheduled for March 21, 2026.
Scholastic players looking for large, local tournaments in late 2025 must rely on the broader WCF calendar or events organized by commercial academies in the interim.
They partner with other chess clubs and organizations to organize monthly tournaments everybody can join. Take a look at their event calendar
Tournaments in other parts of Washington State
Yes, we know Portland isn’t in Washington, but many players end up commuting for the amazing tournaments at the Portland Chess Club. Established in 1911, for the last century the Portland Chess Club has provided a place for chess players to congregate while hosting world champions and national tournaments. Although they’re not exactly in Washington, Portland can be accessible for many enthusiasts to travel. The club operates from the Portland Chess Center at 2025 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR 97232.
The PCC runs a consistent weekly and monthly schedule of events, including the Tuesday Quads Begin, Wednesday Daytime Quads, and Sunday Quads. However, the weekly routine is interrupted when the club hosts major series. For instance, the Portland Chess Club Championship begins on September 30, 2025, running every Tuesday in October and superseding the regular Tuesday Quads for that month.
A major policy development in Oregon mirrors efforts in Washington: the PCC announced that thanks to a generous donation, female players up to age 18 may play for free in monthly events such as the Game in 60 and the various Quads throughout 2025. This parallel introduction of incentives in both Washington (RCA) and Oregon (PCC) demonstrates a collaborative, regional commitment to addressing gender participation gaps within the competitive PNW environment.
You can find more information about their events on their website.
Where to Play Chess - Washington State Clubs is a resource for finding chess clubs and tournaments in Washington State. They have a list of clubs and organizations that offer other minor chess tournaments that we didn’t include in this list.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many opportunities to test your skills over the board! You just have to look in the right places.
Talking about the right places. Are you looking for the right place to improve your skills? Learn from our Masters online either in private lessons or group lessons.
We'd love to hear your ideas on how to make this better! Share them with us and we'll update this post ASAP! And remember to subscribe to our Newsletter so that you will get all of our awesome online monthly tournaments!