Cincinnati Open

The 2025 Cincinnati Open will be played on April 11-13 at the Embassy Suites in Blue Ash.

Please be aware that the FIDE sections (FIDE Elite, FIDE Expert and FIDE Class) and the UNDER sections (Seniors U1801, U1801, U1601, U1401, U1201 and U1001) play different time controls and different schedules, and have separate entry forms. Make sure you are looking at the information, and using the entry form, that pertains to the section in which you wish to play.

Use the navigation links below to go immediately to:
Details for FIDE Sections
Details for UNDER Sections

General Information

The information under this heading pertains all sections.

USCF Membership: A player must be a current member of the US Chess Federation (USCF) on the tournament dates to play in the Cincinnati Open. A USCF membership may be purchased or renewed either as part of entering the tournament online or by mail, or separately on the USCF website.

Ratings:  Official USCF Regular ratings as of April 1, 2025, will be used to determine a player’s section eligibility and pairings; however, a player may request that a more recent Regular rating published in his or her tournament history be used instead provided that the more recent rating is higher than his or her official April 1 rating.

A player with no official USCF Regular rating as of April 1 will be unrated for purposes of this tournament unless an alternative rating is available as follows:

• For all sections: If a USCF Regular rating is published in a player’s tournament history, the most recent such rating will be used.
• For FIDE sections only: If the player has a FIDE standard rating, his or her FIDE rating will be converted to an equivalent USCF rating according to the USCF rating conversion formulae dated March 1, 2024.

Unrated players are not eligible to play in any FIDE section.

A player’s rating can change between the time of entry and the publication of official ratings as of April 1, 2025. When a rating change makes it necessary to move a player to a higher section, we will move the player into the nearest section for which he or she is eligible and so notify him or her as soon as possible after the April 1 ratings become available. When a rating change makes it possible to move a player to a lower section, we will not move the player unless the player so requests by the applicable entry deadline.

Policies and Rule Clarifications: We encourage players to review our electronic device policy, which covers mobile phones, electronic scoresheets, and similar devices, and rule clarifications and policies that will be in effect for the Cincinnati Open.

Byes: Players may take one or two optional half-point byes for any round(s), except that a player who requests a bye after receiving a full point, as a result of being paired out or having a forfeit win, will be given a zero-point bye instead of a half-point bye. In the UNDER sections any optional bye is additional to the required zero-point bye. (See Details for UNDER Sections for an explanation of the required zero-point bye.)

Players may request, change or cancel a bye for a future round until 5:00 pm on Saturday, April 12, at which time they are committed irrevocably to their selected bye rounds. Players may select byes on their entry form or, until the advance entry deadline, by email to info@chesscincinnati.com. After the advance entry deadline, players must submit onsite a completed Bye Request Form to request, change or cancel a bye.

Initial wall charts will be posted at the tournament showing all byes for advance entries. Updated wall charts will be posted during the tournament as feasible, and also published on the SwissSys Events website. Players are responsible for verifying the byes shown for them on the wall chart and for notifying the pairings tournament director of any necessary corrections. A player who does not play a round for which he or she does not have a bye will be forfeited and may be readmitted to the tournament at the sole discretion of the chief tournament director.

Entry Information: The advance entry fee is $120 through Friday, April 4, and $135 thereafter until 8:00 am on Friday, April 11. Enter online for any FIDE section or for any Under section. Enter by mail using the mail-in entry form. The onsite entry fee is $150. The fee to re-enter is $65; each re-entry counts as ½ paid entry for prize purposes. Certain restrictions apply to re-entries; see Details for FIDE Sections or Details for UNDER Sections for specifics. For GMs, IMs, WGMs, WIMs no entry fee is required to play in the tournament, but any prize won will be reduced by $120.

Players entering onsite may pay with cash or credit card. Onsite entries will be accepted during the following periods:

• Friday, April 11, 5:00–6:00 pm to enter any section and any schedule.
• Saturday, April 12, 8:00–10:00 am:
  — To enter a FIDE section 2-day schedule.
  — To enter a FIDE section 3-day schedule with a half-point bye for round 1.
  — To re-enter a FIDE section after playing round 1. See Details for FIDE Sections for specifics about re-entries.
  — To enter any UNDER section with a zero-point bye for the Friday, 7:00 pm round. Players must enter before 8:45 am to be paired in the Saturday 9:30 am round. Players entering after 8:45 am will be given a half-point bye for the Saturday 9:30 am round.
  — To re-enter any UNDER section with a zero-point bye for the Friday, 7:00 pm round. Players wishing to re-enter an UNDER section must do so before 8:45 am. See Details for UNDER Sections for specifics about re-entries.

Entry fee refunds: If a player withdraws from the tournament, we will refund the entry fee paid only if we receive notice of the player’s withdrawal by email or text prior to 6:00 pm on Friday, April 11. The amount refunded will be the entry fee paid less any applicable transaction fee.

Posting Pairings Online: We will publish tournament files on the SwissSys Events website. This will enable players to view current wall charts, standings and pairings online. To see these files, follow the instructions for accessing the SwissSys Events webpage.

Venue: Embassy Suites, 4554 Lake Forest Drive, Blue Ash, OH 45242. Click here to see a map. The discounted rate is $119 for a suite with a king bed and $129 for a suite with two queen beds. All suites include a sofa bed. The room rate includes a made-to-order hot breakfast for up to two guests sharing the suite.  Click here to book at the Embassy Suites online. Players may also book a room by calling 513-733-8900 (reference the Cincinnati Open Chess Tournament). Reserve by April 1, 2025 to ensure rate and room.

Other: No smoking, no computers.

Email questions to info@chesscincinnati.com, or text/call Alan at 513-600-9915.
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Details for FIDE Sections

The information under this heading pertains only to the FIDE sections. If you intend to play in an UNDER (“Uxxxx”) section, see Details for UNDER Sections.

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. Players who qualify for a FIN under the US Federation may obtain one by completing the FIN application form on the USCF website. The application requires that you provide your full name, whether you are a past or current USCF member, your USCF ID number, whether you currently reside in the USA, and your sex, date of birth, and email address. 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 prepares for that.
Players who do not qualify for FIN under the US Federation must obtain their FIN through their national federation.

Ratings and Sections: Players should know the Ratings information provided under General Information above, in addition to the information presented here.

The FIDE sections are listed below along with their required floor USCF Regular ratings:

• FIDE Elite section (no ceiling): USCF Regular rating of 1801 or higher. There is no rating ceiling.
• FIDE Expert section (U2201): USCF Regular rating between 1601 and 2200 inclusive. Masters rated at their floor of 2200 may play in this section.
• FIDE Class section (U2001): USCF Regular rating between 1401 and 2000 inclusive. Experts rated at their floor of 2000 may play in this section.

Players do not need a FIDE rating to play in a FIDE section; however, they will not automatically earn a FIDE rating by playing in a FIDE section.  Five games against rated opponents at a stipulated time control (over a period of 26 months) are required to get a FIDE rating. 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. Moreover, FIDE will not include a player on its list of rated players unless his or her 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.)

With respect to FIDE-rated players who do not have a USCF Regular rating, their FIDE rating will be converted to a USCF rating equivalent, which will determine their eligibility for a FIDE section.  Click here to see the rating conversion formulae.

Prizes: The total tournament prize pool is $17,000, based on 270 paid entries. If fewer than 270 paid entries are received, prizes will be paid in proportion, with a minimum payment of 50% of the advertised amounts. Prizes will be split among tied players. Prizes in the FIDE sections are as follows:

Time Control and Schedule: The time control for all rounds is 40/90, SD/30;+30 except rounds 1 and 2 of the 2-day schedule, for which the time control is G/75;d5. (Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2-day schedule will not be FIDE rated.) Players may choose between a 3-day or a 2-day schedule:

• 3-Day: Fri 7:00, Sat 11:00 & 6:00, Sun 9:30 & 3:00
• 2-Day: Sat 11:00, 2:30 & 6:00, Sun 9:30 & 3:00

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.

Re-Entry Restrictions: Only players who play round 1 of the 3-day schedule (the Friday night round) are eligible to re-enter. Anyone wishing to re-enter must do so before 10:00 am Saturday, April 12, and must re-enter a FIDE section. (Players may not withdraw from a FIDE section and re-enter an UNDER section even if their rating qualifies them for the UNDER section.) Re-entering players may re-enter the 3-day schedule, taking a half-point bye for round 1, or change to the 2-day schedule. Re-entering players may re-enter the same section or change to a different FIDE section, provided that they satisfy the rating requirement for the section into which they wish to move.

Players who re-enter will abandon their original entry; only the re-entry will be carried forward into later rounds regardless of the first-round score related to either entry.

Tournament Rules: Play in all FIDE sections will be in accordance with the current FIDE Laws of Chess except in some situations where FIDE permits USCF rules to apply. Everyone intending to play in a FIDE section should be familiar with the FIDE rules. We encourage players to review the USCF summary of FIDE Rule differences. Except for the points identified in the summary, FIDE and USCF rules are effectively identical, and USCF rules will apply.

Equipment and Reporting Results: The organizer will provide all pieces, boards, clocks and scoresheets. Players are required to use the scoresheets provided by the organizer. At the conclusion of each game, the players are required to submit to the arbiter (tournament director) one copy of their completed scoresheets, signed by both players and correctly indicating the game result. At the time when pairings must be generated for the next round, any missing result will be treated as a double forfeit.
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Details for UNDER Sections

The information under this heading pertains only to the UNDER (“Uxxxx”) sections, which are not FIDE rated. If you intend to play in a FIDE section, see Details for FIDE Sections.

Ratings and Sections: Players should know the Ratings information provided under General Information above, in addition to the information presented here.

UNDER sections and applicable rating floors are as follows:

• Seniors U1801 — no rating floor
• U1801 — rating floor of 1201
• U1601 — rating floor of 1001
• U1401 — no rating floor
• U1201 — no rating floor
• U1001 — no rating floor

Unrated players as defined under General Information above may play in any section but may not win any prize larger than the second-place prize amount for the section in which they play.

The Seniors U1801 section is open to all players who are 50 years of age or older, or will turn 50 in 2025. For simplicity, ages are determined by birth year: anyone born in or before 1975, is eligible to play in this section. (Players born between April 14 and December 31, 1975, are eligible even though they will be only 49 at the time of the tournament.) Age eligibility will be subject to confirmation upon arrival at the tournament. Because of the extensive rating range in this section, accelerated pairings will be used for rounds 1 and 2.

Prizes: The total tournament prize pool is $17,000, based on 270 paid entries. If fewer than 270 paid entries are received, prizes will be paid in proportion, with a minimum payment of 50% of the advertised amounts. Prizes will be split among tied players. Prizes by section are as follows:

Time Control and Schedule:  The time control for all rounds is G/110;d5. Six rounds are scheduled as follows: Friday 7:00, Saturday 9:30, 2:00 & 7:00, Sunday 9:30 & 2:00. All players play five rounds out of the six that are scheduled.

Byes: Players must select any one of the six scheduled rounds for a zero-point bye so that all players play a five-round schedule. Any optional half-point bye requested will be additional to this zero-point bye. When a player requests one or more optional byes, the zero-point bye will be assigned to the earliest bye round. This schedule provides the flexibility for players to choose a bye round and still play five games all at the same time control. As best suits their individual circumstances, players can:

• Skip the Friday night round and play a two-day schedule,
• Sleep in Saturday morning,
• Take Saturday evening off,
• Take a long break between morning and evening rounds on Saturday,
• Skip the Sunday morning round,
• Leave for home earlier on Sunday without giving up a game, or
• By electing a zero-point bye for round 5 and a half-point bye for round 6, play a two-day schedule on Friday and Saturday and still play four games.

See General Information above for more information about byes, especially relating to players’ responsibilities and potential forfeits.

Re-Entry Restrictions: Only players who play the Friday night round are eligible to re-enter. Players wishing to re-enter must do so before 8:45 am on Saturday, April 12. A player may re-enter the same section or any other UNDER section for which he or she satisfies the rating requirement. (Players may not withdraw from an UNDER section and re-enter a FIDE section even if their rating qualifies them for the FIDE section.) Players who re-enter must take the Friday night round as their zero-point bye for the re-entry and will abandon their original entry; only the re-entry will be carried forward into later rounds regardless of the first-round score related to either entry.

Equipment and Reporting Results: Players are expected to bring their own boards, sets and clocks. Scoresheets will be provided, but players are free to use their own scoresheets or scorebooks if they wish. Players are not required to provide a copy of their scoresheet to the tournament director.
Both players are responsible for making sure that the result of their game is recorded correctly on the posted pairing chart. This should be done promptly after the conclusion of their game. At the time when pairings must be generated for the next round, any missing result will be treated as a double forfeit. Please be conscientious about this to prevent confusion, frustration, delays, and skewed pairings.
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