The event
The spirit of a Grand Prix. Chess edition.
Open to all, truly. Every Labour Day weekend, Montréal brings together players, families and the curious of every generation around a game of rare elegance. Come to play, from a first tournament to the international circuit. Or come simply to watch.
When
Every year, Labour Day weekend
How long
Three to four days, depending on the edition
Where
Montréal
In 2026: Collège Stanislas, Outremont · parking on site · Outremont metro
Who for
Players and spectators, every age
Prizes
Thousands of dollars
Registration
Online, on ChessPass
Sophisticated, never pretentious
Chess has always had style. What changed is that everyone noticed.
The tension of a Grand Prix
Montréal knows how to host Formula 1. Here there are no engines: hours of precision, decisions made against the clock, and a whole room holding its breath over the top boards.
The Queen's Gambit, for real
The series brought chess back into popular culture. Montréal did not wait for Netflix: the city has hosted tournaments for generations, and the Quebec Open was already being played here in 1965.
Every generation, one board
An eight-year-old, a student, a retiree, a grandmaster: same rules, same clock. Few places let every generation compete as equals.
Style, without the dress code
Chess is once again a mark of culture and elegance, from fashion magazines to chess nights with a DJ. We keep the refinement and check the pretension at the door. Come as you are.
Playing? There is a seat for you
The Open is not reserved for the strong. It is open, full stop. Everyone plays opponents at their own level.
Just starting out
First tournament? Perfect. There is a section for you, a team to answer your questions, and nobody judging you if you forget to press the clock.
Club player
You play on Tuesday nights and want to test yourself against new faces. Three days of real games against people at your level.
Young players and families
From six-year-olds to ambitious teenagers. Parents have their place, and kids have role models at the next table.
Competitors and titled players
The Open section, FIDE-rated games, titled opponents. Everything you need to go after rating points.
You do not have to play to live the Open
The Open is open to spectators too. Come see the most intense side of chess up close, with family, with friends or on your own.
The top boards
Follow the games of the strongest players in each section and feel the tension build, move by move.
Familiar faces
Titled players and chess content creators: the Open is your chance to meet, in person, the people you follow online.
The closing ceremony
Trophies, applause, photos with giant pieces. The moment the whole room comes together.
Everything around the boards
Evening blitz, the analysis room, booths and coffee: enough to fill a day without ever touching a clock.
A spectator area is set aside. In the playing hall, silence is the rule, and that is exactly what makes the atmosphere electric.
Sections that fit you
The tournament is split into sections by rating band, so every game is a real game. Sections vary from one edition to the next. These were the 2026 sections.
Open
For titles and the ambitious
U2200
Experts
U2000
Class A
U1800
Class B
U1500
Class C
U1000
Rising players
International or local: your call
FIDE rated
Some sections count toward the international FIDE rating. Your result goes on the official FIDE list, the same one the grandmasters are on.
Rated locally
Prefer a gentler league? Other sections are rated locally, by the FQE and the CFC. Less pressure, just as much fun, and real progress.
Entry fees depend on your section and on when you register: the earlier, the cheaper. The live price is always the one shown on ChessPass.
How it works
01
You register
On ChessPass, in two minutes. Pick your section, pay, done.
02
You arrive
Check in on site and your board is waiting. Pairings show up on your phone.
03
You play
Swiss system, at least five rounds of classical chess, usually two a day. In 2026: 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move.
04
Between rounds
Analysis room, side events, coffee. Replay the game, meet people.
05
The prize giving
Closing ceremony after the last round. Prizes go straight into your ChessPass wallet.
Prizes that match the stakes
The Montréal Open pays out thousands of dollars in prizes, spread across every section, not just the Open. The pot grows with the number of players.
Exact amounts for each edition are published on the ChessPass tournament page as registrations come in.
Team prizes, on top
Form a team of 2 to 4 players across any sections. Team prizes are separate from individual prizes: extra money, not instead.
More than a tournament: a whole world
Chess cuts across countries, ages and walks of life. Around the playing hall, the side events invite you to explore everything that orbits the game: the stories, the people, the ecosystem.
Blitz
Fast evening games for anyone who never gets enough. Pure adrenaline.
Analysis room
Replay the game with your opponent, a coach, or a stranger who saw the combination before you did.
The whole ecosystem
Players from every background, coaches, arbiters, organizers. The chess world under one roof.
Booths and partners
Partners, academies and chess organizations: enough to keep the weekend going long after the last round.
Powered by ChessPass
The whole experience runs on ChessPass, the Blitz Bishops platform. For you, that means zero paperwork:
Register in 2 minutes
Pick your section, pay, done.
Instant refunds
Plans changed? One tap and your money is back.
Live ratings
Your FQE and CFC ratings, updated in real time.
Prizes paid instantly
Win money? It hits your wallet immediately.
FQE / CFC memberships
Renew your federation membership right in the app.