2026 Season

Queensland Chess
Grand Prix

Uniting Queensland's chess community through classical rated tournaments across Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Regional Queensland

14
Tournaments
$5,400+
Prize Pool
Free
Entry for CAQ Members

Our Mission

Increase Participation

Boosting interest and engagement in classically rated tournaments across Queensland, fostering a vibrant chess community.

Regional Travel

Encouraging players in South-East Queensland to explore and participate in Regional Events throughout the state.

Statewide Unity

Motivating regional players to travel to other regions or South-East Queensland, creating a connected chess network.

2026 Tournament Calendar

14 premier events across Queensland. Earn points at each tournament based on location and performance.

April

Churchie International

Brisbane

Apr 30 – May 4

5 Points
May

Wendy Terry Memorial

Rothwell

May 23 - 24

5 Points
June • Regional

Bundaberg Open

Bundaberg

June 6 - 7

25 Points
June

Peninsula Open

Rothwell

June 27 - 28

5 Points
July

Gold Coast Open

Gold Coast

July 8 - 12

5 Points
July • Regional

North Queensland Open

Regional Venue

July 25 - 26

25 Points
August

Gold Cup

Rothwell

Aug 1 - 2

5 Points
August • Regional

Mackay Open

Mackay

Aug 22 - 23

25 Points
September • Regional

Great Barrier Reef Open

Cairns

Sept 5 - 6

25 Points
September

Nell van der Graaff Classic

Gold Coast

Sept 19 - 20

5 Points
September

Leo Wilkinson Memorial

Rothwell

Sept 26 - 27

5 Points
October • Regional

Darling Downs Open

Toowoomba

Oct 1 - 5

15 Points
November • Regional

Bundaberg Classic

Bundaberg

Nov 21 - 22

25 Points
December

Christmas Special

Rothwell

Dec 12 - 13

5 Points

Points System

Earn points through participation and performance. Regional events carry higher point values to encourage travel.

How Points Work

In each event, players receive:

Points Scored + Event Site Points

Your tournament performance points combined with location bonus points.

Location Bonuses

  • SEQ (Brisbane, Gold Coast) 5 pts
  • Toowoomba 15 pts
  • Bundaberg & North 25 pts

Calculation Example

Scenario A

Playing at Gold Coast Open

3.5
Points scored
+ 5
SEQ Bonus
= 8.5 pts
Scenario B

Playing at Bundaberg Open

4.0
Points scored
+ 25
Regional Bonus
= 29 pts
Scenario C

Playing at Darling Downs

3.0
Points scored
+ 15
Toowoomba Bonus
= 18 pts

Prize Structure

Multiple divisions ensure fair competition and reward players across all rating levels.

1st Place

$2,000

Overall Champion

2nd Place

$800

Runner-up

3rd Place

$600

Third Place

Rating Divisions

  • Under 2000 $400
  • Under 1600 $400
  • Under 1200 $400

Special Categories

Female Prize
$400
Senior Prize
$400

Total Prize Pool

Distributed across multiple divisions

$5,400+

Rules & Regulations

Membership Required

Entry is free and strictly restricted to CAQ Inc Members in good standing.

Tournament Standards

Events must be open to all participants, ACF-rated as either a "weekender" or "long weekender" with classical time controls.

Rating List

The March 2026 ACF rating list will be used for the entire year for division eligibility and prize qualifications.

Withdrawal Policy

Important: Unauthorized withdrawal from an event will result in total loss of all points for that player in that specific event.

2026 Calendar Additions

New events may be added to the 2026 calendar but must allow one month's notice for publicity purposes. No events may be added after September 30, 2026.

Ready to Compete?

Join the CAQ Queensland Chess Grand Prix and be part of Queensland's premier classical chess circuit.