Menlo Park Chess Club

Copa Del Menlo, Round One
2026-07-02 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
To honor the FIFA World Cup this summer we’ll hold our own Copa del Menlo the first three Thursdays in July (2nd, 9th, 16th), a quick-rated G/20;d3 event played in small Swiss sections of 6-8 players grouped by rating, with two games played per evening against the same opponent, one as white and one as black. With the World Cup in mind, this will also be a team event using the so-called “snake draft” to create teams of four or so players from each section in the tournament, with an added cash prize given to the top two teams based upon total team score (the sum or all team member scores).
Given the small sections and teams nature of this event it is paramount that players are able to play all three weeks of the tournament — no byes are available and we are not planning to hold a makeup round at this time, though that could change if sufficient people request it (July is a vacation month, after all). Full details follow:

Format: Small Swiss sections (groups of 6-8 players) based upon rating with two games against the same opponent per evening, one as white and one as black
Rounds: July 2nd, 9th and 16th with no makeup round planned for this event — games begin promptly at 7:00pm
Control: G/20;d3 (quick-rated games of 20 minutes per player plus a 3-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $20; PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12; Zelle: 650-400-6393; entire entry fee goes to the prize fund
Prizes: Based upon 32 entries and 8-player sections, each section will offer a $70 first, $40 second and $20 third prize with ties splitting the money while the top team will split $80 and the second-place team $40 (based on 4-person teams)
Byes: No byes are available for this event
Register: Please sign up in advance using the ‘Register’ button, above
Equipment: Boards, sets, clocks, score sheets and pens will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a digital clock if you prefer your own)
Membership: All tournament participants must be current US Chess members for the duration of the event
Rules: Our tournament chess rules summary is mandatory reading if you’re new to tournament play
Info: For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club
Social: Join our Facebook group or Google group to stay abreast of club news, tournaments and events

Copa del Menlo, Round Two
2026-07-09 19:00 - 21:00
To honor the FIFA World Cup this summer we’ll hold our own Copa del Menlo the first three Thursdays in July (2nd, 9th, 16th), a quick-rated G/20;d3 event played in small Swiss sections of 6-8 players grouped by rating, with two games played per evening against the same opponent, one as white and one as black. With the World Cup in mind, this will also be a team event using the so-called “snake draft” to create teams of four or so players from each section in the tournament, with an added cash prize given to the top two teams based upon total team score (the sum or all team member scores).
Given the small sections and teams nature of this event it is paramount that players are able to play all three weeks of the tournament — no byes are available and we are not planning to hold a makeup round at this time, though that could change if sufficient people request it (July is a vacation month, after all). Full details follow:

Format: Small Swiss sections (groups of 6-8 players) based upon rating with two games against the same opponent per evening, one as white and one as black
Rounds: July 2nd, 9th and 16th with no makeup round planned for this event — games begin promptly at 7:00pm
Control: G/20;d3 (quick-rated games of 20 minutes per player plus a 3-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $20; PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12; Zelle: 650-400-6393; entire entry fee goes to the prize fund
Prizes: Based upon 32 entries and 8-player sections, each section will offer a $70 first, $40 second and $20 third prize with ties splitting the money while the top team will split $80 and the second-place team $40 (based on 4-person teams)
Byes: No byes are available for this event
Register: Registrations closed after round one
Equipment: Boards, sets, clocks, score sheets and pens will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a digital clock if you prefer your own)
Membership: All tournament participants must be current US Chess members for the duration of the event
Rules: Our tournament chess rules summary is mandatory reading if you’re new to tournament play
Info: For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club
Social: Join our Facebook group or Google group to stay abreast of club news, tournaments and events

Copa del Menlo, Round Three
2026-07-16 19:00 - 21:00
