2026 Reading Week Open

Published on by harthousechess

The Hart House Chess Club is pleased to announce the 2026 edition of our annual Reading Week Open held over the Family Day weekend from Saturday, February 14th to Monday, February 16th. With six different sections to accommodate varying skill levels, the tournament is suitable for everyone – from experienced players to those playing their first ever tournament. 

We are also running the Juniors section with a shorter time control, similar to the Junior section at the 205  Holidays Open. The Junior section is a separate event geared towards children (under the age of 18) rated U1500. 

Tournament Details

  • WHEN: February 14th to February 16th
  • WHERE: Hart House Great Hall (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto, ON)
  • ROUNDTIMES: 6-Round Swiss
    • Open: Saturday 10:00 am & 4:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, and Monday at 10:00 am & 4:00 pm
    • Juniors: Sunday 10:30 am, 12:30, 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm 
  • TIME CONTROL:
    • Open: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
    • Juniors: 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
  • SECTIONS:
    • Open: Crown, U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400 
    • Juniors: U1500
      • The Juniors section will be split into two pools if more than 20 players register. Pool compositions will be based on seedings as follows:  “Group 1 = players 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12…” and “Group 2 = players 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11…” We will avoid placing siblings in the same pool.
  • RATING: Sections will be determined using the highest of CFC or FIDE rating. All sections will be CFC rated. U1600 and above will also be FIDE rated. Crown section paired using FIDE ratings. 
  • EQUIPMENT: HHCC will supply all chess equipment.
  • FORFEIT TIME: Players who do not arrive within 30 minutes of the round start time will be forfeited.
  • BYES: Maximum 2 half-point byes in Rounds 1-4 if requested in advance before the start of Round 1. 
  • ORGANISER: Hart House Chess Club 
  • EMAIL: hhtournaments@gmail.com
  • CAPACITY:
    • 210 for Open, 200 spots available for registration
    • 40 for Juniors 

Registration – NOT OPEN

Online registration is available until Wednesday, February 11th, 11:59 PM. In-person and telephone registration is available through the Hart House Information Desk during Hart House Hours.

Entry Fees

Open: $70 by January 31st at 11:59 pm, $80 by February 11th at 11:59 pm. $100 cash-only onsite if space permits.

$35 discount for student members and unrated players (max one discount per player). Unrated players are not eligible for prizes. Free entry for IMs/WIMs/GMs/WGMs if registered by January 31st. Please email us for complete discount information.

Juniors: $40 by January 31st at 11:59 pm, $50 by February 11th at 11:59 pm. $60 onsite if space permits. No discounts for juniors. 

Playing up

Extra $20 to play up a section. Playing up is allowed only for players within 100 rating points of the section’s minimum rating. For example, a player in the Under 1600 section wanting to play up in the Under 1800 section must have a rating no lower than 1500. Play-up fees must be paid in cash on-site at the tournament.

No playing up to the Crown section. Players must be 2200+ CFC or 2000+ FIDE.

Other Info

  • DGT boards: HHCC will utilize DGT boards for portions of the Crown section.
  • CFC memberships: Registrants must be current CFC members or bring payment prior to playing — please visit https://chess.ca/membership-join for more info
  • Withdrawals: see FAQ below. 
  • New Players: review our New To Tournament Guide.
  • Parking: Parking is available at a daily rate; however, it is limited. Be prepared and come early to find parking.
  • Prize Payments: Any prize less than $100 will be paid via Gift Cards. Direct deposit is required for prizes above $100. All prizes will be payable via direct deposit on request. Please expect at least 1 week – 3 weeks for payments to be processed
  • Photography: By signing up, you permit HHCC the ability to take and use photos from the tournament on its social media. If you would not like your photo used, please email us.
  • Foreign Ratings: All participants must disclose all foreign ratings at time of registration or via email.
    Accessibility and Visitor Information: Hart House is an accessible building and conveniently located. For further details, visit Visitor Information and Accessibility.
  • TEAM PRIZE: $400 ($100 per player), teams of 4 players, representing at least 3 different sections. All individual scores will be added up to find the winning team. Register your teams in-person before Round 2.
  • Questions? Any question regarding the tournament, including registrations, must be sent to hhtournaments@gmail.com, not the Hart House Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I request a bye?

There is a field for noting byes in the registration form. If you have already registered but did not include a bye request, please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com with your full name, CFC ID, Section, and the round(s) you would like to request a bye for.

  • How do I avail the unrated player or titled player discount?

Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com with your full name and CFC ID. We will provide you with a discount code.

  • I only have a quick/provisional rating. Am I considered unrated?

Players with any sort of rating, whether active, quick, or only provisional, are NOT considered unrated for the purposes of a discount. The unrated discount is targeted specifically at players in their first rated tournament.

For pairings purposes, ratings are picked at arbiters’ discretion.

  • My rating has changed since I registered. What section will I be playing in?

Sections will be assigned based on the latest rating update prior to the tournament. If your rating is over the threshold for the section you registered in, we will automatically move you up.

  • Playing Up

Please indicate in the ‘Comments’ section of the registration form that you would like to play up. Players must be within 100 points of the section’s minimum rating in order to play up.

Play-up fee is $20 and must be paid in cash in-person.

  • Withdrawals and Refunds

Please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com AND cc hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca to let us know that you will be withdrawing. Full refunds are available up to 48 hours before tournament start time, 50% refunds are available up to 24 hours before tournament start time. No refunds will be provided if withdrawing within 24 hours of tournament start time, or after.

Last minute withdrawals, bye requests, inquiries, please email hhtournaments@gmail.com, and do not call Hart House.

  • Other Questions

For any other questions, please email us at hhtournaments@gmail.com