Join the Excitement: Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship Kicks Off February 18!

Get Ready for the Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship!

February 18, 2026 – Chess enthusiasts, mark your calendars! The highly anticipated Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship is set to kick off on February 18 at 9 a.m. ET (15:00 CET / 7:30 p.m. IST), featuring an enticing $2,500 prize fund. This unique variant of chess invites players to indulge their most daring sacrificial instincts, as victory can be claimed by simply checking your opponent three times.

In the spirit of community engagement, this year’s qualifiers will span two days—February 18 and 19—making it easier for players to participate. Each day will host four qualifiers, running from 9 a.m. ET to 3:30 p.m. ET (21:30 CET / 2 a.m. IST +1).

Join the Action

Any Chess.com member can participate in the qualifiers. To join, simply visit the event’s schedule and click the Join button. Each qualifier will be a 75-minute arena with a 3+0 time control.

To ensure a fair playing environment, players may be required to join a video call during the qualifiers, setting up two cameras from different angles. Non-compliance will result in removal from the event, so be prepared!

The Road to the Finals

The winners of each qualifier will advance to the Final, a double-elimination knockout scheduled for February 20 at 1 p.m. ET (19:00 CET / 11:30 p.m. IST). Last year, FM Matfey Rogov claimed the title after a thrilling showdown against FM Vasilios Kasioumis, overcoming a first-match loss to secure victory with a dramatic 3-2 score in the Grand Final Reset.

Who Will Take the Crown?

As the Chess.com Community Championships cycle begins anew, the question looms: Will Rogov defend his title, or will a new challenger rise to claim the crown? Don’t miss the live broadcast of the final on our Twitch and YouTube channels!

Who are you rooting for in this year’s championship? Let us know in the comments below!