Announcements
Excited To Play? 3-Check Championship Starting Feb 18

Excited To Play? 3-Check Championship Starting Feb 18

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JuditSztaray
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Dear 3-Check Fans,

Get Ready for the 2026 Community 3-Check Chess Championship!

We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming Chess.com 3-Check Chess Championship, the second event of the 2026 Community Championships cycle! This fast-paced and wildly fun event starts February 18 and runs through February 20, featuring 3-Check chess, a variant where you can win not only by checkmate but also by checking your opponent’s king three times!

Event Dates

  • Qualifiers: February 18–19, with eight qualifying arenas
  • Finals: February 20, double-elimination knockout

Prize Fund
A $2,500 total prize fund, perfect for both new and experienced players seeking a competitive challenge.

Updated Schedule: Qualifiers Over Two Days

We heard your feedback! Instead of squeezing all eight qualifiers into a single day, this year we’ve split them across two days (Feb. 18-19). That means players who want to compete in multiple qualifiers won’t have to cram them all into a single marathon session, giving everyone more flexibility and a friendlier schedule to keep trying for a spot in the finals.

  • There are eight arena qualifiers.
  • Each qualifier is a 75-minute arena.
  • The time control is 3+0.
  • The winner of each arena qualifies for the Final.
  • Players who have already qualified for the final may not play in subsequent qualifiers.

Check out the complete schedule here.

The Finals on February 20 will be broadcast live for the community to watch!

  • Eight-player double-elimination knockout.
  • The time control is 3+0.
  • Each match consists of four games.
  • If the match ends in a tie, players contest 3+0 games until there's a winner.

Who Can Play?
Any Chess.com member is welcome to jump into the qualifiers — just head to the event schedule and hit Join for the times that work for you.

For more details, check out the event's full regulations. 

We look forward to seeing many returning variant fans and perhaps some new first-timers ready to make their mark!

Whether you’re a variant enthusiast or just looking for a fresh way to test your chess skills, the 3-Check Championship is a great opportunity to compete, learn, and have fun. Mark your calendars and start making your tactical plans now, and let those spite checks fly!