Calendar – Chess Nova Scotia

Cape Breton Open 2026

Aug 7 @ 6:00 pm – Aug 9 @ 7:30 pm

Cape Breton University

1250 Grand Lake Road

Sydney

Cape Breton. LeVert A and B rooms

Note: Participation in all Chess Nova Scotia events is subject to Government of Nova Scotia guidelines. See policy here. Participants must also abide by the Covid-19 policies of the event host.

If any player is experiencing symptoms of a cold or flu, consider wearing a mask or not attending the event, especially if you have a persistent cough. Please contact chesscapebreton@gmail.com if you have any questions about what to do if you’re experiencing symptoms.

When: August 7th, 2026 to August 9th, 2026

Where:

Cape Breton University, LeVert A and B rooms

1250 Grand Lake Road

Cape Breton Nova Scotia

Cost :

Adults (age 18 and over): $50

Seniors (age 65 and over): $40

Juniors (under age 18): $40

Map of Cape Breton University. Click on image to enlarge. Parking in section 1 and 2. Tournament site in section 16 (enter building via section 20). Passes available at the check-in desk for free parking.

Map of Cape Breton University. Parking in section 1 and 2. Tournament site in section 16 (enter building via section 20).

Contact: Donald Maclean

— chesscapebreton@gmail.com

You need a CFC membership to play. You can pay your CFC membership online at

www.chess.ca/en/players/membership-join/

no later than 5 pm the 5th of August.

Please ensure you have a CFC membership and that it is up to date before arriving at the tournament. The CFC has requested we no longer renew memberships onsite at the tournament, but instead have everyone register or renew their memberships online. If you need help, please reach out to us at chesscapebreton@gmail.com

You must send Donald Maclean an email chesscapebreton@gmail.com if you intend on playing, before Wednesday, August 5th, 6 p.m. Also provide your age and chess rating if you have one.

Date of tournament August 7-8-9 2026. Cape Breton University 1250 Grand Lake Road, Rooms LeVert A and B

Type: 5 round Swiss

Rounds

Rd 1 Friday August 7th, 6 p.m.

Rd 2 Saturday August 8th 10 a.m.

Rd 3 Saturday August 8th 4:30 p.m.

Rd 4 Sunday August 9th 9 a.m.

Rd 5 Sunday August 9th 3:30 p.m.

The reason the last rounds are earlier on Sunday is to give the out of town participants more daylight time to travel home after the tournament.

Prizes: Cash prizes will be awarded based on the number of entrees. The tournament winner will have their name engraved on the Cape Breton chess trophy.

Time Controls

Game in 90 minutes, with 30-second increments from start.

Byes: Up to two (2) half point byes are available but must be requested to the tournament director before the tournament begins or at the time of registration.

Forfeits: Players are required to play all five rounds unless the declared byes before hand. PLAYERS THAT DON’T SHOW UP will forfeit their game unless they have indicated a bye before in the beginning of the first round. the player who does not show will score a zero while his opponent will gain a point, for the game.

Also a player is expected to show up on time*** for the start of the round, as a courtesy to their opponent. If a player does not show up WITHIN AN HOUR AFTER A GAME STARTS the player will be forfeited for that round, i.e., they will earn a score of zero for the game and their opponent will earn a score of one point for the game.

Forced byes: in rounds where there is an uneven number of players a full point forced bye will be given to one player as determined by the pairing software.

Note: This tournament is subject to the Chess Nova Scotia Fair Play and Electronic Device policy. Updated: August 6th, 2026

Confirmed Participants (20) (Note: the ratings below are as of the date above and may not reflect the most recent CFC tournament results. Ratings are included here only to give potential tournament entrants an idea of who is playing and the level of competition to expect.)

Louis Fillmore (2111)

Kyle Creamer (2051)

Donald MacLean (1943)

Ken Cashin (1792)

Gilbert Bernard (1762)

Robert Black (1704)

Joseph Jewells (1661)

Joel Carleton (1643)

Ella Dubinsky (1549)

Matthias Bierenstiel (1589)

Liam Mailman (1483)

Skylar McDonald (1447)

Matthew Niznansky (1435)

Gabe Fitzpatrick (1347)

Rylan MacDonald (1337)

Sebastian Bock (1328)

Gavin Walsh (1301)

Zacc Paul (1193)

Mark Van Schaick (969)

Muhammad Zayyan Yousuf (769)

Maybe Participants (1)

Brian McKay (1825)

Accommodation Options: Here are several hotels in Sydney, which is about a 15-20 minute drive from Cape Breton University where the tournament is being held.

Make sure to double check the dates you’re booking for before submitting your reservation!

Holiday Inn Sydney:
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/sydney/yqyhi/hoteldetail

Hampton Inn by Hilton Sydney:
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/yqynshx-hampton-sydney/

Hearthstone Inn Sydney:
https://www.novascotia.com/places-to-stay/accommodations/hearthstone-inn-sydney/1271

Harborview Inn and Suites:
https://harbourviewinnsuites.com/

Travelodge by Wyndham Sydney:
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/en-ca/travelodge/sydney-nova-scotia/travelodge-sydney/overview

DGT LIVE GAMES, when available, will be viewable HERE.

CHESS-RESULTS PAIRINGS AND INFORMATION:

LABOUR DAY OPEN

LABOUR DAY OPEN (TBD) SECTION

Please read and follow all of the instructions below. Registration process:

Send an email message to Ken Cashin skcashin@outlook.com to tell him that you intend to play. This must be done before 6 p.m., Tuesday September 1st. Also provide your age and your chess rating, if you have one. This is the “pre-registration” step.
Purchase or renew your Chess Federation of Canada membership. You can do that online, here. Or, you could pay Ken Cashin for it onsite on the first day of the tournament. If you will be paying Ken Cashin for the CFC membership, please email him the registrant’s date of birth and home town.*** Payment method onsite for CFC membership is cash only ***
Check in at the registration desk before 5 p.m. on Friday September 4th and pay the tournament entry fee (see fees below). This you pay to Ken Cashin onsite at the tournament.*** Payment method for tournament entry fee is cash only ***

See the CHESS NOVA SCOTIA TOURNAMENT HEALTH PROTOCOL, HERE.

*** All players MUST check in at the reg desk well in advance of — ONE HOUR BEFORE — the start of the first round in order to be paired for the first round. This is so that the tournament director knows the players are on site and able to play in order to do the pairings and start the first round on time, for everyone’s benefit. Please follow the rules.

Note: If you expect to be late on the Friday of the tournament, then between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. you MUST contact Ken by email (skcashin@outlook.com) or cell phone or text (902 478-2359) to let him know. Still, even in this case, you must show up on site by 5:30 p.m. in order to be paired.

Also, if you determine that you cannot play in the tournament after all, you must let Ken know.

Date of tournament: September 4th to 6th, 2026

Location: Mount Saint Vincent University, 166 Bedford Highway, Halifax, N.S., McCain Centre, room 105/106. See building Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Learning on campus map here.

Tournament Director: Ken Cashin skcashin@outlook.com

Arbiter: Roger Langen

Type: Five round Swiss.

Check-in and Registration: Friday, September 4th, onsite, from 3:30 pm to 5 pm. Late registrants will be disqualified from playing in the first round. Do not be late.

Rounds:

Rd 1: Friday, September 4th, 6 p.m.
Rd 2: Saturday, September 5th, 10 a.m.
Rd 3: Saturday, September 5th, 4:30 p.m.
Rd 4: Sunday, September 6th, 9 a.m.
Rd 5: Sunday, September 6th, 3:30 p.m.

Note that the reason the games start a little earlier on Sunday is to give out-of-town participants more daylight time to travel home after the tournament.

Prizes: Cash prizes will be awarded, based on the number of entrants.

Time control: Game in 2 hours, with 30-second increments starting at move one. Note: if numbers warrant, the tournament will be run as a sectional; i.e., in two or more sections, determined by the ratings of the players.

Tournament Entry Fee:

Adults (age 18 and over): $50

Seniors (age 65 and over): $40

Juniors (under age 18): $40

Byes: Up to two (2) half-point byes are available, but must be requested to the tournament director before the tournament begins, i.e., either before or at the time of registration.

Forfeits: Players are required to play all five rounds unless they have declared byes beforehand, as indicated above. Unless they have declared a bye for a particular round, players who do not show up for a game will be forfeited for that game, i.e., they will earn a score of zero for the game and their opponent will earn a score of one point for the game.

Players who do not show up for their games will be automatically withdrawn from the tournament.

Also, a player is expected to show up on time for the start of the round, as a courtesy to their opponent. If a player does not show up within an hour after a game starts, the player will be forfeited for that round, i.e., they will earn a score of zero for the game and their opponent will earn a score of one point for the game.

Forced byes: In rounds where there is an uneven number of players, a full-point, forced bye will be given to one player, as determined by the pairing software.

*** Note: In addition to paying the tournament entry fee stated above, to participate in the tournament a player must be a member of the Chess Federation of Canada (CFC). The membership can be purchased online on the CFC site before the tournament, or can be paid to the tournament director onsite at time of registration.