Chess.com unveils the Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz tournament

Chess.com has revealed i Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz tournament, which serves as a tribute to the late American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky.

Organized by Charlotte Chess Center Foundationthe event will run from July 3 to 5, 2026 at the Marriott City Center Charlotte, North Carolina, US.

According to the official blog post, up to 300 players can register to compete in the Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz tournament along with grandmothers and creators.

Several top-ranked chess players will attend the event, including Wesley So (ranked eighth), Leinier Domínguez Perez (ranked 14th), Hikaru Nakamura (ranked second), and others.

Additionally, 10 content creators will also participate, including Levy’GothamChess‘ Rozman, Andrea and Alexandra Botez, Dina Belenkaya, and other famous Chess promoters.

Players will compete for a share of $50,000 (~£37,405) in prize money, which will be distributed across the Masters and Challenger divisions of both the Rapid and Blitz tournaments.

Players can submit an interest form through the Charlotte Chess Center website. Entry into the Challenger division will cost $250 (~£187), and the Masters division will cost $350 (~£261), although Grandmasters will get free entry. General and VIP spectator passes will open for registration closer to the event.

The tournament also marks the launch of the Naroditsky Memorial and Fellowship Fund. The campaign aims to increase $4m (~£2.9m) to support two efforts. The first one wants to establish a Naroditsky Memorial Blitz & Rapid Championship as an annual tournament. The second is the Naroditsky Fellowship, a scholarship program aimed at supporting young and talented chess players in the US.

The event will feature multiple tournaments throughout the weekend, each with its own format.

Rapid is a medium speed format that will start the event on July 3 and will be presented in a seven-round Swiss format. The Masters category awards 150 US Chess Federation Grand Prix points and is a FIDE Circuit event. The time control is 10 minutes, with five seconds added after each move.

The Blitz is a fast-paced format that will take place on the 4th of July, featuring an 11-round Swiss format. Time control is three minutes, with two seconds added to every move made. The top 10 players from the Masters division will advance to the Blitz Final on July 5.

The Blitz Final will pit the remaining players against each other in a single round-robin format, using the same time regulation rules. The winner of the Masters Blitz Final will receive $6,000 (~£4,490) for winning.

On July 5 there will be another event An invitation to creatorswhere Chess promoters will face each other in a single round-robin format. The time control format is similar to Blitz, with a three-minute game where two seconds are added for each move.