About

Venue

The tournament will be hosted at Hart House, the historic neo-gothic student-centre at the University of Toronto. Hart House has served as the home of the Hart House Chess Club, the official chess club of the University of Toronto since the Club's establishment in 1895. More info about Hart House is available on wikipedia.

The main playing halls will be: Great Hall and the East Common Room, with a capacity of over 60 teams.

Tournament & Club History

Since 2003, the Canadian University Chess Championship is held to crown the best in Canadian university/collegiate chess. For past winners and more, view the tournament history.

Since its opening in 1919, Hart House has welcomed several world champions and has served as the venue for many Canadian Closed/Open tournaments. The Club regularly hosts the Holidays Open and Reading Week Open – two of the most prominent Toronto chess events. For further details about the Club’s history, read the Club History.

Entry fees & Registration Dates

December 19, 2025 is the last day to register online for a price of $100 per a four-player team ($125 for 5 players). Starting December 20, 2025, the registration fee increases to $120 per a four-player team ($150 for 5 players).

Registration Procedure

Online registration is accepted through Hart House Registration, the official registration platform of Hart House. Standard credit card methods are accepted. An account with Hart House Registration is required to complete registration.

Please ensure that the correct team size is selected (4 players or 5 players) as this affects pricing. 

Phone registration and support is available daily from 7 am - 11 pm to the Hart House Information Desk at 416-978-2452. 

Players shall have a CFC membership valid through the last day of the CUCC, or purchase such a membership or a single tournament membership. Players residing in Quebec shall have a CFC or FQE membership valid through the last day of the CUCC, or purchase such a membership or a tournament card. Memberships can be purchased online from the CFC/FQE. 

Please also include FIDE ratings for all players if applicable. 

Each team requires captain information, and team details for registering. 

Please ensure that the email provided for the Captain is accurate as it will be used to contact teams.

Accommodations

The following hotels are supporting our tournament with a preferred group rate. All are within 20 minute walking distance from Hart House.

Towns Inn Suites

Rooms are available at Towns Inn Suites, 620 Church Street, at the following online link: Luxury King Suite: $149 + tax per night (flat rate for up to 2 people) and Luxury Double Bed Suite: $159 + tax per night (flat rate for up to 4 people).  Please note that Towns Inn Suite has the following cancellation policy: Our cancellation policy allows free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to arrival. Cancellations made within 24 hours or no-shows are subject to a charge for the first night.

Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre

Rooms are available at Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre through the following link. Rates are $204 + tax per night (flat rate for up to 4 people). Please note that there is no cancellation allowed and teams who no-show will be accountable for paying any costs.

Contact

Club Inquiries: hhchess@studentorg.utoronto.ca

Tournament Email: info@cucc2026.ca.

Pre-Registered

View the full list of pre-registered players. Sort by teams, sections, and players.

Parking and Accessibility

Parking: Parking is available throughout the University of Toronto campus. 

Transportation: Hart House is within 10 minutes walking distance to two TTC stations, Museum and St. George (subway service). Frequent service is available every day, seven days a week. 

More information on parking and transportation to Hart House is available here.

Accessibility: Hart House is an accessible venue. For all accessibility-related inquiries, please visit our accessibility page. 

Photography and Media

U of T student photographers will take photographs, which will be available to all participants after the event. Those who do not want their photos taken are asked to email us before the event. Hart House and the University of Toronto media will also be invited and may take photos for University publicity/publication. 

Location

Hart House is conveniently located in Downtown Toronto and is ~10 minutes away from two TTC stations. It is also reachable from most GTA suburbs through public transit within an hour.

In addition, Hart House is situated within 2 minutes of Queen’s Park and King’s Circle, two well-known greenspaces for participants to rest and relax. In 2024, the University completed the Landmark Project, the University’s “boldest open-space project in the past 100 years”, making the University a greener, more walkable, and accessible campus.