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Seasonal Calendar

A ChessVS season is 13 weeks of play plus a 1-week off-season. Here's the week-by-week rhythm so you always know what's coming. The calendar starts with Season 1; during the alpha, events are announced one at a time.

The 13-week season​

Infographic of the 13-week season, week by week. Week 1: the season opens with the collection drop, the Woodpusher Cup and the Banner Race opening at 50–50. Weeks 2 to 3: the Clubmate Invitational. Week 4: the Captain's Cup. Week 5: halfway week, with the Banner Race score so far, the next chapter of the Bitcoinia and Etheryst story and a featured Bitcoinia vs Etheryst match on stream. Week 6: the Mid-season cup. Week 7: the open-week Swiss. Week 8: a tournament with a minimum rating. Week 9: Banner Week, when every point counts double, draws included, plus the open-week Swiss; a team tournament joins this week in a later season. Weeks 10 to 11: the run-up to the championship, with the open-week Swiss each week. Week 12: the Elite Tournament, for players rated 1,400 or more. Week 13: the season championship, where the Banner Race closes. Then a 1-week off-season, 2 weeks once a year. Two lines show that the Banner Race runs all season and the ranked ladder runs weeks 1 to 13. The table below lists the same weeks.Infographic of the 13-week season, week by week. Week 1: the season opens with the collection drop, the Woodpusher Cup and the Banner Race opening at 50–50. Weeks 2 to 3: the Clubmate Invitational. Week 4: the Captain's Cup. Week 5: halfway week, with the Banner Race score so far, the next chapter of the Bitcoinia and Etheryst story and a featured Bitcoinia vs Etheryst match on stream. Week 6: the Mid-season cup. Week 7: the open-week Swiss. Week 8: a tournament with a minimum rating. Week 9: Banner Week, when every point counts double, draws included, plus the open-week Swiss; a team tournament joins this week in a later season. Weeks 10 to 11: the run-up to the championship, with the open-week Swiss each week. Week 12: the Elite Tournament, for players rated 1,400 or more. Week 13: the season championship, where the Banner Race closes. Then a 1-week off-season, 2 weeks once a year. Two lines show that the Banner Race runs all season and the ranked ladder runs weeks 1 to 13. The table below lists the same weeks.Infographic of the 13-week season, week by week. Week 1: the season opens with the collection drop, the Woodpusher Cup and the Banner Race opening at 50–50. Weeks 2 to 3: the Clubmate Invitational. Week 4: the Captain's Cup. Week 5: halfway week, with the Banner Race score so far, the next chapter of the Bitcoinia and Etheryst story and a featured Bitcoinia vs Etheryst match on stream. Week 6: the Mid-season cup. Week 7: the open-week Swiss. Week 8: a tournament with a minimum rating. Week 9: Banner Week, when every point counts double, draws included, plus the open-week Swiss; a team tournament joins this week in a later season. Weeks 10 to 11: the run-up to the championship, with the open-week Swiss each week. Week 12: the Elite Tournament, for players rated 1,400 or more. Week 13: the season championship, where the Banner Race closes. Then a 1-week off-season, 2 weeks once a year. Two lines show that the Banner Race runs all season and the ranked ladder runs weeks 1 to 13. The table below lists the same weeks.Infographic of the 13-week season, week by week. Week 1: the season opens with the collection drop, the Woodpusher Cup and the Banner Race opening at 50–50. Weeks 2 to 3: the Clubmate Invitational. Week 4: the Captain's Cup. Week 5: halfway week, with the Banner Race score so far, the next chapter of the Bitcoinia and Etheryst story and a featured Bitcoinia vs Etheryst match on stream. Week 6: the Mid-season cup. Week 7: the open-week Swiss. Week 8: a tournament with a minimum rating. Week 9: Banner Week, when every point counts double, draws included, plus the open-week Swiss; a team tournament joins this week in a later season. Weeks 10 to 11: the run-up to the championship, with the open-week Swiss each week. Week 12: the Elite Tournament, for players rated 1,400 or more. Week 13: the season championship, where the Banner Race closes. Then a 1-week off-season, 2 weeks once a year. Two lines show that the Banner Race runs all season and the ranked ladder runs weeks 1 to 13. The table below lists the same weeks.
WeekWhat's happening
1Collection drop · season opens · ranked ladder opens · the Banner Race opens at 50–50 · Woodpusher Cup, free and open to everyone
2–3Clubmate Invitational: one tournament played over two weeks, open to everyone. Swiss rounds, then a top-8 knockout
4Captain's Cup: a one-week tournament, open to everyone. Swiss rounds, then a top-16 double-elimination finish
5Halfway week: the Banner Race score so far, the next chapter of the Bitcoinia and Etheryst story, and a featured Bitcoinia vs Etheryst match on stream
6Mid-season cup: a week-long tournament open to every rating
7Ranked ladder continues · the open-week Swiss, open to everyone
8Tournament with a minimum rating (the bar is published with the event)
9Banner Week: wins and draws against the rival club count double · the open-week Swiss, open to everyone · a Bitcoinia vs Etheryst team tournament joins this week in a later season
10–11Ranked ladder: the run-up to the championship · the open-week Swiss each week, open to everyone
12Elite Tournament: the late-season event for players rated 1,400 or more
13Season championship: the season finale · the Banner Race closes on the championship stream, and the winning club's banner flies through the next season

The Banner Race runs all season between Bitcoinia and Etheryst. The Banner Race explains how it's scored.

The off-season week​

After week 13 comes a 7-day off-season. Once the full seasonal calendar arrives, Ranked play pauses for the week; Quick and Casual play stay open. During this week:

  • Season rankings and the Banner Race result are finalized.
  • Season rewards are earned automatically, so there's nothing to claim.
  • Your cards carry over to the next season; their uses reset at season end by rarity (see Battle Cards).
  • Feedback from the season is gathered for the next one.
  • New season content is deployed and patch notes are published; the next season goes live at the end of the week.

The year-end extended off-season​

Once a year, after the final season of the year (every fourth season), the off-season extends to two weeks instead of one. This gives time for the year retrospective and lets the next year's roadmap be announced properly.

Tips for using the calendar​

  • Week 1 is the best time to grab the new collection as soon as it drops. The Banner Race starts the same day: every ranked or tournament game you win against the rival club scores for your club.
  • Weeks 1–4, 6, 8, 12 and 13 are your tournament checkpoints, and weeks 7, 9, 10 and 11 each have the open-week Swiss. Plan your loadout around them. (A Bitcoinia vs Etheryst team tournament joins week 9 in a later season.)
  • Week 9 is Banner Week: wins and draws against the rival club count double, so it's the week to play for your club.
  • Finish your seasonal goals by week 13: the season's ELO-gain leaderboard and the Banner Race both close when it ends.

Next step​

→ How Seasons Work