This show has closed (final performance June 21, 2026). The rush data below is kept for reference. See the closed shows archive for others.

Imperial Theatre · $49 rush · Box office open (10 AM weekdays/Sat, 12 PM Sun)Also available via Social Toaster lottery ($49).
Difficulty
Moderate
Suggested arrival
7:25 AM
Success rate
100%

Rush Strategy for Chess

Rushing Chess is a moderately competitive rush where showing up a couple of hours before the box office usually pays off. Across 35 community reports, the median reported arrival time is 8:30 AM. Arrive by 9:15 AM for a good chance at tickets. At box office open, reporters have counted a median of about 5 people already in line, so aim to beat that. Reported success rates are high (around 100% of confirmed reports walked away with tickets), which suggests supply has mostly kept up with the line. Saturdays have drawn the most reports, so expect heavier competition then; midweek tends to be easier. Rush tickets run $49 at the Imperial Theatre. Rush timing: box office open (10 am weekdays/sat, 12 pm sun). All figures are community-reported, not official box office policy.

Earliest Arrival
Earliest reported arrival: 1:45 AM

Based on 35 reports

Suggested Arrival
7:25 AM

~80% chance based on past winners

Arrival Time Over Time

Green = got ticket, red = didn't, gray = unknown

2026-03-262026-05-232026-05-312026-06-2112:00 AM5:00AM10:00AM3:00PM8:00PMBox office ~10 AMSuggested arrival
Got ticketMissedUnknown

Line Count at Box Office Open

Reported line size

2026-05-202026-05-282026-05-302026-06-170481216

When People Arrive

Reported arrivals by hour

1:00 AM6:00 AM7:00 AM8:00 AM9:00 AM10:00 AM11:00 AM1:00 PM6:00 PM036912

Arrival Range by Day

Earliest to latest reported arrival each day · ◆ = median

4:30 AM9:30 AM2:30 PM6:30 PMTueWedThuFriSatSun

Success Rate by Day

Which days have the highest success rate

Tue
-
3 reports
Wed
100%
8 reports
Thu
-
6 reports
Fri
100%
2 reports
Sat
100%
10 reports
Sun
100%
6 reports

All Reports

2026-03-26 (Thu)?
Arrived: 7:20 AM#1 in lineevening
2026-03-31 (Tue)?
Arrived: 8:30 AM#1 in lineevening

We were first at BVSC at 8:30am, around 6 right now at 9:50am. Counting about 15 at Chess right now. Between 10-15 at Giant

2026-04-18 (Sat)Yes
Arrived: 9:15 AM#14 in linematinee

I arrived at chess at 9:15am and ended up being 14th in line to the window. From what I could hear most were getting matinee. I got one seat for the evening performance. Thanks to Reddit I knew to tur

2026-04-18 (Sat)?
Arrived: 8:00#10 in lineevening

8:00 Outsiders- 10 8:32 Proof- 5 Giant- 6 Chess- 4 Operation Mincemeat- 4 Buena Vista Social Club- 0 Outsiders- 19 9:30 Proof- 10 Giant- 11 Chess- 16 Operation Mincemeat- 7 Buena Vista Social Club-

2026-05-12 (Tue)?
Arrived: 10:00 AM#19 in lineevening
2026-05-15 (Fri)Yes
Arrived: 6:00 PM#0 in lineevening

Went to Imperial at 6pm and was offered rush tickets. They said they had 2 left.

2026-05-16 (Sat)?
Arrived: 7:20 AM#7 in linematinee

7th in line at 7:20am. 3 at outsiders, 0 at mincemeat/BVSC.

2026-05-17 (Sun)?
Arrived: 11:00 AM#5 in linematinee

5 in line for Chess as of 11am.

2026-05-20 (Wed)?
Arrived: 9:05 AMLine: 4matinee

4 in line at 9:05 AM (line count observation from post body).

2026-05-20 (Wed)?
Arrived: 9:05 AMLine: 4matinee

Chess: 4 in line at 9:05

2026-05-23 (Sat)Yes
Arrived: 1:45 PMmatinee

Walked up at 1:45 for 2PM matinee, got $49 rush ticket

2026-05-23 (Sat)?
Arrived: 1:45matinee

Chess, I tried the box office on a whim at 1:45 for the 2 PM matinee and was sold a $49 ticket that said "RUSH". Not sure if it really was a Rush ticket, but assume so.

2026-05-24 (Sun)Yes
Arrived: 9:00 AM#3 in lineevening

9:00am outsiders-8 mincemeat-2 giant-0 chess-0 death becomes her-0 (first people showed up after 10:00) i was 3rd in line for stranger things a little after 9, but the two girls in front of me we

2026-05-27 (Wed)?
Arrived: 10:19evening

I also went to Death Becomes her after I left the Chess box office and the line was already done and I still got 2 rush tickets. Walked out of there around 10:19

2026-05-27 (Wed)?
Arrived: 7:40 AM#1 in lineevening

Chess 1st in line - 7:40am, 21 people at 9:35

2026-05-28 (Thu)?
Arrived: 9:02 AM#1 in lineevening

9:02am Mincemeat: 3 Outsiders: 13 (first person at 6:40am) Chess: 5 (9:07)

2026-05-28 (Thu)?
Arrived: Line: 7evening

7 in line for chess now

2026-05-28 (Thu)?
Arrived: Line: 10evening

Nobody at chess. 10 in line for outsiders

2026-05-30 (Sat)?
Arrived: 9:55Line: 15evening

About 15 in line at Giant as of 9:55. And when I walked by Chess it must have had 40-50 in line as of 9:55

2026-05-30 (Sat)?
Arrived: 9:06evening

15-20 at Chess, none at Buena Vista, ~10 at Outsiders, 7 at Giant, maybe 5-10 at Proof (hard to see from my spot) as of 9:06

2026-05-30 (Sat)?
Arrived: 7:40evening

I don't have exact numbers but there were a couple people on line at Chess and Giant when I walked by at 7:40. Four on line at Stranger Things at nearly 9 o'clock. Death Becomes Her is across the st

2026-05-31 (Sun)?
Arrived: 6:45evening

1 at Chess, 4 at Mincemeat. I’m online for Outsiders, and there are 9 people here. I got here at 6:45, the next person at 6:50, then 8, 9, and 9:30.

2026-05-31 (Sun)?
Arrived: 11:35evening

I got in line at Chess at about 11:35. I didn’t count, but probably 15 people in front of me. I got a $49 rush but upper mez.

2026-06-02 (Tue)?
Arrived: 8:20Line: 5evening

5 in line for Chess by 8:20, now at 9:53 there are around 23.

2026-06-03 (Wed)?
Arrived: 7:57evening

At 7:57: Buena Vista social club has no one, Outsiders has 3, Operation minecemeat has two, Chess has three Edit:  Update as of 8:08 Outsiders has 8

2026-06-03 (Wed)?
Arrived: 9:40 AMevening

9:40 am 16 at chess

2026-06-04 (Thu)?
Arrived: 6:30#1 in lineevening

Chess - First @ 6:30 - 2 @ 7:00 - 8 @ 9:00

2026-06-05 (Fri)Yes
Arrived: 6:30#1 in lineevening

Was 6th at Chess a bit after 8. 6-7 people got in line immediately after me. IIRC, the first person arrived at 6:30. The line was prettty long by the time the box office opened - not sure how many tic

2026-06-06 (Sat)Yes
Arrived: 9:15evening

got to chess at 9:15-ish and got a box seat for 2:00 show, the guy at the window wasn’t super helpful and i just got the box seat, even though its not a great view. walked across to outsiders for fun

2026-06-17 (Wed)Yes
Arrived: 8:00 AMLine: 3evening

Giant 3 at 8am 9 at 9am (ETA: Box office confirmed all rush seats are partial view. Not sold out so no standing room right now, suggested time to check in again is 4-5pm.) Chess next door looks

2026-06-17 (Wed)Yes
Arrived: 7:25#6 in lineevening

My friend got to Chess at 7:25 and was 6th. We got box seats. The line was around the block by 8:30/9

2026-06-18 (Thu)?
Arrived: 7:50evening

chess 6 @ 7:50 9 @ 8:05 outsiders  10 @ 8:20 bvsc  0 @ 8:20 proof  1 @ 8:30 operation mincemeat  4 @ 8:30  giant  6 @ 8:45

2026-06-20 (Sat)?
Arrived: 9:05 AM#6 in lineevening

Was 6th in line at Mincemeat at 9:05am, and got one ticket. Walked past Chess out of curiosity when I arrived and counted 46 people 

2026-06-21 (Sun)?
Arrived: 8:00 AM#18 in linematinee

Update on Chess: I arrived at 8am, was 18th in line, and they ran out of rush tickets about 4-5 people before me. After that the lowest price was $189 for the matinee show.

2026-06-21 (Sun)?
Arrived: 6:00 AMmatinee

Chess update: I was about 10th(?) in line and was able to get tickets for the matinee show! Got there at about 6AM and was terrified they would run out but it seems that they had extra since today was

DateDayPerformanceArrivalPositionLine at OpenGot TicketNotes
2026-03-26Thuevening7:20 AM#1-?-
2026-03-31Tueevening8:30 AM#1-?We were first at BVSC at 8:30am, around 6 right now at 9:50am. Counting about 15 at Chess right now. Between 10-15 at Giant
2026-04-18Satmatinee9:15 AM#14-YesI arrived at chess at 9:15am and ended up being 14th in line to the window. From what I could hear most were getting matinee. I got one seat for the evening performance. Thanks to Reddit I knew to tur
2026-04-18Satevening8:00#10-?8:00 Outsiders- 10 8:32 Proof- 5 Giant- 6 Chess- 4 Operation Mincemeat- 4 Buena Vista Social Club- 0 Outsiders- 19 9:30 Proof- 10 Giant- 11 Chess- 16 Operation Mincemeat- 7 Buena Vista Social Club-
2026-05-12Tueevening10:00 AM#19-?-
2026-05-15Frievening6:00 PM#0-YesWent to Imperial at 6pm and was offered rush tickets. They said they had 2 left.
2026-05-16Satmatinee7:20 AM#7-?7th in line at 7:20am. 3 at outsiders, 0 at mincemeat/BVSC.
2026-05-17Sunmatinee11:00 AM#5-?5 in line for Chess as of 11am.
2026-05-20Wedmatinee9:05 AM-4?4 in line at 9:05 AM (line count observation from post body).
2026-05-20Wedmatinee9:05 AM-4?Chess: 4 in line at 9:05
2026-05-23Satmatinee1:45 PM--YesWalked up at 1:45 for 2PM matinee, got $49 rush ticket
2026-05-23Satmatinee1:45--?Chess, I tried the box office on a whim at 1:45 for the 2 PM matinee and was sold a $49 ticket that said "RUSH". Not sure if it really was a Rush ticket, but assume so.
2026-05-24Sunevening9:00 AM#3-Yes9:00am outsiders-8 mincemeat-2 giant-0 chess-0 death becomes her-0 (first people showed up after 10:00) i was 3rd in line for stranger things a little after 9, but the two girls in front of me we
2026-05-27Wedevening10:19--?I also went to Death Becomes her after I left the Chess box office and the line was already done and I still got 2 rush tickets. Walked out of there around 10:19
2026-05-27Wedevening7:40 AM#1-?Chess 1st in line - 7:40am, 21 people at 9:35
2026-05-28Thuevening9:02 AM#1-?9:02am Mincemeat: 3 Outsiders: 13 (first person at 6:40am) Chess: 5 (9:07)
2026-05-28Thuevening-7?7 in line for chess now
2026-05-28Thuevening-10?Nobody at chess. 10 in line for outsiders
2026-05-30Satevening9:55-15?About 15 in line at Giant as of 9:55. And when I walked by Chess it must have had 40-50 in line as of 9:55
2026-05-30Satevening9:06--?15-20 at Chess, none at Buena Vista, ~10 at Outsiders, 7 at Giant, maybe 5-10 at Proof (hard to see from my spot) as of 9:06
2026-05-30Satevening7:40--?I don't have exact numbers but there were a couple people on line at Chess and Giant when I walked by at 7:40. Four on line at Stranger Things at nearly 9 o'clock. Death Becomes Her is across the st
2026-05-31Sunevening6:45--?1 at Chess, 4 at Mincemeat. I’m online for Outsiders, and there are 9 people here. I got here at 6:45, the next person at 6:50, then 8, 9, and 9:30.
2026-05-31Sunevening11:35--?I got in line at Chess at about 11:35. I didn’t count, but probably 15 people in front of me. I got a $49 rush but upper mez.
2026-06-02Tueevening8:20-5?5 in line for Chess by 8:20, now at 9:53 there are around 23.
2026-06-03Wedevening7:57--?At 7:57: Buena Vista social club has no one, Outsiders has 3, Operation minecemeat has two, Chess has three Edit:  Update as of 8:08 Outsiders has 8
2026-06-03Wedevening9:40 AM--?9:40 am 16 at chess
2026-06-04Thuevening6:30#1-?Chess - First @ 6:30 - 2 @ 7:00 - 8 @ 9:00
2026-06-05Frievening6:30#1-YesWas 6th at Chess a bit after 8. 6-7 people got in line immediately after me. IIRC, the first person arrived at 6:30. The line was prettty long by the time the box office opened - not sure how many tic
2026-06-06Satevening9:15--Yesgot to chess at 9:15-ish and got a box seat for 2:00 show, the guy at the window wasn’t super helpful and i just got the box seat, even though its not a great view. walked across to outsiders for fun
2026-06-17Wedevening8:00 AM-3YesGiant 3 at 8am 9 at 9am (ETA: Box office confirmed all rush seats are partial view. Not sold out so no standing room right now, suggested time to check in again is 4-5pm.) Chess next door looks
2026-06-17Wedevening7:25#6-YesMy friend got to Chess at 7:25 and was 6th. We got box seats. The line was around the block by 8:30/9
2026-06-18Thuevening7:50--?chess 6 @ 7:50 9 @ 8:05 outsiders  10 @ 8:20 bvsc  0 @ 8:20 proof  1 @ 8:30 operation mincemeat  4 @ 8:30  giant  6 @ 8:45
2026-06-20Satevening9:05 AM#6-?Was 6th in line at Mincemeat at 9:05am, and got one ticket. Walked past Chess out of curiosity when I arrived and counted 46 people 
2026-06-21Sunmatinee8:00 AM#18-?Update on Chess: I arrived at 8am, was 18th in line, and they ran out of rush tickets about 4-5 people before me. After that the lowest price was $189 for the matinee show.
2026-06-21Sunmatinee6:00 AM--?Chess update: I was about 10th(?) in line and was able to get tickets for the matinee show! Got there at about 6AM and was terrified they would run out but it seems that they had extra since today was

All data is community-reported and may not reflect actual conditions.

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