Tournament Calendar
Connecticut Pilot Challenge 2026 · All times Eastern (America/New_York, EST/EDT) · Player Prizes · Official Rules
Program Week 1 begins Monday, November 30, 2026. Program weeks run consecutively Monday–Sunday. Matchups open Monday 10:00 a.m. ET and close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET. Bracket IDs are not week numbers.
Each matchup has two separate $100 prizes for two different eligible participants. Complete both cigar evaluations and all required matchup submissions before the matchup closes. A participant cannot win both prizes in the same matchup. If only one eligible participant exists, only one $100 prize is awarded. If there are none, no prize is awarded. Prizes are drawn after the matchup closes and eligibility is verified. Official Rules apply.
Stage Overview
Stage dates are an overview. Individual matchup closing deadlines control submissions and prize drawings.
Activation
November 16–29, 2026
Store setup, player registration and final checks.
Opening Round
Opens Mon Nov 30, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET · counter features Weeks 1–8 · closes in pairs Weeks 7–10 (Jan 17, 2027 – Feb 7, 2027, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET)
All eight Opening Round matchups open in Week 1. M01 + M02 close end of Week 7, M03 + M04 Week 8, M05 + M06 Week 9, M07 + M08 Week 10. Counts as one shop Top 7 stage.
Final 8
Earliest online openings Weeks 8–11 (Jan 18, 2027 – Feb 8, 2027, Monday 10:00 a.m. ET) · counter features Weeks 9–12 · closes Weeks 11–12 (Feb 14, 2027 – Feb 21, 2027, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET)
M09–M12 each open only after both feeder winners are verified. Early online access does not move the counter feature week. Counts as one shop Top 7 stage.
Final 4
Earliest online openings Weeks 12–13 · counter features Weeks 13–14 · close end of Week 15 (Mar 14, 2027, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET)
M13 (M09/M10 winners) and M14 (M11/M12 winners), each with verification and a prep week before its counter feature.
Championship
Earliest online opening Week 16 · counter feature Week 17 · close end of Week 18 (Apr 4, 2027, Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET)
M15 only (M13/M14 winners). 30 evaluation-completion points, 20 points for a correct prediction, and a possible 10-point original-selection bonus.
Program-Week Matchup Map
All eight Opening Round matchups open in Week 1. Counter-feature weeks are promotional. Closing weeks set each matchup’s published deadline (Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET). Later-round matchups stay pending until both feeder winners are verified; early online access does not move the counter-feature week.
| Bracket ID | Side | Opens (program week) | Counter feature | Closes (end of week) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M01 | Forged | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| M02 | Forged | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| M05 | General | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| M06 | General | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| M03 | Forged | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| M04 | Forged | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| M07 | General | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| M08 | General | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| M09 | Forged | 8 earliest | 9 | 11 |
| M10 | Forged | 9 earliest | 10 | 11 |
| M11 | General | 10 earliest | 11 | 12 |
| M12 | General | 11 earliest | 12 | 12 |
| M13 | Forged semifinal | 12 earliest | 13 | 15 |
| M14 | General semifinal | 13 earliest | 14 | 15 |
| M15 | Championship | 16 earliest | 17 | 18 |
Weekly Calendar
A
Activation
No public testing
Store setup, player registration and final checks before Week 1
Mon, Nov 16, 2026 – Sun, Nov 29, 2026 (ET)
1
Program Week 1
Counter feature: M01
All eight Opening Round matchups open Monday 10:00 a.m. ET
Mon, Nov 30, 2026 – Sun, Dec 6, 2026 (ET)
2
Program Week 2
Counter feature: M02
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Dec 7, 2026 – Sun, Dec 13, 2026 (ET)
3
Program Week 3
Counter feature: M05
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Dec 14, 2026 – Sun, Dec 20, 2026 (ET)
4
Program Week 4
Counter feature: M06
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Dec 21, 2026 – Sun, Dec 27, 2026 (ET)
5
Program Week 5
Counter feature: M03
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Dec 28, 2026 – Sun, Jan 3, 2027 (ET)
6
Program Week 6
Counter feature: M04
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Jan 4, 2027 – Sun, Jan 10, 2027 (ET)
7
Program Week 7
Counter feature: M07
M01 + M02 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Jan 11, 2027 – Sun, Jan 17, 2027 (ET)
8
Program Week 8
Counter feature: M08
Verify M01 + M02 winners · prep week for M09 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified) · M03 + M04 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Jan 18, 2027 – Sun, Jan 24, 2027 (ET)
9
Program Week 9
Counter feature: M09
Verify M03 + M04 winners · prep week for M10 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified) · M05 + M06 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Jan 25, 2027 – Sun, Jan 31, 2027 (ET)
10
Program Week 10
Counter feature: M10
Verify M05 + M06 winners · prep week for M11 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified) · M07 + M08 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Feb 1, 2027 – Sun, Feb 7, 2027 (ET)
11
Program Week 11
Counter feature: M11
Verify M07 + M08 winners · prep week for M12 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified) · M09 + M10 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Feb 8, 2027 – Sun, Feb 14, 2027 (ET)
12
Program Week 12
Counter feature: M12
Verify M09 + M10 winners · prep week for M13 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified) · M11 + M12 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Feb 15, 2027 – Sun, Feb 21, 2027 (ET)
13
Program Week 13
Counter feature: M13
Verify M11 + M12 winners · prep week for M14 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified)
Mon, Feb 22, 2027 – Sun, Feb 28, 2027 (ET)
14
Program Week 14
Counter feature: M14
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Mar 1, 2027 – Sun, Mar 7, 2027 (ET)
15
Program Week 15
No new counter feature
M13 + M14 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Mar 8, 2027 – Sun, Mar 14, 2027 (ET)
16
Program Week 16
No new counter feature
Verify M13 + M14 winners · prep week for M15 (may open online from Monday 10:00 a.m. ET once both feeder winners are verified)
Mon, Mar 15, 2027 – Sun, Mar 21, 2027 (ET)
17
Program Week 17
Counter feature: M15
Voting continues for matchups already open
Mon, Mar 22, 2027 – Sun, Mar 28, 2027 (ET)
18
Program Week 18
No new counter feature
M15 close Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET
Mon, Mar 29, 2027 – Sun, Apr 4, 2027 (ET)
Matchup Windows
Each row shows opening, counter feature and closing separately. Announcement delay does not extend the published deadline or reopen submissions. No M16 / no third-place matchup.
M01
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Nov 30, 2026 – Dec 6, 2026 (Week 1)
Closes: Sun, Jan 17, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 7)
M02
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Dec 7, 2026 – Dec 13, 2026 (Week 2)
Closes: Sun, Jan 17, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 7)
M03
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Dec 28, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (Week 5)
Closes: Sun, Jan 24, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 8)
M04
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Jan 4, 2027 – Jan 10, 2027 (Week 6)
Closes: Sun, Jan 24, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 8)
M05
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Dec 14, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026 (Week 3)
Closes: Sun, Jan 31, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 9)
M06
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Dec 21, 2026 – Dec 27, 2026 (Week 4)
Closes: Sun, Jan 31, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 9)
M07
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Jan 11, 2027 – Jan 17, 2027 (Week 7)
Closes: Sun, Feb 7, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 10)
M08
Upcoming — opens Nov 30, 2026
Opens: Mon, Nov 30, 2026 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 1)
Counter feature: Jan 18, 2027 – Jan 24, 2027 (Week 8)
Closes: Sun, Feb 7, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 10)
M09
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Jan 18, 2027 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 8), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Jan 25, 2027 – Jan 31, 2027 (Week 9)
Closes: Sun, Feb 14, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 11)
M10
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Jan 25, 2027 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 9), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Feb 1, 2027 – Feb 7, 2027 (Week 10)
Closes: Sun, Feb 14, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 11)
M11
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Feb 1, 2027 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 10), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Feb 8, 2027 – Feb 14, 2027 (Week 11)
Closes: Sun, Feb 21, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 12)
M12
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Feb 8, 2027 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 11), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Feb 15, 2027 – Feb 21, 2027 (Week 12)
Closes: Sun, Feb 21, 2027 · 8:00 PM EST (end of Week 12)
M13
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Feb 15, 2027 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 12), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Feb 22, 2027 – Feb 28, 2027 (Week 13)
Closes: Sun, Mar 14, 2027 · 8:00 PM EDT (end of Week 15)
M14
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Feb 22, 2027 · 10:00 AM EST (Week 13), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Mar 1, 2027 – Mar 7, 2027 (Week 14)
Closes: Sun, Mar 14, 2027 · 8:00 PM EDT (end of Week 15)
M15
Upcoming — waiting on both verified feeder winners
Opens: Earliest Mon, Mar 15, 2027 · 10:00 AM EDT (Week 16), once both feeder winners are verified
Counter feature: Mar 22, 2027 – Mar 28, 2027 (Week 17)
Closes: Sun, Apr 4, 2027 · 8:00 PM EDT (end of Week 18)