Name: Third Annual Orlando Open  
Desc: The Third Annual Orlando Open is being organized by the Orlando Regional Chess Alliance (ORCA) and will be held at the Doctor Phillips Academic Commons building at the UCF Downtown campus located at 528 W. Livingston Street, Orlando. Free parking will be available on the 2nd and 3rd levels of the Parramore Parking Garage (323 N Parramore Avenue, Orlando) just a block away from the tournament site.

Check-in will be from 9:00 am-9:30 am on the day of the tournament, and the first round will begin at 9:45 am. There will be a lunch break after Round 2 and there will be an awards ceremony after round 5. We anticipate the tournament will be complete before 6 p.m.

This will be a five round Swiss format tournament with a time control of game in 30 minutes with a 5 second delay.

Schedule:
Round 1 - 9:45
Round 2 - 11:15
Lunch Break
Round 3 - 1:30
Round 4 - 3:00
Round 5 - 4:30
Awards Ceremony Immediately Following Round 5

There will be five sections:
1) Open USCF Rated ($60)
2) U1600 USCF Rated ($50)
3) Open Non-Rated ($30)
4) Scholastic USCF Rated ($30)
5) Scholastic U600 USCF Rated ($30).
If venue space permits, in-person registration will be available at the door until 9:15a for an additional $10 per section.

Prizes: Trophies, medals and/or other prizes will be awarded to top performers in every section. The Open and U1600 USCF Rated sections will have cash prizes. The cash prize pool will be $1600 based on 60 players registered for the Open & U1600 sections combined. $1000 is guaranteed.
Open Section Cash Prizes:
1st: $350
2nd: $200
3rd: $130
Best Under 1800: $125
Second Under 1800: $70

U1600 Section Cash Prizes:
1st: $300
2nd: $150
3rd: $110
Best Under 1200: $100
Second Under 1200: $65

Players in the Scholastic USCF Rated Sections must be in grades K-12 for the 2026-2027 school year, under 18 years old, and either unrated as of yet or rated under 1400 USCF. Unrated students in grades K-5 for the 2026-2027 school year may register for the U600 section. All players must have a valid, active USCF membership to play in all but the Non-Rated section. You can obtain or renew USCF membership with registration online, at the door, or directly from the USCF at uschess.org.

Players in the Open USCF Rated section must have a minimum USCF rating of 1400 or permission from the organizers. Unrated adults wishing to play in rated sections should contact the organizers for section placement. Unrated players do not qualify for "Under" prizes.

A $10 early bird discount will apply for registration by July 8th. A $5 early bird discount will apply until July 31, 2026. Cancellations will incur a $5 processing fee. Cancellations within 1 day of the event may forfeit their entry fee.

Registration will be capped when we reach the venue capacity, so please register early to guarantee your spot.

Chess sets and clocks will be provided for players in all sections.

These tiebreak systems will be used for non-monetary prize determinations when needed: 1. Modified Median, 2. Solkoff, 3. Cumulative, 4. Cumulative of Opposition. Explanations for these tiebreak methods can be found here.

All players in rated sections must have a valid, active USCF membership to play. You can obtain or renew USCF membership with registration online, at the door, or directly from the USCF at uschess.org.

The USCF Rating Supplement for August will be used for pairings and prizes. The highest of blitz, quick, or regular rating may be used at the tournament director's discretion. An unofficial rating may be used if the player is otherwise unrated or a foreign rating may be used by converting it with CCA’s formulas: https://www.chesstour.com/foreignratings.htm. Please disclose any foreign ratings to the organizer or directors before the tournament begins.



PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASE: By participating in our event you grant permission to the organizers to use photographs or videos of you that are taken in connection with the tournament in publications, news releases, online content, social media, or in other communications.

EMAIL POLICY: By registering for this event and providing your email address you grant permission to use the provided email address to communicate with you regarding the event or about future related activities. You may opt out of our email list by following the instructions included with each email.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES: During play, you may not possess cellphones, smart watches, or other devices capable of chess analysis or communication without the permission of a Director. Such devices may be stored in a bag near your table if they are fully powered down. A player who possesses or views a cellphone in a bathroom, or outside the tournament area during their game may have their game forfeited. To request an exception, such as for cell phone integrated medical devices, reach out to the organizers by email before the event or to a Tournament Director before the tournament begins.


Location: Doctor Phillips Academic Commons Building, UCF Downtown | 528 West Livingston Street, Orlando, FL, 32801
Starts: Saturday 08 Aug 2026
Ends: Saturday 08 Aug 2026
Reg Ends: Friday 07 Aug 2026 9:00PM
Rounds: 5
Organizer Name: Orlando Regional Chess Alliance
Organizer eMail: info@orcachess.com