Chess A2Z Open Series at PCC – OCT 2026

The Portland Chess Club (PCC) was established in 1911 and has served as a center of chess in the Portland community for more than a century. PCC recently moved to a new home at Montgomery Park. To support PCC and help strengthen the local chess community, Chess A2Z will host a monthly Open & Scholastic Tournament Series at PCC, with 50% of the tournament profits donated to PCC. The series is designed for scholastic players who are ready for longer, more serious tournament games, while also welcoming adult players.

By playing in the series, participants are also directly supporting Portland Chess Club and helping this historic organization continue serving the Portland chess community for years to come.

• Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
• Venue: 2701 NW Vaughn St, Suite 133, Portland, OR 97210. The building has 24-hour, front desk security and lots of parking spaces. Please park in unmarked spots in the large lot to the West of the building and disregard signs that two-hour parking is enforced. We are in Suite 133 on the ground floor.

Sections

• Open Section (1200+ recommended; adults and scholastic players welcome)
• U1200 (scholastic players only)
• U800 (scholastic players only)

Players may play up one section, but may not play down.

Schedule

All sections will play a 4-round Swiss, G/45;d5.

• Round 1: 9:30 AM
• Round 2: 11:15 AM
• Round 3: 1:30 PM
• Round 4: 3:30 PM
• Awards: approximately 5:15 PM

Actual round and award times may vary slightly. There will be no on-site check-in. First-round pairings will be posted before the tournament begins. Please arrive early enough to locate your board and be seated before the scheduled start time. Round 1 will begin promptly at 9:30 AM.

Prizes

Open Section

• 1st Place: $100, 2nd Place: $60, 3rd Place: $40 (based on 40 paid entries, the prize fund is adjusted proportionally if there are a different number of paid players)
• Medals for players finishing with a plus or even score.
• Cash-prize winners may choose a trophy instead of the cash prize.

U1200 and U800

• Trophies for the top 5 finishers in each section.
• Medals for players finishing with a plus or even score.

Complimentary Entries

To help make tournament chess more accessible, Chess A2Z offers complimentary entries to scholastic players in the following groups:
• Female players
• Players from low-income families
• Players with a published USCF rating of 399 or below
• Players with a published USCF rating of 1200 or above
Complimentary entries are limited to the first 20 eligible registrations combined across all categories and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning approximately two months before the tournament.

Registration

Pre-registration only. No on-site registration.

US Chess Membership: All players must have a current US Chess membership. You may purchase one directly at (www.uschess.org) If you prefer, we are happy to assist. Simply complete this form and we will take care of it for you: https://chessa2z.org/8752

Photo Release: Chess A2Z may photograph or record portions of the tournament to celebrate our players and share highlights with our community. By registering, you grant permission for your child’s image to be used in educational or promotional materials. If you would prefer your child not appear in photos, please let us know — we are happy to accommodate.

Cancellation & refund policy: Please submit your withdrawal request through nachesshub.com. Once the withdrawal is complete, your refund will be processed in 2-4 business days. Please note that cancellations made on the day of the tournament are not eligible for a refund.

See you at the board!