Ecuador's Atahualpa Twins Top a 114-Event October

October brings 114 tracked tournaments across South America, and the biggest fields by a clear margin sit in Quito. The II ESCOLAR INTERNACIONAL ATAHUALPA 0961250558 runs October 22-25 with 174 players registered, organized by the Fundacion Nacional Ecuatoriana.

Right alongside it, the same organization runs the II TORNEO INTERNACIONAL ATAHUALPA 0961250558 from October 20-25, drawing 144 players. Between the two events, Quito hosts well over 300 competitors in a single week, making it the continent’s clear hub for the month.

Argentina’s biggest draw is smaller in scale but still notable. The IV Rapido y III Blitz Sub-2200 Ciudad de Chascomus takes place October 3 in Soler 336, capping the field at players rated under 2200 and pulling in 111 entries for a one-day rapid and blitz combination.

Brazil’s largest listed field this month comes from a schools circuit rather than an open tournament. The CIRCUITO SESC DE XADREZ PR-2026 - Etapa Maringá rapid event on October 3 has 102 players registered, with a sister section at the same venue adding another 94.

For players chasing prize money, the V Manaus Chess Open stands out. Running October 10-17 in Manaus under classical time control, it carries a listed prize pool of R$85,000, organized by the Federação Amazonense de Xadrez, with 88 players registered so far.

Argentina also has a longer classical event worth watching outside the capital. The 2° Abierto Internacional del Valle Medio - Río Negro runs October 9-12 in Choele Choel, drawing 72 players to a four-day classical schedule organized by the local club.

Brazil’s Genius academy in Itajubá keeps up a busy autumn calendar too. Its Aberto do Brasil STD - Cidade de Itajubá classical event, October 9-12, has 52 players registered, while the club’s one-day Circuito das Estações GENIUS 2026 - Etapa Primavera rapid on October 17 has drawn the same number.

For a look back at how August’s fields actually shaped up across the continent, see how Brazil’s biggest August tournaments played out. Registration numbers for several October events, including entries in Colombia, Peru and Venezuela, were still at zero at the time of this report and worth checking closer to their start dates.