Toronto's 165-Player Rapid Tops North America's September

The largest tournament we tracked in North America in September was a Toronto Chess Centre rapid on Sept. 27, the CYCC & OCC event at Stephen Lewis Secondary School. It had 165 players registered, well clear of anything else on the list. The next biggest field had 104.

That second spot went to COPA INDEPENDENCIA 2026Allende, a classical event in Mexico running Sept. 12 to 16. Third was the II Copa de Ajedrez Caribbean Chess Academy (Open) in Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic, a one-day rapid with 91 players on Sept. 27.

The rest of the top ten

Mexico’s FINAL CIRCUITO DE AJEDREZ AZTLÁN was fourth with 83 players, a rapid on Sept. 20 at the Monumento a la Revolución, organized by PILARES CDMX. In Costa Rica, CRChess Rapid y Blitz 2026 - Mall San Pedro drew 82 over Sept. 19 and 20 at Mall San Pedro in Montes de Oca.

Back in Canada, the Sep. 13 Canadian Junior Scholarship with OCC in Markham had 79 players in a rapid run by Chess4win. Guatemala’s Campeonato Departamental ADDAG 2027 - Absoluto followed with 78, a classical event on Sept. 25.

The 1er Torneo de Ajedrez Feria Universitaria UAA had 76 on Sept. 5. A second listing under the same name, run by the same university on the same day, had 50 players. They are separate entries on chess-results.

Two sections of the Gimnasiada Nacional FEMEDEES 2026 in Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo, ran Sept. 18 to 20: Sub 15 with 69 players and Sub 12 with 67. Both are classical. Between them sat Panama’s BOCAS CARIBBEAN OPEN, a classical event in Bocas del Toro on Sept. 5 to 7 with 68.

Ranks 12 to 20

The Copa Independencia name shows up four times in the top 20. Besides the Allende event, Guerrero had 66, Morelos 50, and Hidalgo 49. All are classical, and all list Roberto Navarro Segura as organizer.

The 1er Encuentro Escolar de Ajedrez Secundaria drew 61 on Sept. 29. A second Toronto Chess Centre Sept. 27 listing had 52 players, as did the 32nd anniversary tournament of the ITSM in Misantla on Sept. 28.

Guatemala’s Semifinal Departamental QuetzaltenangoLibre had 50 players and ran Sept. 25 to Oct. 4 at the Casa del Deportista. The II Campeonato Nacional “Reyes del Mar” Huatulco rounded out the list with 49 on Sept. 5 and 6.

The 20 entries split evenly, ten rapid and ten classical.