SP Open Juniors School Chess Circuit 2026 – Stage 5 takes place in São Paulo on November 7. GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian directs four school-age rapid sections at Colégio Augusto Laranja. Moreover, the grouped event separates pupils by school year while keeping one venue and operational schedule.
Every section uses six Swiss rounds with 12 minutes plus three seconds per move. The organizer lists Brazilian national rapid rating. Therefore, families should select the correct school-year group and verify the participant’s school information before the first pairing.
NA Anderson Willians serves as chief arbiter in the tournament records. In addition, the four files cover elementary-school years 1–3, years 4–6, years 7–9, and secondary school. The final organizer notice should confirm the entry fee, attendance deadline, awards, and exact timetable.
📌 Event Details
| 📅 Date | November 7, 2026 |
| 🌍 Location | São Paulo, Brazil |
| 📍 Venue | Colégio Augusto Laranja – Rua dos Chanés 205, Moema, São Paulo, SP 04087-031, Brazil |
| 🏢 Organizer / Director | GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian |
| ⚖️ Chief Arbiter | NA Anderson Willians |
| ♟️ Format | Four school-year Swiss rapid sections |
| 🔢 Rounds | 6 in each group |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 12 minutes plus 3 seconds per move |
| 📊 Rating | Brazilian national rapid rating |
| 🔗 Chess-Results – Group A | https://chess-results.com/tnr1336730.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🔗 Chess-Results – Group B | https://chess-results.com/tnr1336731.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🔗 Chess-Results – Group C | https://chess-results.com/tnr1336732.aspx?lan=1 |
| 🔗 Chess-Results – Group D | https://chess-results.com/tnr1336733.aspx?lan=1 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Every group uses six Swiss rounds at 12+3. Consequently, the competition provides a compact school rapid format.
The organizer lists national rapid rating. Therefore, families should confirm each child’s federation data, school year, and group before Round 1.
The four sections use separate pairings and standings. Moreover, a player should not switch groups without formal organizer approval.
🏆 Awards
The accessible official records do not publish one complete fixed cash-prize schedule for Stage 5. Therefore, the dedicated prize-fund field remains blank.
The school circuit may provide trophies, medals, or stage points. Families should use the final organizer announcement for exact awards and circuit classification.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section / Category | Eligibility | Format / Award |
|---|---|---|
| Group A | Elementary school years 1, 2, and 3 | Six-round Swiss, 12+3 |
| Group B | Elementary school years 4, 5, and 6 | Six-round Swiss, 12+3 |
| Group C | Elementary school years 7, 8, and 9 | Six-round Swiss, 12+3 |
| Group D | Secondary-school students | Six-round Swiss, 12+3 |
The organizer’s latest regulations determine final eligibility and award allocation. Therefore, participants should report any incorrect section or category before the first round.
🗓️ Schedule
The verified sources confirm the event dates and playing structure but do not yet publish one complete round-by-round timetable.
Therefore, participants should request the final check-in, first-round, break, last-round, and awards times before booking restricted travel.
📝 Registration
Families should register through the current SP Open organizer channel and choose the correct school-year group. They should wait for confirmation before travel.
Moreover, parents should verify the entry fee, payment, attendance deadline, required school information, photography policy, and final round timetable.
👤 Organizer
GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian directs the school circuit stage. NA Anderson Willians appears as chief arbiter in the official tournament records.
The four groups share one school venue and date. Consequently, a grouped page avoids duplicate logistical information while keeping each age band clear.
📍 Venue
Colégio Augusto Laranja – Rua dos Chanés 205, Moema, São Paulo, SP 04087-031, Brazil.
The private school hosts the four competition groups in Moema. Moreover, the location lies near major roads and public-transport connections.
Families should confirm the school entrance, parking, and spectator areas. Therefore, they should arrive before the attendance deadline and follow event signage.
🚗 How to Get There
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| By Metro | Use the São Paulo Metro toward Moema or Eucaliptos, then continue on foot, by bus, or taxi to Rua dos Chanés. |
| By city bus | Check current SPTrans routes and the nearest stop to Rua dos Chanés 205. |
| By car | Enter the complete school address and confirm whether participant parking is available. |
| From Congonhas Airport | Continue by taxi, rideshare, or local bus; the school lies within the broader Moema area. |
| Family pickup | Confirm the Stage 5 awards time before arranging collection because the full timetable remains in the final notice. |
Transport schedules, road conditions, and parking rules can change. Therefore, participants should verify the route shortly before departure and retain the organizer’s contact details.
🏨 Accommodation Near the Venue
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Bourbon São Paulo Ibirapuera Convention Hotel | A Moema-area option with onward walking, taxi, or bus access. |
| Melia Ibirapuera | Another Moema option. Confirm the route to Rua dos Chanés. |
| ibis São Paulo Ibirapuera | A practical city option with onward local transport. |
Accommodation is not included unless the organizer confirms otherwise. Consequently, players should verify price, availability, cancellation terms, breakfast hours, and the exact venue transfer directly with the property.
ℹ️ Other Information
- Four school-year groups form Stage 5.
- Every group contains six Swiss rounds.
- The time control is 12+3.
- The event lists Brazilian national rapid rating.
- School-year placement must be correct before Round 1.
- The complete fee and prize schedule remains unpublished.
- Parents should verify the final timetable.
- All four groups share Colégio Augusto Laranja.
✅ Final Checks Before Travel
Before departure, participants should recheck the accepted-player list, current regulations, venue address, and organizer messages. Moreover, they should save the route and leave enough time for attendance confirmation.
Tournament information can change as registration closes. Therefore, the latest official notice takes priority over preliminary listings. In addition, players should reconfirm round times, section placement, fees, awards, and transport shortly before the event.
Finally, visitors should keep the organizer’s contact details available during the journey. Consequently, they can resolve a delayed connection, room change, or entry question without relying on an older document.
🧭 Practical Tournament Planning
Players should store the official links offline before travel. Moreover, they should take a screenshot of their accepted entry and note the tournament contact.
A compact tournament can still require a full day away from home. Therefore, participants should prepare water, permitted snacks, medication, charging arrangements, and a realistic return plan.
In addition, every player should check the current Laws of Chess and the event-specific electronic-device policy. Consequently, phones and smart devices should remain switched off and stored exactly as the arbiter instructs.
🔗 Official Resources
Additional Details
Organizer
♟️ About SP Open
SP Open is a chess tournament organizer based in São Paulo, Brazil. The organization began with a goal to introduce a competitive format that gave players across several rating levels realistic opportunities to compete for prizes and leading positions. In April 2014, SP Open launched its first classical tournament. The event attracted 109 players and distributed R$10,000 in prizes. This successful debut helped establish the SP Open name within the Brazilian chess community and created a foundation for larger festivals and specialized competitions.
In February 2015, the organization held its first SP Open Chess Festival. The program combined the second SP Open Classical tournament, which attracted 131 players, with the first SP Open Juniors school tournament, which welcomed 99 students. Therefore, the festival brought together 230 participants across adult and scholastic competitions. SP Open continued to expand in the following years. Its second festival attracted 313 participants, while the third edition welcomed 356 players from 13 Brazilian states. Moreover, the organization held eight editions of the SP Open Classical tournament through 2019. Grandmaster Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian directs the events and plays a central role in their development, planning, and communication.
🏆 School Chess Circuit and Events
SP Open launched its school tournament program in 2015 and developed SP Open Juniors into a structured school chess circuit in 2017. The circuit serves elementary and secondary-school students from public and private schools. Players compete in categories based on their school year, while schools can also earn points toward team awards. In addition, the events encourage young players to develop concentration, confidence, fair play, and tournament experience. The 2026 SP Open Juniors School Chess Circuit includes five stages at Colégio Augusto Laranja in São Paulo. Each stage uses separate school-year groups and a rapid Swiss format. SP Open also publishes registration information, participant lists, results, photographs, and practical instructions through its official website and social-media channels. Consequently, parents, schools, teachers, and players can follow the circuit and prepare for each stage through one central source.
Hotels Near the Venue
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