The CFCC 2027 Winter Open & Scholastic will take place in Orlando, Florida, from January 22–24, 2027. Organized by the Central Florida Chess Club (CFCC), the weekend tournament offers six US Chess-rated sections, two schedule options for the main event and a dedicated scholastic competition.

The Master/Expert and Class A sections are also FIDE rated, while the remaining sections count toward US Chess ratings. The main tournament consists of five Swiss rounds, with players able to choose either a three-day schedule beginning Friday evening or a two-day schedule beginning Saturday morning.

CFCC advertises a $9,000 prize fund based on 160 entries, with 60% guaranteed. A separate Saturday-night US Chess-rated Blitz tournament adds another $500 guaranteed prize fund.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The main event uses two schedule options.

Players on the two-day schedule merge into the main schedule beginning with Round 3 on Saturday evening.

The Master/Expert and Class A sections are FIDE rated in addition to US Chess rating. Players in those sections should make sure that their FIDE ID, federation and US Chess details are correct before the tournament.

Players eligible for a USA-flagged FIDE ID can request one through CFCC at:

https://forms.gle/fCCTis7WgtJEb2rv6

There is no charge for establishing a FIDE ID through this process.

🏆 Prize Fund

CFCC advertises:

$9,000 based on 160 entries, with 60% guaranteed.

Based on the published headline amount, the guaranteed minimum is therefore $5,400.

Master / Expert – 2000+

Class A – 1800–1999

Class B – 1600–1799

Class C – 1400–1599

Class D – Under 1400

Scholastic – Under 1200

Prize payouts are normally issued through Zelle. Players unable to receive Zelle payments may request a bank check from the Tournament Director before leaving the event.

👥 Sections / Groups

Master / Expert

Rating: 2000+
FIDE Rated: Yes
US Chess Rated: Yes

This is the top section of the tournament.

Class A

Rating: 1800–1999
FIDE Rated: Yes
US Chess Rated: Yes

Class B

Rating: 1600–1799
US Chess Rated: Yes

Class C

Rating: 1400–1599
US Chess Rated: Yes

Class D

Rating: Under 1400
US Chess Rated: Yes

Scholastic

Rating: Under 1200
US Chess Rated: Yes
Schedule: January 23–24 only

Playing Up

Rated players may normally play in a section whose lower rating boundary is within 100 rating points above their January 2027 US Chess published rating.

A player may request to move two sections above their normal rating section for an additional $100 play-up fee. This must be arranged with CFCC before the player’s first-round pairing.

Unrated players are limited to $100 in prizes, unless they enter the Master/Expert section.

📅 Schedule

3-Day Schedule

2-Day Schedule

Scholastic Schedule

All Scholastic rounds use G/60; d5.

Saturday Night Blitz

A separate US Chess-rated Open Blitz tournament begins after the final Round 3 game finishes on Saturday night, approximately 21:00–21:20.

Format: 4-round double-round Swiss
Time Control: G/3; d2
Entry Fee: $20
Prize Fund: $500 guaranteed
Grand Prix: 10 Enhanced Grand Prix points

Published Blitz prizes:

1st $150 · 2nd $100 · 3rd $72 · U1800 $70 · U1500 $60 · U1200 $48

The Blitz is open to all players with an active US Chess membership.

📝 Registration

An active US Chess membership is required.

Registration is available through the official CFCC tournament page:

https://www.centralflchess.org/cfcc-2027-winter-open-and-scholastic-weekend-tournament

Entry Fees

Online registration closes at 18:00 EST on Friday, January 22, 2027.

On-Site Registration

3-Day Schedule: Friday, January 22 · 17:00–18:00
2-Day Schedule & Scholastic: Saturday, January 23 · 09:00–10:00

Entries by US mail must be postmarked by January 8, 2027.

Titled Players

GM, WGM, IM and WIM players receive free entry. However, the regular $120 entry fee is deducted from any prize won.

Re-Entry

A player originally entered in the three-day schedule may re-enter on Saturday morning for a $60 re-entry fee.

Byes

Players may request a maximum of two half-point byes.

Bye requests must be confirmed with the Tournament Director before Round 2 is paired.

Cancellation

Withdrawal requests for a refund must reach:

info@centralflchess.org

no later than 18:00 EST on January 22, 2027.

Refunds are issued minus the original online-registration transaction fee.

👤 Organizer

Tournament Directors: Steven Vigil and Charles Hatherill.

Steven Vigil: +1 321 297 7087
Charles Hatherill: +1 702 743 0305

📍 Venue

Holiday Inn Resort Orlando–Lake Buena Vista – 13351 State Road 535, Orlando, FL 32821, United States.

The tournament is played inside the official hotel, allowing players staying under the CFCC room block to avoid travelling between accommodation and the playing hall.

The property is in Orlando’s Lake Buena Vista tourism district, close to Walt Disney World and Disney Springs.

The hotel has restaurants, Wi-Fi and extensive on-site parking.

🏨 Accommodation

CFCC has arranged an official tournament group rate at the playing hotel:

Holiday Inn Resort Orlando–Lake Buena Vista – $119 per night plus state and local taxes.

The tournament rate is available for stays from January 19–27, 2027, covering three nights before and three nights after the event.

Group Rate Benefits

Room Rate: $119/night + taxes
Wi-Fi: Included
Parking: Free under the tournament group arrangement
Resort Fee: 50% discounted to $15
Booking Deadline: January 8, 2027

Rooms remain subject to availability, so the organizer recommends booking before the deadline rather than assuming rooms will remain available until January 8.

Players should use the official Group Rate Reservations link on the CFCC tournament page.

The hotel’s normal public parking policy currently lists self-parking at $20 per day, so players should book through the tournament group offer if they want the published CFCC free-parking benefit.

🚆 How to Get There

From Orlando International Airport

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the primary airport for visiting players.

The tournament hotel is approximately 12.3 miles / 19.8 km from MCO.

The hotel does not provide an airport shuttle.

Taxi

Official airport taxis are available at:

Terminal A: Ground Transportation Level 1, spaces A22–A25
Terminal B: Ground Transportation Level 1, spaces B30–B34
Terminal C: Arrivals Level 6

Orlando International Airport currently estimates taxi travel to the Lake Buena Vista area at approximately $47–$55. Actual metered fares and January 2027 prices may differ.

Ride-Hailing

Uber, Lyft and other authorized ride-hailing services operate from MCO.

For normal arrivals:

Terminals A & B: Arrivals Level 2
Terminal C: Arrivals Level 6

For most tournament visitors travelling with luggage, a direct taxi or ride-hailing vehicle is the simplest airport-to-hotel option.

Shuttle Van

MCO also lists shared/private shuttle-van services to Lake Buena Vista, with indicative current airport pricing starting around $23–$37, depending on service type.

Rental Car

Rental-car companies operate directly at Orlando International Airport.

The tournament hotel has a large on-site parking facility. Players booking the CFCC hotel group rate receive the published free-parking benefit, while the hotel’s standard public self-parking rate is currently $20 per day.

Public Transportation

Public bus travel from MCO to Lake Buena Vista is possible and is cheaper than taxi or rideshare, but it requires substantially more time and may involve transfers.

For players carrying luggage or needing to arrive before registration or a scheduled round, direct ground transportation is the more practical option.

ℹ️ Other Information

Chess Sets & Clocks: Players are expected to bring their own chess set and clock.

Chess Store: Sets, clocks, books and other chess merchandise will be available at the on-site chess store on Saturday and Sunday.

Electronic Devices: Phones and smartwatches must be turned off inside the tournament room and kept in a bag or next to the board facing upward.

First Device Violation: 30 minutes is deducted from the player’s clock, or half of the player’s remaining time if less than 30 minutes remains.

Second Device Violation: Loss of the game.

Food & Beverages: Eating at the board is prohibited. Beverages are permitted.

Sunday Lecture: CFCC will hold a free chess lecture at 09:00 on Sunday morning.

CFCC Member Discount: Active CFCC members receive a $10 tournament discount; Junior/Senior membership receives a $5 discount. The discount is redeemed with the Tournament Director.

Prize Payment: Cash prizes are normally distributed through Zelle; a bank check may be requested when Zelle is unavailable.

Saturday Blitz Registration: Online Blitz entry closes at 19:00 EST on January 23, 2027.