Summary
2025 Chess Tournament in Glendale $50,000 in Prizes.
Last updated Oct. 29, 2026. Visit Glendale CA is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the American Chess Academy, Southern California Chess Federation (SCCF), US Chess, King Registration, Hilton, Embassy Suites, the City of Glendale, or any tournament sponsor. Dates, fees, sections, and hotel rates change — always confirm on the organizer’s registration page before you book or travel.
Glendale has become a Labor Day chess destination. The 2025 Southern California Open — the SoCal / SoCA / California State Open many players still search as the “$50,000 Glendale chess tournament” — debuted at the Embassy Suites with a $50,000 prize fund. The 2026 edition returned at a larger Hilton venue with a $60,000 guaranteed purse and a record field. Organizers have already posted 2027 dates for a third Glendale year. This page is the visitor-facing recap: results, venues, parking, hotels, food, kids tips, and how to watch for registration.
- Event: Southern California Open (often searched as SoCal / SoCA / CA Open / “$50,000 Glendale chess tournament”)
- 2025 (debut): Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2025 · Embassy Suites, 800 N Central Ave · ~$50,000 prizes · 385 players (SCCF champions table)
- 2026 (completed): Sept. 4–7, 2026 · Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale, 100 W Glenoaks Blvd · $60,000 guaranteed · ~460 players on SCCF champions table / “almost 400” on SCCF home
- 2027 (announced): Aug. 25–29, 2027 · Hilton Glendale · $60,000 listed · details still updating on organizer site
- Organizers: American Chess Academy (Armen Ambartsoumian) with SCCF / dot818 partnership (city + organizer releases)
- Register / info: GlendalePlaysChess.com · King Registration when an event page is live · contact americanchessacademy@gmail.com · (818) 640-5974
- Stay & eat: Best hotels in Glendale · Hilton Glenoaks · Embassy Suites · Places to eat
Jump to:
Edition table ·
2027 dates ·
2026 results ·
2025 recap ($50,000) ·
Venue & parking ·
Hotels nearby ·
Where to eat ·
Kids & scholastic ·
Registration & requirements ·
FAQ ·
Sources
Edition table
| Year | Dates | Venue | Prize fund | Field (SCCF) | Open winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Aug. 25–29, 2027 | Hilton Glendale, 100 W Glenoaks Blvd | $60,000 listed (details updating) | 500+ expected (organizer site) | TBD |
| 2026 | Sept. 4–7, 2026 | Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale | $60,000 guaranteed (+ $2,000 blitz) | 49 Open / 460 total (champions table) | GM Aditya Sachin Samant (TB) & IM Sebastian Lukas Kostolansky, 5–1 |
| 2025 | Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2025 | Embassy Suites, 800 N Central Ave | $50,000 (+ $2,000 blitz side event) | 32 Open / 385 total | GM Viktor Matviishen, 5½–½ ($5,000 Open) |
Attendance and Open counts above come from the SCCF Southern California Open Champions table. City / organizer press copy often rounded 2025 to “more than 300” and 2026 to “almost 400” — both are consistent with the table’s totals.
2027 Southern California Open in Glendale
Status: Announced on the official Glendale Plays Chess site as the tournament’s third Glendale year.
Dates: August 25–29, 2027
Venue: Hilton Glendale — 100 West Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale, CA 91202 (same Hilton campus used in 2026)
Prize fund: $60,000 listed on the organizer landing page
Expected field: More than 500 players (organizer estimate)
Partners named on the site: dot818 with the City of Glendale, American Chess Academy, and SCCF
What is still TBA: The organizer notes that section/time-control/membership details on the page still reflect the 2026 event and will be updated when 2027 information is final. Hotel group-code booking and King Registration links were not live as of Oct. 29, 2026 — watch glendaleplayschess.com and ACA announcements.
Sources: Glendale Plays Chess · American Chess Academy
2026 Southern California Open — results & recap
Dates: Friday, Sept. 4 – Monday, Sept. 7, 2026 (Labor Day weekend)
Venue: Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale, 100 W Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale, CA 91202
Prize fund: $60,000 guaranteed main event; separate $2,000 guaranteed SoCal Blitz on Monday, Sept. 7
Format snapshot: 6-round Swiss; 4-day and 3-day schedules; main time control G/90;+30; 3-day rounds 1–2 at G/55;d5 then merge; seven sections (Open, U2300, U2100, U1900, U1700, U1500, U1300); US Chess membership required; SCCF membership required for Southern California residents; FIDE ID required in Open / U2300 / U2100
Open section: GM Aditya Sachin Samant and IM Sebastian Lukas Kostolansky both finished 5–1; Samant took the title/trophy on tiebreak per SCCF. King Registration standings show each earning $4,500 of the Open prizes. SCCF also highlighted WIM Munkhzul Davaakhuu winning U2300 and a strong University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) team showing.
Field size: SCCF champions table lists 49 Open players and 460 total; SCCF’s home recap called attendance “record-breaking” with “almost 400” participants across sections.
Broadcast: Top Open boards were live on Chess.com.
Hotel rate (2026): Group rate $195 with code AMA until Aug. 17, 2026 (King Registration / US Chess TLA) — historical for that year only.
Entry fees (2026, historical): Early bird $195 by May 31 → regular $228 by Aug. 17 → late $255 by Aug. 31 → last-minute $285 by 6 p.m. Sept. 3
Sources: King Registration — 2026 event · 2026 Open standings · US Chess TLA · SCCF home recap · SCCF champions · Chess.com broadcast · City of Glendale 2026 press release (Aug. 25–26, 2026)
2025 SoCal $50,000 Glendale chess tournament — recap
This is the edition most Google searches still mean when they query “2025 socal 50000 chess tournament glendale.”
Dates: Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2025
Venue: Embassy Suites Hotel, 800 N. Central Avenue, Glendale, CA 91203 — the event’s first year in Glendale after decades elsewhere
Prize fund: $50,000 main prizes, including a $2,000 guaranteed side blitz (US Chess / organizer materials)
Open champion: GM Viktor Matviishen (Ukraine) scored 5½/6, took first place and $5,000 plus the trophy (City of Glendale / dot818 / RadarChess)
Other section firsts published by the City of Glendale:
- U2300 co-champions: Vardan Khojayan & Matthew Spencer Shuben — $3,000 each
- U2100 co-champions: Hayk Sardaryan & Davit Simanovski — $3,000 each
- U1900: Jc Abadesco — $3,000
- U1700 co-champions: Sean Ting & Matthew Hajoon Choe — $2,250 each
- U1500: Patrick Lazaryants Harrigan — $2,000
- U1300: Adam Vega Crisostomo — $2,000
Field: City / organizer copy: more than 300 players; SCCF champions table: 385 total / 32 Open
Featured names in city coverage: GMs Fidel Corrales Jimenez, Viktor Matviishen, Arman Mikaelyan, Tigran L. Petrosian; WGM Tatev Abrahamyan
Organizers: American Chess Academy with SCCF and dot818 (city release)
Hotel code (2025, historical): Embassy Suites group code “ACA” (US Chess 2025 TLA)
Crosstable / live ratings archive: RadarChess 2025 Open standings · results spreadsheet linked historically from an earlier version of this page
Sources: US Chess 2025 TLA · dot818 recap · City of Glendale news release (2025 host / results) · SCCF champions · RadarChess
Venue, parking & getting there
2026 / 2027 venue — Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale
Address: 100 W Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale, CA 91202 · Front desk (818) 956-5466
Parking: On-site self-parking and valet are available for a fee (rates change; confirm with the hotel when you book). Tournament days can fill the garage — arrive early for morning rounds. See our Hilton Glenoaks hotel page for amenity notes.
Airports: Hollywood Burbank (BUR) is the closest commercial airport; LAX is farther via freeway or rideshare.
Neighborhood: North Glendale / Glenoaks corridor — a short drive to Brand Boulevard, the Americana, and downtown dining.
2025 venue — Embassy Suites by Hilton Los Angeles Glendale
Address: 800 N Central Ave, Glendale, CA 91203
Parking: Hilton lists self-parking only (published rate has been in the high-$20s/day range on our Embassy Suites guide — confirm current price). No valet. Covered / secured parking with in/out privileges noted on Hilton. Details: Embassy Suites Glendale.
Why it mattered: Two-room suites made the 2025 debut especially workable for families and out-of-town scholastic players sharing rooms.
Sources: King Registration / US Chess TLAs (venue addresses) · Visit Glendale CA hotel pages sourced from Hilton listings
Hotels near the chess tournament
Book early for Labor Day / late-August weekends — Glendale inventory tightens when the Open is in town.
- Play on-site: Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale (2026/2027 venue) — watch for the year’s group code on GlendalePlaysChess / King Registration
- 2025 host / downtown suites: Embassy Suites Glendale (800 N Central) — free cooked-to-order breakfast is a brand staple; confirm current offer
- Brand Boulevard boutique: The Glenmark (Tribute Portfolio) — walkable dining/nightlife
- Downtown practical: Hyatt Place Glendale, Hampton Inn & Suites, Residence Inn
Full comparison: Best Hotels in Glendale, CA.
Where to eat between rounds
Between morning and afternoon rounds you usually have a few hours — Glendale’s strength is quick, high-quality food within a short drive of either venue.
- From the Hilton (Glenoaks): Head south toward Brand / Americana for a wide mix, or stay near Glenoaks for faster sit-down options
- From Embassy Suites (Central Ave): Downtown Glendale, Galleria, and Americana are minutes away
- Local guide: Places to Eat in Glendale — Armenian, Korean, Mexican, coffee, and late options players actually use
Tournament halls often restrict outside food near boards — follow TD rules and keep phones out of the playing venue (FIDE / event rules emphasized in 2026 materials).
Kids, scholastic players & families
The Southern California Open is a rated open Swiss with rating-capped sections, not a separate K-12 scholastic nationals. That still makes it workable for serious juniors:
- Under-10 prize: 2026 prize list included a Best Under 10 prize ($300) plus Best Over 65 and unrated bonuses (King Registration)
- Sections: U1300 / U1500 / U1700 give developing players rated competition without facing the Open field
- Memberships: US Chess required for all; SCCF junior rate for SoCal residents under 18 (confirm current dues on scchess.com)
- Equipment: 2026 main event supplied sets; players had to bring clocks (bookstore on site). Blitz side event required bringing both set and clock
- Downtime: Parks and playgrounds if siblings tag along — see Parks in Glendale
- ACA local programming: American Chess Academy runs Glendale-area after-school and weekend events year-round (achessacademy.org)
Sources: King Registration 2026 prize / equipment notes · SCCF membership pages · ACA site
How registration usually works
2027: Watch GlendalePlaysChess.com for the live registration button. 2026 used King Registration (2026_SoCal_Open); that event page now shows as ended.
Typical requirements (confirm each year):
- US Chess membership — new.uschess.org/join-us-chess
- SCCF membership for Southern California residents — scchess.com/join_sccf.php
- FIDE ID for Open / U2300 / U2100 when those sections are FIDE-rated
- No phones in the playing venue (loss of game under FIDE Laws as stated in 2026 materials)
Organizer contact: Armen Ambartsoumian · American Chess Academy · americanchessacademy@gmail.com · (818) 640-5974
Start with hotels, bookmark places to eat, and check parks for family downtime. Corrections or tournament updates: contact us.
FAQ
When is the next Southern California Open in Glendale?
Organizers list the 2027 Southern California Open for August 25–29, 2027 at the Hilton Glendale (100 W Glenoaks Blvd), with a $60,000 prize fund on the Glendale Plays Chess site. Confirm dates and registration there before traveling — finer details were still marked as updating from the 2026 edition as of Oct. 29, 2026.
What was the 2025 SoCal $50,000 chess tournament in Glendale?
It was the 2025 Southern California Open, Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2025, at the Embassy Suites (800 N Central Ave) — the Open’s first Glendale year — with about $50,000 in prizes plus a $2,000 blitz side event. GM Viktor Matviishen won the Open section.
Who won the 2026 Southern California Open?
GM Aditya Sachin Samant and IM Sebastian Lukas Kostolansky both scored 5–1 in the Open; Samant received the title on tiebreak (SCCF). Final Open standings and prizes are posted on King Registration.
Where is the Glendale chess tournament held?
2025 used the Embassy Suites at 800 N Central Ave. 2026 and the announced 2027 edition use the Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale at 100 W Glenoaks Blvd.
Do I need a membership to play?
Yes for rated sections: US Chess membership for all players, plus SCCF membership if you are a Southern California resident (per recent TLAs). Open / U2300 / U2100 also required a FIDE ID in 2026.
Is there a kids or scholastic section?
The Open is a multi-section rated Swiss (including U1300–U1900), not a separate scholastic nationals. Juniors commonly play in the lower sections; 2026 also listed a Best Under 10 prize. Check ACA and SCCF calendars for dedicated youth events in Glendale.
Where should out-of-town players stay and eat?
Stay at the host hotel when a group rate is offered, or use our Glendale hotels guide. For food between rounds, see Places to Eat in Glendale.
Sources
- Glendale Plays Chess — 2027 announcement & registration hub
- King Registration — 2026 Southern California Open (event page)
- King Registration — 2026 Open standings & prizes
- US Chess — 2026 Southern California Open TLA
- US Chess — 2025 Southern California Open TLA
- SCCF — Southern California Open Champions (attendance & winners)
- SCCF Home — 2026 “UTD Dominates SoCal Open” recap
- American Chess Academy
- dot818 — 2025 Glendale debut recap
- City of Glendale — 2026 tournament press release
- City of Glendale — 2025 host / results release
- NBC Los Angeles — 2026 return coverage
- RadarChess — 2025 Open standings archive
- Chess.com — 2026 Open broadcast
- SCCF membership join page
- US Chess membership
- Visit Glendale CA — Best Hotels in Glendale
- Visit Glendale CA — Hilton Glenoaks
- Visit Glendale CA — Embassy Suites Glendale
- Visit Glendale CA — Places to Eat
- Visit Glendale CA — Parks in Glendale
Prize amounts, fees, and hotel codes above are copied from the linked official pages for the year shown. If a number conflicts between a press release and the rating-report / registration system, prefer King Registration standings and US Chess / SCCF tables for results, and the live registration page for fees.
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