The 13th Annual Summer Solstice Open took place from May 29-31, 2026, at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North. Organised by the Boca Raton Chess Club, the tournament was directed by Chief Tournament Director and International Arbiter Jon Haskel.
The event featured a total prize fund of $10,600, based on entry criteria, along with 50 Grand Prix points.
Across all five sections of the tournament: Premier, Under 2050, Under 1800, Under 1400, and Under 1150, a total of 202 players participated. The FIDE-rated Premier section included 33 participants and was open to players with a minimum USCF or FIDE rating of 1850. The format consisted of a 5-round Swiss system with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment.
IM Henry Soto Hernandez (2506) won the section outright, finishing in clear first place with a score of 4.0 out of 5 points to secure the $1,200 main prize and the champion’s trophy.
Following the winner, seven players finished tied for second place with a score of 3.5 points: FM Eric Rodriguez (2347), Brayan Amaya (2263), Raghav Venkat (2338), Aaron Marian (2184), GM Julio Becerra (2506), Jacorey Bynum (2321) and CM Yi Sha (2148).
In addition to the main classic schedule, the event integrated a merge of the 3-day and 2-day schedules after the second round. A side Blitz tournament was also held on Saturday night, featuring a 4-double-round format at a G/3;d2 time control.
