2023 Northern Virginia Open

2023 Northern Virginia Open

Friday – Sunday, Nov 17-19, or Saturday – Sunday Nov 18-19, Virginia

A Heritage Event!
US Chess Junior Grand Prix!
US CHESS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 30
A VCF Cup Event – Some Sections FIDE Rated

$6,795 Total Prize Fund, with 1st-3rd Place Prizes guaranteed in all sections.

Hotel & Playing Site: Washington Dulles Airport Marriott Hotel, 45020 Aviation Dr., Dulles, VA 20166; www.marriott.com, 703-471-9500, Chess Rate for lodging is $131 plus taxes. Reserve by Fri. 10/27 (Oct 27th) at 703-471-9500 and mention the “Virginia Chess Federation” Group Name.

Format: 5 Rounds, Swiss System (this is not an elimination tournament). Championship and Amateur (Under 1800) Sections are FIDE and US Chess rated. The Novice Section (Under 1200) is US Chess rated only.

Sections: Three (3) Sections. A 60-minute default/no-show rule is in effect in all sections.
    - Championship: Round 1 at 7:30 pm Friday. FIDE and US Chess rated. Minimum rating to play in this section is an over-the-board regular US Chess or converted foreign rating of 1600 at any time in the past 12 months from the US Chess Rating Supplements and post-tournament ratings shown in the US Chess Member Support Area (MSA).
    - Amateur (Under 1800): Round 1 at 7:30 pm Friday. FIDE and US Chess rated. Unrated players welcome (see Note below).
    - Novice (Under 1200): Games on Saturday and Sunday only, no games on Friday. Round 1 at 10 am Saturday. US Chess rated.
    - NOTE: Unrated players must play in the Amateur or Novice Section, limited to $350 Place Prize in the Amateur Section, $250 place prize in the Novice Section. A player without a US Chess rating but who has a rating in another US Chess-recognized rating system (e.g., FIDE, Canada, most European and Asian countries) is NOT Unrated.

Schedule - Championship & Amateur Sections: FIDE Rules. FIDE and US Chess rated, 60-minute default/no-show rule.
    - Round 1: Friday, Nov 17th, 7:30 pm. Time Control is Game-90 with 30-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 2: Saturday, Nov 18th, 10 am. Time Control is 40/90, SD/30, with 30-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 3: Saturday, Nov 18th, 4:30 pm. Same time control as Round 2. This time control will be used for the remaining rounds.
    - Round 4: Sunday, Nov 19th, 10 am.
    - Round 5: Sunday, Nov 19th, 4:30 pm.

Schedule - Novice Section: US Chess Rules. US Chess rated, 60-minute default/no-show rule.
    - Friday, Nov 17th: NO GAMES on Friday in this section.
    - Round 1: Saturday, Nov 18th, 10 am. Time Control is G/60, with 10-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 2: Saturday, Nov 18th, 2 pm. Same Time Control as Round 1.
    - Round 3: Saturday, Nov 18th, 6 pm. Same Time Control as Rounds 1 and 2.
    - Round 4: Sunday, Nov 19th, 10 am. Time Control is G/90, with 10-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 5: Sunday, Nov 19th, 2:30 pm. Same Time Control as Round 4.

Ratings for Sectioning and Prizes: For section determination and prizes we will use the higher of a player’s Over-the-Board Regular and Online Regular ratings from the November 2023 US Chess Rating Supplement. Established ratings override provisional ratings; “stale” ratings are reviewed by the Chief TD. Players without US Chess ratings, but who have ratings in other recognized systems (FIDE, Canada, Europe, Asia, etc.), will have those ratings converted to a US Chess equivalent for sectioning and prize purposes.

Pairings: Players will be paired using their US Chess or equivalent converted ratings (see above).

Prizes: All place prizes (1st-3rd overall in each section) are GUARANTEED.
    - Championship: 1st – 3rd Places $900 + Plaque, $650, $400;  Top Expert $225;  Top A $220;  Top U1800 $200;  Top Upset Rds 1-5 $140.
    - Amateur (Under 1800): 1st – 3rd Places $700 + Plaque, $500, $300;  Top Class C $200, 2nd Class C $100; Top Class D $190, 2nd Class $96; Top Upset Rds 1-5 $130.
    - Novice (Under 1200): 1st -3rd Places $550+Plaque, $350, $200;  Top U1000 $175, 2nd U1000 $85;  Top U800 $160, 2nd U800 $80;  Top Unrated not winning a place prize $105;  Top Upset Rds 1-5 $125. Trophies to 1st and 2nd U1000, U800 and U600.

On-Line Registration & Fees: (Click here to register)
    - $125 through New Years Eve, Saturday Nov 11th
    - $150 starting Sunday Nov 12th
    - $175 starting Thursday Nov 16th and at the tournament site
    - VA Chess Federation will retain $5 from players who withdraw before Round 1

Titled Players: GM, WGM, IM, WIM, FM, WFM Contact Chief Tournament Director / Chief Arbiter Mike Hoffpauir for conditions.

Mail-in Entries: Send your Name, US Chess ID, Section to Enter, and any Bye Requests (Max of 1 half-point Bye).
    - Check payable to VA Chess Federation or “VCF”
    - Mail your entry by MONDAY, Nov 13th to Mike Hoffpauir, ATTN: VA Open, 405 Hounds Chase, Yorktown, VA 23693-3356

On-Site Registration: At the hotel
    - Friday, Nov 17th, 3 pm to 6:45 pm. Championship and Amateur entries received after 6:45 pm will be paired for Round 2 on Saturday.
    - Saturday, Nov 18th, 7:30 – 9:15 am. Novice Section entries received after 9:15 am will be paired for Round 2. Championship and Amateur Section players who did not enter in time for Round 1 can enter on Saturday morning and receive a Half-point Bye.

Optional Half-Point Byes & Re-Entry:
    - One half-point bye allowed per player in any round. Must declare during Registration or 30 min before the start of Rounds 1 and 2. Requests made later than 30 minutes before Round 2 count as Zero-point Byes.
    - Players who lose in Round 1 can Re-Enter the tournament for $45 after Round 1, player gets a half-point Bye.

Membership Requirements:
    - All players must be US Chess members in good standing except Foreign GM/WGM, IM/WIM. Check, join, or renew your membership at www.uschess.org.
    - Players who are Virginia residents must be members of the VA Chess Federation. Join at www.vachess.org as part of the tournament entry process or join later at www.vachess.org.

Info:  www.vachess.org, or Mike Hoffpauir, Click here to show mail address, text to 757-846-4805