2025 Fredericksburg Open

The 2025 Fredericksburg Open

Saturday and Sunday, October 25-26

With Blitz on Friday night at 7 PM on Oct 24th

A Heritage Event organized by the Virginia Chess Federation

20 US CHESS GRAND PRIX POINTS         US Chess Junior Grand Prix!         A VCF Cup Event

Hotel & Playing Site: Country Inn & Suites Fredericksburg-South, 10358 Patriot Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22408. Chess Rate and cut-off date for lodging are TBD. See our website at www.vachess.org for up-to-date lodging information.

Format: 5 Rounds, Swiss System (this is not an elimination tournament).

Sections: Players can compete in one of these 3 Sections based on their ratings:

• Championship: Minimum post-tournament US Chess rating of 1600 in the past 12 months (since Nov 1, 2024). No Unrated players allowed in the Championship Section.
• Amateur: For players rated 1000 to 1800. Unrated players may play in this section.
• Novice: For players rated under 1200 or who are unrated.

Notes about the Sections:

1.  The Tournament will use US Chess ratings found in the October 2025 Rating Supplement. This document is published around the 19th of September 2025.
2.  An “Unrated” player is someone who does not have a US Chess rating or a rating in a system recognized by the US Chess Federation (e.g., FIDE and many foreign countries). A player with a rating in a recognized system is NOT Unrated. Ratings from Chess.com, Lichess, Chesskid, ICC, Tornelo, etc., are not used. A player will NOT be considered as “unrated” if the player has provisional rating with US Chess that was earned after publication of the October 2025 Rating Supplement.
3.  The Chief TD will pair players and award prizes based on the higher of each player’s Over-the-Board and Online Regular ratings from the October 2025 Rating Supplement. These ratings also determine players’ section eligibility. The Chief TD is the final authority on ratings used.

MAIN EVENT SCHEDULE:

• Round 1: Saturday Oct 25th at 10 am. Time Control is Game-75 with a 10-second time increment from move one.
• Round 2: Saturday at 2 pm. Time Control is Game-90 with a 10-second time increment from move one.
• Round 3: Saturday at 7 pm. Same Time Control as Round 2, same for all remaining rounds.
• Round 4: Sunday, Oct 26th at 10 am.
• Round 5: Sunday at 3 pm.
• Awards: We distribute monetary prizes at the end of the event or by mail, trophies/plaques will not be mailed.

Prizes: $4,700 Prize Fund based on 70 paid players. PLACE PRIZES and Top Upset awards are GUARANTEED in all 3 sections, remaining prizes will not be reduced more than 33% if we have less than 70 players. Prize fund increases if we have more players—so bring your friends!!

• Championship: 1st – 3rd Places $725+plaque, $450, $300; Top Expert $200; Top Class A $180; Top Class B $160; Top Upset Rds 1-5 $120.
• Amateur: 1st-3rd $510+plaque, $325, $200; Top U1500 $150, Top U1200 $130; Top UNR $100; Upset Rds 1-5 $100.

• Novice: 1st-3rd $400+plaque, $250, $150; Top U1000/UNR $100; Top U800 $75; Trophies or plaques to 2nd U1000 and U800, 1st & 2nd U600.

  NOTE: Unrated (UNR) players limited to $300 in winnings in the U1800 section, limited to $225 in the Under 1200 section.

On-Line Registration & Fees: Register online at www.vachess.org.

• $85 Early Entry Fee through Sat Oct 18;  $105 starting Sun Oct 19;  $125 starting Thurs Oct 23 and at the event.
• VA Chess Federation will retain $10 from any player who withdraws from the Main Event before Round 1.

On-Site Registration: At the hotel; Credit cards, checks, cash accepted. On-site Registration Fee is $125, so go online now!

• Friday, Oct 24th, 4—6:30 pm. Round 1 of Blitz starts at 7 pm.
• Saturday, Oct 25th, 7:30—9:15 am. Round 1 of the Main Tournament begins at 10 am.

Optional Half-Point Byes & Re-Entry in the Main Event:

• One half-point bye allowed in any round, must declare during Registration or 30 min before the start of Rounds 1 and 2. Bye requests after 30 minutes before Round 2 must be Zero-point Byes.
• Players who lose in Round 1 can Re-Enter in Round 2 for $40 and receive a half-point Bye.

Ratings Used for Sectioning and Prizes: We use the higher of a player’s Over-the-Board Regular and Online Regular ratings from the October 2025 US Chess Rating Supplement. Established ratings trump provisional ratings, and “stale” over-the-board or online ratings will be reviewed by the Chief TD. Players who lack US Chess ratings, but have ratings in other recognized systems, will have their ratings converted by the Chief TD to a US Chess equivalent.

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.vachess.org. Virginia-based players must be members of the VA Chess Federation. Join or renew during the tournament entry process or at the tournament site. Free entry to any players rated over 2300 in the US Chess Federation or who are FIDE-titled players (GM/WGM, IM/WIM), with half of the $85 Early Entry Fee deducted from winnings.

Mail-in Entries:

• Check payable to VA Chess Federation or “VCF”
• Download our mail-in form at this link, or include with your payment the Player’s Name, Address, Email, Phone Number, US Chess ID, Section Playing In, and whether you want an Optional half-point Bye. 
• Mail by Saturday Oct 18th to Mike Hoffpauir, ATTN: Fredericksburg Open, 405 Hounds Chase, Yorktown, VA 23693

Chess Equipment: VCF can provide all chess sets and clocks, but you may use your own. If you use your own clock, it must be time-increment capable. Please being your increment-capable clock and know how to set it!

Face Masks: Optional.

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