57th Virginia Open

57th Virginia Open, January 3-5, 2025

A Heritage Event!

US Chess Junior Grand Prix!

US CHESS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 40

A VCF Cup Event

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 $136 plus taxes. Reserve by Monday, Dec. 16th at 703-471-9500 and mention the “Virginia Chess Federation” or “Virginia Open Chess” Group Name and the dates you want to reserve your room in January 2025. 

Format: 5 Rounds, Swiss System (this is not an elimination tournament). The 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 forfeit/no-show rule is in effect in ALL 3 sections.
    - Championship: FIDE and US Chess rated. Round 1 at 7:30 pm Friday, Jan 3rd. Minimum rating of 1500 required from any post-tournament rating in the US Chess Member Support Area since Jan. 2023 (the past 2 years). No unrated players.
    - Amateur (Under 1800): FIDE and US Chess rated. Round 1 at 7:30 pm Friday, Jan 3rd.
    - Novice (Under 1200): US Chess rated. Round 1 at 10 am Saturday, Jan 4th.

Prizes: $8,000 prize fund based on 140 paid players. The values of the 1st-3rd place prizes are guaranteed in all 3 sections! In the last three years we’ve added as much as $1,500 to the prize fund based on player attendance! So come out and play!!
    - Championship: 1st–3rd Places $1000, $700, $550 all guaranteed. Top Expert $250. Top U2000 $240. Top U1800 $225. Top Upset in Rds 1-5 $180. Plaque to 1st Place. 
    - Amateur (Under 1800): 1st-3rd Places $750, $550, $400 all guaranteed. Top U1600 $230, 2nd U1600 $115. Top U1400 $220, 2nd U1400 $110. Top U1200 $75. Top Upset in Rds 1-5 $165. Plaque to 1st Place.
    - Novice (Under 1200): 1st-3rd Places $600, $400, $250 all guaranteed. Top U1000 $180, 2nd U1000 $100. Top U800 $165, 2nd U800 $90. Top U600 $100, 2nd U600 $60. Top Unrated $150. Top Upset Rds 1-5 $145.
    - Unrated players must play in the Amateur or Novice Section, limited to $250 Place Prize. Unrated players do not qualify for “Under” prizes. See also “Ratings for Section and Prize Eligibility” below.

On-Line Registration & Fees: www.vachess.org.
    - $130 through Saturday Dec 28th
    - $160 starting Sunday Dec 29th
    - $180 starting Thursday Jan 2nd
    - VA Chess Federation will retain $10 from any player who withdraws before Round 1.

On-Site Registration: At the hotel
    - Friday, Jan 3rd, 4 pm to 6:45 pm. Championship and Amateur entries received after 6:45 pm on Friday will be paired for Round 2 on Saturday morning with a half-point Bye for Round 1.
    - Saturday, Jan 4th, 7:30 – 9:15 am. Novice Section entries received after 9:15 am will be paired for Round 2 with a half-point Bye for Round 1.

Optional Half-Point Byes & Re-Entry:
    - Half-Point Byes: One half-point bye allowed per player in any round, declare during Registration or 30 min before the start of Rounds 1 and 2. Requests made less than 30 minutes before that start of Round 2 will be considered Zero-point Byes. 
    - Re-Entry: Players who lose in Round 1 can Re-Enter the tournament for $45 after Round 1. The player gets a half-point Bye for their Round 1 score, but the game that was lost still counts for rating purposes.

Schedule for the Championship & Amateur Sections: FIDE Rules in effect. Games will be rated by FIDE and US Chess.
    - Round 1: Friday, Jan 3rd, 7:30 pm. Time Control is Game-90 with 30-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 2: Saturday, Jan 4th, 10 am. Time Control is 40/90, SD/30, with 30-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 3: Saturday, Jan 4th, 4:30 pm. Same time control as Round 2. 
    - Round 4: Sunday, Jan 5th, 10 am. Same time control as Rounds 2 and 3.
    - Round 5: Sunday, Jan 5th, 4:30 pm. Same time control as Rounds 2-4.

Schedule for the Novice Section: US Chess Rules. US Chess-rated.
    - NO GAMES on Friday in this section.
    - Round 1: Saturday, Jan 4th, 10 am. Time Control is G/60, with 10-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 2: Saturday, Jan 4th, 2 pm. Time Control is G/60, with 10-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 3: Saturday, Jan 4th, 6 pm. Time Control is G/60, with 10-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 4: Sunday, Jan 5th, 10 am. Time Control is G/90, with 10-sec time increment from move one.
    - Round 5: Sunday, Jan 5th, 2:30 pm. Time Control is G/90, with 10-sec time increment from move one.

Section and Prize Eligibility: 
    - For section and prize eligibility we will use the higher of a player’s Over-the-Board Regular and Online Regular ratings from the January 2025 US Chess Rating Supplement. Established ratings outweigh provisional ratings.
    - Any player without a US Chess rating but having a rating in another US Chess-recognized Over-the-Board rating system (e.g., FIDE, Canada, most European and Asian countries) is NOT Unrated. Players with such ratings will have that rating converted to a US Chess equivalent by the Chief Arbiter/Director and that rating will be used to determine section eligibility and award of prizes. Ratings from online platforms such as chess.com, lichess, ICC, etc. do not apply.

Conditions for GM/WGM/IM/WIM titled by FIDE:
    - FREE ENTRY for GM, WGM, IM, and WIM titled players. Entry Fee deducted from any prize winnings. No other conditions. Contact Chief Arbiter by email for entry instructions (see “Info” below).

Pairings: Players will be paired using their US Chess or equivalent converted ratings (see above). FIDE Pairing Rules are in effect for the Championship and Under 1800 Sections. US Chess Pairing Rules will be used in the Under 1200 Section.

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

Mail-in Entries:
    - We STRONGLY recommend players enter online due to the potential for US Mail to be slowed by holiday season mail traffic.
    - Include Name, Address, Email, Phone Number, US Chess ID, Section Playing In, and whether you want an Optional half-point Bye.
    - Make your check payable to VA Chess Federation or “VCF”
    - Mail by Thursday Dec 26th to Mike Hoffpauir, ATTN: VA Open, 405 Hounds Chase, Yorktown, VA 23693-3356

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