4th Annual Metropolitan Open brings a three-day rated weekend to Sterling, Virginia, USA from June 5 to June 7, 2026. The event will be played at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Dulles Airport and continues DMV Chess’s Metropolitan Open series in the Dulles area.
The tournament uses a 5-round Swiss format with both three-day and two-day schedules. Moreover, the Premier section is FIDE rated, while the event as a whole offers a broad structure for both stronger players and improving club competitors.
The published format is practical and player-friendly. In addition, the organizer provides a clear prize table, defined play-up rules, re-entry conditions in the non-Premier sections, and free parking at the venue.
🏁 Event Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 5–7, 2026 |
| Location | Sterling, Virginia, USA |
| Venue | SpringHill Suites by Marriott Dulles Airport, 22595 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166 |
| Format | 5-round Swiss |
| Time control | Main schedule: Game in 110 minutes + 10-second increment |
| Two-day schedule adjustment | Round 1 of the two-day schedule: Game/45 + 10 |
| Rating | All sections US Chess rated |
| FIDE rating | Premier section only |
| Sections | Premier, Under 1800, Under 1400 |
| Prize fund | USD 3,500 guaranteed |
| Parking | Free parking provided |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The event runs as a five-round Swiss tournament. The main time control is Game in 110 minutes with a 10-second increment. However, Round 1 of the two-day schedule uses the faster Game/45 + 10 format.
Players may choose either the three-day or two-day schedule in the eligible sections. The Premier section must play the three-day schedule. The two-day option begins on Saturday at 11:00 AM and then merges into the main schedule for Round 2.
The event also applies a 30-minute forfeit time. In addition, the organizer allows up to two half-point byes. Pairings follow Swiss rules, while the Under 1400 section uses Monrad pairings to reduce early mismatches.
💰 Prize Fund
The tournament offers a guaranteed total prize fund of USD 3,500.
| Section / Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| Premier – 1st | USD 1,000 |
| Premier – 2nd | USD 400 |
| Premier – 3rd | USD 150 |
| Under 1800 – 1st | USD 700 |
| Under 1800 – 2nd | USD 300 |
| Under 1800 – 3rd | USD 125 |
| Under 1400 – 1st | USD 550 |
| Under 1400 – 2nd | USD 200 |
| Under 1400 – 3rd | USD 75 |
♟️ Sections / Groups
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Premier | FIDE rated and US Chess rated |
| Under 1800 | US Chess rated |
| Under 1400 | US Chess rated, Monrad pairings |
Players may not play up by more than 100 rating points. In addition, a player may use either a published or live unpublished rating to qualify for a higher section. Unrated players may play in Under 1400, while entry into a higher section requires special permission from the tournament director.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2026 | 19:00 | Round 1, three-day schedule |
| June 6, 2026 | 11:00 | Round 1, two-day schedule |
| June 6, 2026 | 14:00 | Round 2, three-day schedule |
| June 6, 2026 | 18:45 | Round 3, three-day schedule |
| June 7, 2026 | 10:00 | Round 4 |
| June 7, 2026 | 14:45 | Round 5 |
The two-day schedule merges with the three-day schedule for Round 2.
📝 Registration
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Entry fee by May 15, 2026 | USD 97 |
| Entry fee by May 22, 2026 | USD 107 |
| Entry fee by May 29, 2026 | USD 117 |
| Entry fee by June 4, 2026 | USD 125 |
| Entry fee on or after June 5, 2026 | USD 135 |
| GM entry | Free entry, with USD 97 deducted from prizes |
| Re-entry | Allowed in all sections except Premier |
| Re-entry fee | USD 50 |
| On-site registration closes | 30 minutes before Round 1 |
| Late registration after on-site close | Possible with a half-point bye |
| Equipment | Boards and pieces provided; players should bring a clock if possible |
| Membership requirement | US Chess membership required |
The registration page may also include information about discounted sleeping rooms.
👤 Organizer
DMV Chess organizes the tournament and continues its major in-person event program in the Dulles and Sterling area.
Phone: +1 703-609-0499
Email: josh@dmvchess.com
📍 Venue
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Dulles Airport, 22595 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166, United States
The hotel venue suits a weekend chess event well. Moreover, it is close to Washington Dulles International Airport and gives players an all-in-one tournament setting with meeting space, hotel services, and free parking.
🚗 How to Get There
The venue is only about 2 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport, and the hotel offers an airport shuttle. Therefore, players arriving by air can reach the tournament site quickly. Local arrival by car is also easy, and the event listing confirms free parking.
ℹ️ Other
The event includes several practical rules. Players who miss the board by more than 30 minutes lose by forfeit unless the tournament director decides otherwise. In addition, the director may pair opponents of absent players against each other instead of awarding a standard forfeit win.
This Sterling weekend open offers a clear section structure, a solid guaranteed prize fund, and flexible scheduling for a broad range of players.
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $3,500
Organizer
♟️ Organizer Identity
DMV Chess is a chess organizer based in Vienna, Virginia, United States. It has run in-person tournaments and instruction since 2017 for both children and adults. For players, that matters because the group combines event management, coaching, and school chess under one structure. It is also a US Chess affiliate, so its programs sit inside the standard national framework for rated competition and organized club activity. DMV Chess built its name first in the local over-the-board scene. Then it expanded its reach through online events, instruction, and school programs. As a result, it now serves players far beyond one local club room. The organization also works with a visible coaching and tournament team, and Josh Hiban remains one of its key public-facing figures through in-person events and general organizer contact.
🏆 Tournaments and Programs
DMV Chess stands out because it runs a large and varied tournament calendar. Its major in-person events include the Metropolitan Open, the DMV Open, the DMV Scholastic Championship, and the Montgomery County Scholastic Championship. It also runs frequent local action and scholastic events in places such as Dulles and Rockville, while its online calendar stays active with weekly open action, rapid, and scholastic tournaments. Beyond that, DMV Chess created the DMV Chess League, a team competition that has already involved more than 300 players. It also organized the Washington, D.C. Chess Championship in 2020. These are not isolated events. The organization reports that it has run more than 2,000 USCF-rated tournaments for more than 10,000 unique players. For chess players, that scale signals real experience and a steady competitive pipeline rather than occasional one-off events.
🌱 Youth and School Chess
DMV Chess also has a strong role in youth development and school chess. Its Chess in the Schools program works with after-school clubs and can be set up anywhere in the United States through a broad coaching network. The group states that its instructors are background checked and selected for both teaching ability and real chess experience. At the same time, its Climb the Rating Ladder courses give students a practical training path built around weekly rated games and post-game analysis. The current course lineup includes multiple groups for kids and one for adults, which makes the structure useful for families as well as improving club players. DMV Chess also runs online camps and says those camps have already taught more than 600 children. In addition, its online classes have helped more than 1,000 kids improve their game. That mix of tournaments, lessons, camps, and school chess makes the organizer especially relevant for young players who want regular activity and clear progression.
Venue on the Map
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
