3rd Annual Benjamin Franklin Open will take place from July 31 – August 2, 2026, in Westampton, New Jersey, USA. This is a chess tournament in Westampton, New Jersey, USA, in 2026.
Moreover, the event offers a 5-round weekend Swiss format at Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly/Westampton. Players can choose between Premier, Under 1800, and Under 1400 sections.
In addition, the Premier section is FIDE-rated, while all sections are US Chess-rated. Therefore, the Benjamin Franklin Open gives players a practical summer tournament with flexible schedules, a guaranteed prize fund, and strong regional access near Philadelphia and Trenton.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ♟️ Tournament | 3rd Annual Benjamin Franklin Open |
| 📅 Dates | July 31 – August 2, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Westampton, New Jersey, USA |
| 🏛️ Venue | Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly/Westampton |
| 🧑💼 Organizer | DMV Chess |
| 🏆 Format | 5-round Swiss System |
| ⏱️ Main Time Control | Game in 110 minutes + 10-second increment |
| ⏱️ 2-Day Round 1 Time Control | Game in 45 minutes + 10-second increment |
| 💰 Prize Fund | $3,500 guaranteed |
| 🧮 Rating Calculation | Premier: FIDE-rated and US Chess-rated; all other sections: US Chess-rated |
| 🏅 Grand Prix Points | 30 |
| 🎯 Sections | Premier, Under 1800, Under 1400 |
| 📝 Registration | Online registration through Caissa Chess |
| 💳 Entry Fee | $107–$145, depending on registration date |
| 🚗 Parking | Plenty of hotel parking available |
| ♿ Accessibility | Accessible venue |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
Main Time Control
Players receive Game in 110 minutes, plus a 10-second increment. Therefore, the main schedule gives players enough time for serious rated games.
The tournament uses a 5-round Swiss System. In addition, the Premier section counts for FIDE rating and US Chess rating.
2-Day Schedule
The 2-day schedule starts on Saturday. Round 1 of the 2-day schedule uses Game in 45 minutes + 10-second increment.
After that, the 2-day schedule merges with the 3-day schedule for Round 2. As a result, players in the Under 1800 and Under 1400 sections can choose a shorter weekend option.
Pairings and Forfeit Rule
Players may request up to two half-point byes. Moreover, on-site registration closes 30 minutes before Round 1.
The forfeit time is 30 minutes. Therefore, a player who does not arrive within 30 minutes after the scheduled start may lose by forfeit unless the tournament director decides otherwise.
💰 Prize Fund
Prize Fund Overview
The tournament has a $3,500 guaranteed prize fund. Each section has separate prizes for the top three players.
The Premier section offers the highest first prize. Meanwhile, the Under 1800 and Under 1400 sections give class-level players clear prize targets.
Premier Section Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,000 |
| 2nd | $400 |
| 3rd | $150 |
Under 1800 Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $700 |
| 2nd | $300 |
| 3rd | $125 |
Under 1400 Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $550 |
| 2nd | $200 |
| 3rd | $75 |
🏆 Sections / Groups
Tournament Sections
| Section | Schedule Options | Rating Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Premier | 3-day schedule only | FIDE-rated and US Chess-rated |
| Under 1800 | 3-day or 2-day schedule | US Chess-rated |
| Under 1400 | 3-day or 2-day schedule | US Chess-rated |
The Premier section is the strongest group. Therefore, it suits players who want FIDE-rated competition and the full three-day schedule.
Meanwhile, the Under 1800 and Under 1400 sections give players more flexibility. They can choose either the 3-day or 2-day schedule.
Rating and Play-Up Rules
Players may not play up by more than 100 rating points. However, they may use either a live unpublished rating or a published rating to qualify for a higher section.
A player may also use a FIDE rating to qualify for the Premier section. In addition, the tournament director may use a live rating for pairing purposes when a player uses it to qualify.
Unrated Player Rules
Unrated players may enter the Under 1400 section. However, they need special permission from the tournament director to play in a higher section.
Players with foreign ratings, FIDE ratings, or provisional US Chess ratings do not count as unrated. Moreover, the tournament director may assign a rating to a player when needed.
📅 Schedule
3-Day Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2026 | 7:00 PM | Round 1 |
| August 1, 2026 | 2:00 PM | Round 2 |
| August 1, 2026 | 6:45 PM | Round 3 |
| August 2, 2026 | 10:00 AM | Round 4 |
| August 2, 2026 | 2:45 PM | Round 5 |
2-Day Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2026 | 11:00 AM | Round 1 |
| August 1, 2026 | 2:00 PM | Round 2, merged with 3-day schedule |
| August 1, 2026 | 6:45 PM | Round 3 |
| August 2, 2026 | 10:00 AM | Round 4 |
| August 2, 2026 | 2:45 PM | Round 5 |
The Premier section must use the 3-day schedule. Therefore, Premier players should plan to start on Friday evening.
📝 Registration
Entry Fees
| Registration Period | Entry Fee |
|---|---|
| By July 12, 2026 | $107 |
| By July 19, 2026 | $117 |
| By July 26, 2026 | $127 |
| By July 30, 2026 | $135 |
| On or after July 31, 2026 | $145 |
Registration Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration method | Online registration through Caissa Chess |
| U.S. Chess ID | Required |
| On-site registration | Closes 30 minutes before Round 1 |
| Late registration after Round 1 deadline | Possible with a half-point bye |
| Boards and pieces | Provided for all players |
| Clocks | Players should bring a chess clock if available |
| Re-entry | Allowed in all sections except Premier |
| Re-entry fee | $50 |
| GM and IM entry | Free entry; $107 deducted from prizes |
| Contact phone | +1 703 609 0499 |
Players should register early to secure the lowest entry fee. In addition, early registration helps players choose the correct section and schedule.
On-site registration closes 30 minutes before the first round. Therefore, players who register at the venue should arrive early enough to complete the process.
🧑💼 Organizer
DMV Chess organizes the 3rd Annual Benjamin Franklin Open in Westampton, New Jersey. As a result, the tournament gives players from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Virginia, and the wider Mid-Atlantic region a strong summer weekend event.
Moreover, the format combines a guaranteed prize fund, three rating sections, and flexible schedule options. The hotel venue also makes the event practical for both local players and visitors.
Phone: +1 703 609 0499
📍 Venue
Playing Hall
Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly/Westampton – 111 Hancock Lane, Westampton, NJ 08060, United States
Venue Notes
The tournament takes place at Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly/Westampton. Therefore, players should use the Hancock Lane address when planning arrival.
The hotel offers plenty of parking. In addition, its location gives players convenient road access from several major Mid-Atlantic cities.
🏨 Accommodation
Hotel Venue
The event takes place inside Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly/Westampton. Therefore, players may choose to stay at the playing site or use nearby hotels in the Westampton and Mount Holly area.
Staying at or near the venue can make the schedule easier. This is especially useful for players who choose the 3-day schedule and start on Friday evening.
✈️ How to Get There
Regional Access
Westampton is located in Burlington County, New Jersey. Moreover, the venue is within practical driving distance of several major cities.
| City | Approximate Distance to Westampton |
|---|---|
| Trenton, New Jersey | 22 miles |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 29 miles |
| New York, New York | 75 miles |
| Baltimore, Maryland | 119 miles |
| Washington, D.C. | 157 miles |
Local Planning
The first 3-day round starts at 7:00 PM on Friday. Meanwhile, the 2-day schedule starts at 11:00 AM on Saturday.
As a result, players should choose the schedule that best fits their travel plan. They should also allow time for hotel check-in, parking, registration, and finding the playing room.
ℹ️ Other Information
Under 1400 Pairing System
The Under 1400 section uses Monrad Swiss pairings. Therefore, players in a wide rating range should get more balanced pairings than in a standard Swiss section.
This can help reduce large rating mismatches. As a result, the section may feel more practical for developing and lower-rated players.
Equipment and Related Event
Boards and pieces are provided for all players. However, players should bring a clock if they have one.
A separate Benjamin Franklin Open Scholastic event is also listed. Therefore, families with scholastic players should check the related scholastic event before registering.
Finally, the 3rd Annual Benjamin Franklin Open offers a guaranteed prize fund, flexible schedules, rated sections, and a practical hotel venue in Westampton, New Jersey.
Additional Details
Prize Fund (approx.) - $3.500
Organizer
♟️ About DMV Chess
DMV Chess is a chess tournament and education organization serving the Washington, D.C.–Maryland–Virginia (DMV) region, with particularly extensive activity in Northern Virginia and Maryland. It has operated organized chess events and school programs since 2017. Rather than functioning as a traditional membership club, DMV Chess combines US Chess-rated tournament organization, scholastic chess, online competition, chess instruction, camps, and after-school programs under one structure.
Tournament activity is at the center of DMV Chess’s work. The organization runs frequent over-the-board events in Virginia and Maryland, together with larger weekend tournaments that sometimes extend into other states. Its recurring series include the DMV Open, Beltway Open, Metropolitan Open, Benjamin Franklin Open, scholastic championships, action tournaments, and FIDE-rated classical competitions. Online, DMV Chess currently runs four US Chess-rated tournaments every week. Its wider online tournament operation reports almost 2,000 rated events and more than 10,000 unique participants.
Josh Hiban is the current In-Person Tournaments Manager and the principal operational contact for DMV Chess events. He is also involved in the organization’s online programs and school activities. Other key team members include NM Justin Burgess, Director of Online Programs; tournament director and developer Nikolas Theiss; and Stephen Jablon, chief organizer of the DMV Chess League. In 2026, DMV Chess completed another busy summer of major tournaments and entered September with an extensive schedule of scholastic, action, and FIDE-rated events in Rockville, Tysons, and Herndon.
🏆 Major Tournament Program
DMV Chess organizes both local one-day events and larger multi-day weekend tournaments. The larger competitions generally offer several rating sections, flexible schedules, US Chess rating, and FIDE rating in selected top sections.
Its major 2026 summer calendar included the 4th Annual Metropolitan Open from June 5–7, followed by the 4th Annual DMV Open from July 10–12 in Sterling, Virginia.
The organization then expanded its regional activity with the 3rd Annual Benjamin Franklin Open, held from July 31 to August 2 in Westampton, New Jersey, and the 5th Annual Beltway Open from August 7–9 near Washington Dulles International Airport.
The Beltway Open used a five-round Swiss format with three rating sections and a $3,500 guaranteed prize fund. Its Premier section was both US Chess- and FIDE-rated.
♟️ Local and FIDE-Rated Chess
DMV Chess maintains a year-round over-the-board calendar rather than limiting itself to several major Opens.
As of September 2026, upcoming events include the Shady Grove Scholastic Championship and Rockville Late-Summer Action Tournament on September 6, followed by the 6th Tysons Corner Scholastic Championship and Tysons Corner Fall Action Tournament on September 13.
The organization is also scheduled to hold a DMV FIDE Classical tournament in Herndon on September 26–27, 2026. Further scholastic and action events continue through October, November, and December.
This regular schedule gives players frequent opportunities to build US Chess ratings while also creating stepping-stones toward longer classical and FIDE-rated competition.
🎓 Chess Education and Online Training
Education is another major part of DMV Chess. Its current online program provides courses for players ranging from beginners to approximately 2000 USCF, with separate groups based on rating and experience.
The coaching team includes IM Joshua Posthuma, NM Justin Burgess, NM Sam Martin, and US Chess Expert Epiphany Peters. Advanced and elite students combine instruction with weekly rated games and post-game analysis.
The current program also includes Chess Foundations for new scholastic tournament players. Meanwhile, a dedicated adult course serves players from beginner level through approximately 1600 USCF.
Because instruction is online, students can participate from throughout the United States rather than only from the Washington metropolitan area.
🌱 School and Scholastic Chess
DMV Chess has operated school chess programs since 2017 and provides after-school clubs for elementary, middle, and high schools.
The organization supplies instructors, chess equipment, structured lessons, registration administration, and family communication. Coaches are background checked, and scholarship or reduced-cost places are available for students with financial need.
A typical school program runs for 8–12 weeks, with each meeting combining instruction and supervised practice games.
DMV Chess also connects school programs with tournament participation. Students can progress into local scholastic championships, US Chess-rated competition, and national championship preparation.
💻 Online Tournament Chess
DMV Chess maintains one of the most active recurring online schedules in US Chess-rated competition.
The organization currently runs four rated online tournaments every week: Wednesday Open Action, Thursday Open Rapid, Saturday Scholastic, and Sunday Open Action.
The events use different rapid and action time controls and are submitted for the appropriate US Chess online rating categories. Saturday competition is reserved for scholastic players, while the other weekly events are open to both adults and juniors.
DMV Chess also organizes the World Series of Online Chess, a championship program combining online blitz, scholastic, and open competition.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
