The 2026 Northern Virginia Open will take place from December 11–13, 2026, at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott in Dulles, Virginia. Organized by the Virginia Chess Federation, the tournament is a long-running US Chess Heritage Event, a US Chess Junior Grand Prix tournament, and part of the statewide VCF Cup series.

The event features five rounds across three sections: Championship, Amateur U1800, and Novice U1200. Championship and Amateur are both FIDE and US Chess rated, while the Novice section is US Chess rated only. The sections use different schedules and time controls, with the upper two groups beginning Friday evening and the Novice competition starting Saturday morning.

The organizer advertises a $7,200 total prize fund, with all 1st–3rd place prizes and all Top Upset awards guaranteed. Additional class prizes depend on the tournament reaching at least 100 total entries.

♟️ Event Details

The Northern Virginia Open combines FIDE-rated classical chess, class-based competition, Grand Prix points, upset prizes, and a flexible weekend structure at a hotel located directly on the grounds of Washington Dulles International Airport.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The Championship and Amateur sections follow FIDE rules and use classical controls throughout the weekend. The Novice section uses a shorter Saturday schedule before moving to longer games on Sunday.

Championship & Amateur

Round 1 uses a single-period classical control. Rounds 2–5 use a two-stage FIDE time control.

For Rounds 2–5, each player receives 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the remainder of the game. A 30-second increment applies from move one.

Both sections are FIDE Standard and US Chess rated.

Novice U1200

The Novice section plays entirely on Saturday and Sunday.

The Novice section is US Chess rated only.

Default Time

A 60-minute default / no-show period applies in all sections.

If White is absent when the Tournament Director or Arbiter starts the round, White’s clock begins immediately.

Pairing Publication

For Championship and Amateur:

For the Novice section, pairings are published approximately 30 minutes before each round, both online and onsite.

🏆 Prize Fund

The organizer advertises a $7,200 total prize fund.

All 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes in every section are guaranteed. The Top Upset prize in each section is also guaranteed.

Other rating-category prizes are paid in full based on a tournament field of at least 100 total entries.

Championship

The first three places and the $150 Top Upset prize are guaranteed.

Amateur U1800

The first three places and the $140 Top Upset prize are guaranteed.

Novice U1200

The Top Unrated award is for an unrated player who does not win one of the overall place prizes.

Additional trophies or plaques are awarded to the 1st and 2nd finishers in the U1000, U800, and U600 categories.

Published Total

The official tournament listing states a $7,200 total prize fund.

The currently published itemized cash awards above total slightly less than that headline amount. Players should therefore treat the official $7,200 figure as the organizer’s published overall prize fund and consult the final tournament materials for any adjustment or additional award.

🧩 Sections / Groups

Three sections allow players to compete within appropriate rating ranges.

Championship

The Championship section is the strongest group and is both FIDE and US Chess rated.

To qualify, a player must have reached at least 1600 in an over-the-board US Chess Regular rating or an applicable converted foreign rating at some point during the previous five years.

Players whose US Chess over-the-board Regular rating has not reached 1800 since December 2021 must pay an additional $30 Championship premium fee.

Amateur

Novice

🗓️ Schedule

Championship and Amateur begin Friday evening. The Novice section starts Saturday and plays all five games over two days.

Championship & Amateur

Novice U1200

There are no Novice games on Friday.

📝 Registration

The same base entry fee applies across the tournament, with prices increasing as the event approaches.

Championship Premium

Players entering Championship who have not reached an over-the-board US Chess Regular rating of at least 1800 since December 2021 must pay an additional:

$30 Championship premium

The player must still satisfy the section’s separate 1600 minimum-rating rule.

Online Registration

Online registration is available through the Virginia Chess Federation website:

https://www.vachess.org/

Mail-In Registration

Mail entries must be sent by Saturday, December 5.

Players should include:

Name, US Chess ID, selected section, and any requested half-point bye.

Checks should be payable to:

Virginia Chess Federation or VCF

Mail to:

Mike Hoffpauir
ATTN: Northern Virginia Open
405 Hounds Chase
Yorktown, VA 23693

Onsite Registration – Friday

Championship or Amateur entries received after 6:15 PM will normally begin with Round 2 on Saturday.

Onsite Registration – Saturday

Novice entries received after 9:15 AM are paired beginning with Round 2.

Championship and Amateur players who missed Friday registration may enter Saturday morning and receive a half-point bye for Round 1.

Withdrawal Policy

The Virginia Chess Federation retains $10 from players who withdraw before Round 1.

Titled Players

Players holding the FIDE titles GM, WGM, IM, or WIM receive free entry.

However, half of the $130 early entry fee — $65 — is deducted from any prize winnings.

Titled players should contact the organizer directly for entry instructions.

Membership Requirements

A current US Chess membership is required for all participants except qualifying foreign titled players.

Virginia residents must also hold Virginia Chess Federation membership.

Players in the Championship and Amateur sections must have a FIDE ID.

A FIDE ID is not required at the moment of registration. Players who need one may register first, after which the organizer will provide instructions.

👥 Organizer

The tournament is organized by the Virginia Chess Federation, the official US Chess state affiliate for Virginia.

Michael Hoffpauir is listed as a US Chess National Tournament Director and FIDE International Arbiter and serves as the principal event contact.

Official website:
https://www.vachess.org/

📍 Venue

The Northern Virginia Open is held at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott, directly on the grounds of Washington Dulles International Airport.

Washington Dulles Airport Marriott – 45020 Aviation Drive, Dulles, VA 20166, United States

The full-service airport hotel offers extensive meeting facilities, an indoor pool, fitness center, on-site dining, complimentary airport transportation, and guest accommodations in the same building as the tournament.

The organizer has arranged a special Chess Rate for tournament participants.

Players should reserve by Friday, November 13, 2026 to secure the tournament room block. When booking by telephone, mention:

Northern Virginia Open Chess Tournament

Hotel phone:
+1 703-471-9500

The organizer has not published a reliable public dollar amount for the 2026 chess room rate, so players should use the official VCF booking link or contact the hotel for the current tournament rate.

🚆 How to Get There

The venue is exceptionally convenient for players flying into Washington Dulles International Airport because the hotel is located directly on airport property.

The Marriott currently operates a complimentary IAD shuttle approximately every 15 minutes.

Airport shuttle pickup and drop-off are at 2B and 2G, outside the baggage-claim area.

Players arriving via the Washington Metro can use the Silver Line to Washington Dulles International Airport and then continue by hotel shuttle or another short local transfer.

The hotel’s normal published self-parking rate is currently $17 per day. Tournament participants should check with VCF or the hotel in case a separate event parking arrangement is offered.

ℹ️ Other Information

One Optional Half-Point Bye

Each player may request a maximum of one half-point bye.

The bye may be taken in any round but must be declared:

during registration, or no later than one hour before Round 2.

A later request is scored as a zero-point bye.

Re-Entry

Players who lose in Round 1 may re-enter for $45.

A re-entering player begins Round 2 with ½ point.

Re-entry counts as the player’s one permitted half-point bye. Therefore, a player who had also planned a half-point bye in a later round must either play that round or accept a zero-point bye.

Rating Rules

For section eligibility, pairing, and prizes, the organizer uses the higher of the player’s Over-the-Board Regular and Online Regular ratings from the December 2026 US Chess Rating Supplement.

Established ratings take precedence over provisional ratings.

The Chief Tournament Director may review stale ratings.

A player who already has a provisional US Chess Regular or Online Regular rating is not treated as unrated, even if that rating does not yet appear in the December supplement.

Foreign Ratings

Players without a US Chess rating who have a recognized foreign rating, including FIDE or Canadian ratings, are assigned an appropriate converted rating using formulas approved by the US Chess Ratings Committee.

That converted rating may determine section eligibility, pairing position, and prize-category eligibility.

Upset Prizes

Each section includes a guaranteed Top Upset prize based on results from Rounds 1–5.

The upset awards are:

Friday Traffic

The organizer specifically warns that Friday evening traffic in Northern Virginia and Maryland can be unpredictable.

Championship and Amateur players should allow significant additional travel time because Round 1 begins at 7:00 PM Friday and late registration can result in the player being moved to Round 2.

Heritage Event

The Northern Virginia Open is recognized by US Chess as a Heritage Event, reflecting its long history on the regional tournament calendar.

The event has been held for many years in Northern Virginia and has regularly attracted strong players from Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC, and surrounding states.

VCF Cup

The tournament is also part of the Virginia Chess Federation Cup, a season-long series that rewards participation and performance across selected tournaments around the Commonwealth.

Official US Chess listing:
https://new.uschess.org/2026-northern-virginia-open

Official organizer and registration:
https://www.vachess.org/