5th Annual Beltway Open takes place on August 7-9, 2026, in Sterling, Virginia, USA. The event offers a 5-round Swiss format with three rating sections, a guaranteed prize fund, and flexible 3-day or 2-day schedule options.
This is a chess tournament in Sterling, Virginia, USA, in 2026. Players can compete in a US Chess-rated tournament, while the Premier section also offers FIDE-rated chess tournament games.
The tournament venue is Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles. Therefore, local and traveling players can plan a practical chess weekend near Washington Dulles International Airport.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Tournament | 5th Annual Beltway Open |
| 📅 Dates | August 7-9, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Sterling, Virginia, USA |
| 🏛️ Venue | Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles, 22700 Holiday Park Drive, Sterling, VA 20166 |
| ♟️ Format | 5-round Swiss tournament |
| ⭐ Rating | US Chess-rated; Premier section also FIDE-rated |
| 🏅 Status | US Chess Grand Prix event |
| 🔢 Rounds | 5 rounds |
| ⏱️ Time control | G/110 + 10-second increment |
| 💰 Prize fund | $3,500 guaranteed |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The 5th Annual Beltway Open uses a 5-round Swiss system. All sections count for US Chess regular rating. In addition, the Premier section counts for FIDE rating.
The main time control is G/110 with a 10-second increment. The first round of the 2-day schedule uses G/45 with a 10-second increment. After that, 2-day players merge with the 3-day schedule for Round 2.
The Premier section must use the 3-day schedule. The Under 1800 and Under 1400 sections offer both 3-day and 2-day options.
The Under 1400 section uses Monrad Swiss pairings. This pairing method helps reduce large rating mismatches in sections with a wide rating range.
Players may request up to two half-point byes.
💰 Prize Fund
The guaranteed cash prize fund is $3,500.
Prize Fund Overview
| Section | Prize |
|---|---|
| Premier 1st place | $1,000 |
| Premier 2nd place | $400 |
| Premier 3rd place | $150 |
| Under 1800 1st place | $700 |
| Under 1800 2nd place | $300 |
| Under 1800 3rd place | $125 |
| Under 1400 1st place | $550 |
| Under 1400 2nd place | $200 |
| Under 1400 3rd place | $75 |
🧩 Sections / Groups
| Section | Schedule options | Rating notes |
|---|---|---|
| Premier | 3-day schedule only | US Chess-rated and FIDE-rated |
| Under 1800 | 3-day or 2-day schedule | US Chess-rated |
| Under 1400 | 3-day or 2-day schedule | US Chess-rated; Monrad pairings |
Players may not play up more than 100 rating points. A player may use a live rating or published rating to qualify for a higher section. A player may also use a FIDE rating to qualify for the Premier section.
Unrated players may enter the Under 1400 section. To play in a higher section, unrated players need special permission from the tournament director.
Players with foreign ratings, FIDE ratings, or provisional US Chess ratings do not count as unrated. The tournament director may assign a rating for eligibility and pairing purposes when needed.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, August 7, 2026 | 7:00 PM | Round 1, 3-day schedule |
| Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 11:00 AM | Round 1, 2-day schedule |
| Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 2:00 PM | Round 2 |
| Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 6:45 PM | Round 3 |
| Sunday, August 9, 2026 | 10:00 AM | Round 4 |
| Sunday, August 9, 2026 | 2:45 PM | Round 5 |
📝 Registration
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Entry fee by July 20, 2026 | $97 |
| Entry fee by July 26, 2026 | $107 |
| Entry fee by August 1, 2026 | $117 |
| Entry fee by August 6, 2026 | $125 |
| Entry fee on or after August 7, 2026 | $135 |
| On-site registration | Closes 30 minutes before Round 1 |
| GM entry | Free entry, with $97 deducted from prizes |
| Re-entry | $50; allowed in all sections except Premier |
| Required ID | U.S. Chess ID |
| Registration platform | https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/8874 |
On-site registration closes 30 minutes before the start of Round 1. After that, players may still register with a half-point bye if space and pairing conditions allow it.
Boards and pieces will be provided for all players. However, players should bring a chess clock if they have one.
🏛️ Organizer
DMV Chess organizes the 5th Annual Beltway Open as part of its regular tournament activity in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia chess community. The event gives players a weekend format with rating opportunities, guaranteed prizes, and practical section choices.
Email: josh@dmvchess.com
Phone: +1 703 609 0499
📍 Venue
Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles, 22700 Holiday Park Drive, Sterling, VA 20166, USA
The tournament takes place at Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles in Sterling, Virginia. The hotel venue helps players stay close to the playing hall and reduces travel time during the weekend schedule.
🏨 Accommodation
The playing venue is a hotel, so visiting players may choose to stay at Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles or nearby Sterling hotels.
Staying close to the venue can help players manage the Friday evening round and the two-round Saturday schedule more comfortably.
🚆 How to Get There
Sterling is located near Washington Dulles International Airport. Players arriving by air can continue to the hotel by taxi, rideshare, shuttle, or rental car.
Local players can reach the venue through the Northern Virginia road network. The hotel also offers plenty of parking for tournament participants.
ℹ️ Other Information
The forfeit time is 30 minutes. A player who does not arrive at the board within 30 minutes of the scheduled round time may lose by forfeit unless the tournament director decides otherwise.
The tournament is open to players from any state. In addition, the event requires a valid U.S. Chess ID for registration.
The tournament director may use live ratings, published ratings, FIDE ratings, provisional ratings, or other US Chess rating categories when deciding section eligibility and pairings.
The 5th Annual Beltway Open gives players a strong August chess weekend with rated games, prize goals, and convenient access near Dulles.
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.
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