The 1st Annual Oak Grove Open will take place from December 12–14, 2025, at the Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles, located at 22700 Holiday Park Drive, Sterling, Virginia 20166. Organized by DMV Chess, the event will feature a five-round Swiss-system tournament with both three-day and two-day schedule options. The tournament offers a guaranteed $3,500 prize fund and is open to all players, regardless of state residency.
A total of 39 players are registered across three rating-based sections: Premier, Under 1800, and Under 1400. All sections are USCF-rated, and the Premier Section is also FIDE-rated.
Tournament Format and Schedules
The tournament consists of five rounds and allows players to choose between two schedule formats. The Premier Section is restricted to the three-day schedule.
Three-Day Schedule
- Friday: Round 1 at 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday: Round 2 at 2:00 p.m.; Round 3 at 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday: Round 4 at 10:00 a.m.; Round 5 at 2:30 p.m.
Two-Day Schedule
- Saturday: Round 1 at 11:00 a.m.
- After Round 1, players merge with the three-day schedule beginning with Round 2.
Players may request up to two half-point byes.
On-site registration closes 30 minutes before Round 1, though late entrants may join with a half-point bye for the first round.
Sections and Eligibility Rules
Premier Section
- FIDE-rated
- Must use the three-day schedule
- 17 players registered as of December 3, 2025
Under 1800 Section
- Includes both three-day and two-day schedules
- 13 players total (5 in the 3-day schedule, 8 in the 2-day schedule)
Under 1400 Section
- Uses Monrad Swiss pairings, designed to reduce rating mismatches
- 9 players total (5 in the 3-day schedule, 4 in the 2-day schedule)
Rating Rules
- Players may not play up more than 100 rating points.
- Live (unpublished) USCF ratings may be used for section eligibility.
- FIDE ratings may be used to qualify for the Premier Section.
- The TD may use USCF quick, blitz, online, or correspondence ratings for eligibility and pairings.
Unrated and Provisional Rating Policies
- Unrated players may play only in the Under 1400 Section, unless granted TD permission to play higher.
- Players with provisional USCF ratings, foreign ratings, or FIDE ratings are not considered unrated.
- The TD may assign ratings or use live ratings for provisionally-rated players when determining eligibility.
Premier Section Player List (as of December 3, 2025)
| Player | USCF ID | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| FM Vaibhav Kalpaka | 30720535 | 2356 |
| FM Karl Dehmelt | 10164176 | 2205 |
| CM Steven Liu | 30603409 | 2123 |
| Barzin Moh Badiee | 15758737 | 2099 |
| Esat Omer Demirel | 30685010 | 2010 |
| Kavin Ch Sathiesh | 30198201 | 1912 |
| Ameya Rajeev | 16305755 | 1863 |
| Megan Chen | 13453097 | 1857 |
| Pinhang Gao | 30144881 | 1776 |
| Ella Xinyi Li | 30120722 | 1762 |
| Kanav Shah | 30060248 | 1743 |
| Lucia Huang | 16369220 | 1740 |
| Caden Liu | 30149077 | 1717 |
| Jason N. Xu | 30662725 | 1715 |
| Sona Mustafa | 30714000 | 1138 |
| Lee Huang | 30690334 | 1099 |
| Elliot Ding | 13748304 | 529 |
These 17 players make up the top competitive field for the event’s FIDE-rated section.
Prize Fund
The tournament guarantees $3,500, allocated as follows:
Premier Section
- 1st: $1,000
- 2nd: $400
- 3rd: $150
Under 1800 Section
- 1st: $700
- 2nd: $300
- 3rd: $125
Under 1400 Section
- 1st: $550
- 2nd: $200
- 3rd: $75
Time Controls and Forfeit Policy
All sections use the following standard time control:
- Game in 110 minutes with a 10-second increment
For Round 1 of the two-day schedule:
- Game/45 with a 10-second increment
The forfeit time is 30 minutes after the scheduled start of each round. The tournament director may opt to pair unopposed players against each other instead of awarding a forfeit win.
Entry Fees and Re-Entry Rules
Entry fee structure:
- $97 by November 24
- $107 by November 30
- $117 by December 6
- $125 by December 11
- $135 on or after December 12
GMs receive free entry (the $97 base fee is deducted from any winnings).
Re-entries are allowed in all sections except the Premier Section, at a cost of $50.
Boards and pieces are provided; players are encouraged to bring their own clocks.
Venue, Parking, and Accessibility
The Hampton Inn and Suites Dulles provides ample free parking.
The venue is handicap accessible, and the event is not restricted by residency.
Registration and Contact Information
Players may register at:
https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/7391
For questions or assistance:
- Email: josh@dmvchess.com
- Phone: 703-609-0499
- Organizer website: https://www.dmvchess.com/
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