The inaugural Mount Holly Open is scheduled to take place from December 5–7, 2025 at the Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly/Westampton, located at 111 Hancock Lane, Westampton, New Jersey. Organized as a five-round Swiss event, the tournament offers both three-day and two-day schedules and features a guaranteed prize fund of $3,500.
A total of 33 players are registered across three competition sections: the Premier Section, the Under 1800 Section, and the Under 1400 Section. All sections are USCF-rated, and the Premier Section is additionally FIDE-rated.
Tournament Format and Schedule
The event consists of five rounds. Players may choose from two schedule formats, with the exception of the Premier Section, which requires participation in 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.
- Players then merge with the three-day schedule beginning with Round 2.
Up to two half-point byes are permitted. On-site registration closes 30 minutes before the start of Round 1, though late registrants may still join with a half-point bye.
Sections and Rating Rules
Premier Section
- FIDE-rated
- Must use three-day schedule
- Highest-rated group of the event, with 18 players registered as of December 3, 2025
Under 1800 Section
- Includes both three-day and two-day schedules
- 10 total players (7 in the 3-day, 3 in the 2-day schedule)
Under 1400 Section
- Uses Monrad Swiss pairings, a system designed to reduce rating mismatches
- 5 players registered (2 in 3-day, 3 in 2-day schedule)
Players may not play up more than 100 points beyond their rating. Competitors may use either their published or unpublished USCF rating—or their FIDE rating for Premier qualification. Unrated players may enter the Under 1400 section, but require TD approval to enter any higher section.
The tournament director may use ratings from various USCF categories (standard, quick, blitz, online, etc.) and may assign a rating if necessary.
Premier Section Field (as of December 3, 2025)
A total of 18 players are confirmed for the top section:
| Player | USCF ID | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Leonhard Chang | 17018215 | 2045 |
| Siddha Manikandan | 15223658 | 1988 |
| Viyaa Doddapaneni | 30316768 | 1986 |
| Vincent Gao | 30789435 | 1896 |
| Miles Wang | 30811327 | 1880 |
| Agustya Adhyam | 30038167 | 1877 |
| Grant A. Weyman | 30092306 | 1853 |
| Leo Paas | 30337747 | 1834 |
| Nishk Doddapaneni | 30766009 | 1813 |
| Siddharth Bose | 16808451 | 1807 |
| Naman Mehta | 15926804 | 1785 |
| Ris Bhattacharyya | 30135902 | 1737 |
| Siddhart Tripathy | 17069673 | 1724 |
| Kritarth Acharya | 31079746 | 1713 |
| Anthony Arias | 31888017 | 1691 |
| Mofei Qu | 31247827 | 1687 |
| Kavin Vairavan | 31448479 | 1508 |
| Jeffrey M. Otto | 12567851 | 1366 |
These players form the top competitive bracket and will compete for the Premier prize fund.
Prize Structure
The tournament guarantees $3,500 in prizes:
Premier Section
- 1st place: $1,000
- 2nd place: $400
- 3rd place: $150
Under 1800 Section
- 1st place: $700
- 2nd place: $300
- 3rd place: $125
Under 1400 Section
- 1st place: $550
- 2nd place: $200
- 3rd place: $75
Time Controls and Forfeit Policy
All games use:
- Game in 110 minutes with a 10-second increment
For Round 1 of the two-day schedule, the time control is:
- Game/45 with a 10-second increment
The forfeit time is 30 minutes from the scheduled start of each round. The tournament director may also choose to pair two players whose opponents do not appear, instead of awarding forfeits.
Entry Fees and Re-Entry Rules
Entry fee structure:
- $107 by November 16
- $117 by November 23
- $127 by November 30
- $135 by December 4
- $145 on or after December 5
GMs and IMs may enter for free by contacting the organizers.
Re-entries are allowed in all sections except the Premier, at a cost of $50.
Boards and pieces will be provided; players are encouraged to bring their own clocks.
Venue and Accommodations
The Hilton Garden Inn provides ample free parking. A discounted room block is available under “The DMV Chess” group rate. Rooms can be reserved online via the event link or booked by phone at 877-782-9444. The room block’s cutoff date is November 28, 2025, though availability may end earlier.
Contact Information
Players with questions may reach the organizers at:
- Email: josh@dmvchess.com
- Phone: 703-609-0499
Information is also available through the event’s online registration listings, including a separate scholastic event linked by the organizers.
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