The Williamsburg, VA Regional is held every 4 years (previously every 2, but scaled back as of this year) in mid-January at the Williamsburg Marriott. This regional is run by the MABC, so you know what that means — excellent hospitality!  MABC directors are also some of the finest in the league, so you can count on the games to be run smoothly and professionally.

This regional is small by MABC standards, but still a healthy size compared to the entire ACBL — a little bit under 2000 tables for the week, I’d estimate.  Maybe 1700-1800?  The KOs typically have three brackets.  All game times here are 9, 1, and 7, with new KOs everyday, compact KOs and pair games in the morning sessions, and always a large I/N game.  There are two speakers per day, ranging from local teachers to world champions.

The host hotel is comfortable, but not as swanky as many hosts.  If you don’t get a room here, there is a Courtyard Marriott and a Quality Inn in the same complex, as well as about ten dozen more hotels and rental properties within a 15-minute drive.  Williamsburg is a big tourist town, and if you want some time away from the table, there’s plenty to see here.  Jamestown is my favorite local attraction, but Colonial Williamsburg is also great, and it’s free to just walk around most parts of CW.

Because you’re in a tourist area, you’ll find plenty of dining options nearby.  You can have a 17th-century style feast in Colonial Williamsburg, or something more modern at one of the several burger joints across the street from the host hotel.

There’s plenty of free parking here, but you’ll probably have to park in one of the back lots, as the main lot fills up early.  My biggest gripe with this tournament is that the host hotel is a maze.  It’s not easy finding your way around the inside, and figuring out where you parked at the end of the day can be tricky.  For that reason, I’d recommend staying on site (also because there’s an open bar in the hospitality suite!), but there are so many hotels near the host that you could probably find a very cheap alternative if you wanted.

If you’re traveling from out of town, there is an airport here, but it’s tiny and expensive.  Richmond and Norfolk are both larger airports within about an hour’s drive, and the DC airports are about 2.5 hours away.