Cocoon 2025 Open

SwissStandard

69 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 06 Sept 2025 to 12 Sept 2025 in Oostende, Belgium. 11 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2305, and top seed was Alexandre Dgebuadze (🇧🇪 BEL, GM, 2395).

Merlijn Van Volsem (🇧🇪 BEL, FM, 2312) won with 7.0/9, ahead of Natan Pirard (6.5) and Arne Nemegeer (6.5). Van Volsem shared the lead from round 7 and won solo starting round 8.

The biggest upset came in round 5: Hassan Tabsho (1633) beat Thomas Pincket (1914), a +281-point gap.

Location

🇧🇪Oostende, Belgium

Dates

06 Sept 2025 → 12 Sept 2025

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇧🇪GMAlexandre Dgebuadze2395

Avg top 10

2,305

Participants

Titled players · 11

GM×1

IM×1

FM×9

Federations · 8 represented

🇧🇪Belgium×53

🇳🇱Netherlands×7

🇨🇿Czech Republic×3

🇱🇻Latvia×2

🇩🇪Germany×1

🇦🇷Argentina×1

🇫🇷France×1

🇱🇺Luxembourg×1

Top 3

🥇
FMMerlijn Van Volsem
🇧🇪BEL·2312
7.0pts·2438perf+29.2
🥈
FMNatan Pirard
🇧🇪BEL·2336
6.5pts·2318perf-0.8
🥉
FMArne Nemegeer
🇧🇪BEL·2251
6.5pts·2297perf+12.8

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

FM Merlijn Van Volsem led from R8; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 4 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R8.

Co-leaders

Van Volsem7Pirard6.5Zouaghi6.5Dreelinck6.5Nemegeer6.5Dgebuadze6.5

R8–R9 · LEAD HELD

FM Merlijn Van Volsem held the sole lead from R8 through R9 without losing it.

R5 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

FM Merlijn Van Volsem drew with FM Natan Pirard (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

FM Merlijn Van Volsem 3 wins (R1–R3)FM Amir Zouaghi 3 wins (R7–R9)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1FMMerlijn Van Volsem	*	½	—	½
2FMNatan Pirard	½	*	—	½
3FMAmir Zouaghi	—	—	*	—
4Adriaan Dreelinck	½	½	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Van Volsem, MerlijnFM	2312	BEL	+38N	+32B	+9N	=4B	=2N	=22B	+13B	+11N	=5B	7.0	46.0	50.0	37.75	2438	+29.2
2	Pirard, NatanFM	2336	BEL	+31N	=12B	+57N	=3B	=1B	+15N	=5B	=29N	+13B	6.5	45.5	48.5	33.50	2318	-0.8
3	Nemegeer, ArneFM	2251	BEL	+25B	=16N	+14B	=2N	−23B	+30N	+18B	+19N	=6B	6.5	45.0	49.5	35.25	2297	+12.8
4	Dgebuadze, AlexandreGM	2395	BEL	+37B	+34N	+5B	=1N	=22B	+23N	=11B	−6N	+29B	6.5	44.5	48.5	33.25	2377	-0.4
5	Dreelinck, Adriaan	2219	BEL	+52N	+24B	−4N	=23N	+49B	+34B	=2N	+8B	=1N	6.5	43.5	46.5	30.75	2336	+29.4
6	Horak, MartinFM	2347	CZE	=33N	+47B	+49N	+12B	=11N	=8B	=22N	+4B	=3N	6.5	43.0	46.0	32.25	2342	+2.2
7	Zouaghi, AmirFM	2337	BEL	+36B	+15N	=17B	=22N	=29B	−13N	+37B	+16N	+11B	6.5	41.5	45.5	32.50	2306	-2.6
8	Piceu, TomIM	2283	BEL	+20B	=14N	+16B	=29N	=13B	=6N	+23B	−5N	+12N	6.0	45.5	50.0	32.50	2264	-1.3
9	Vantorre, Nils	2211	BEL	+50B	+18N	−1B	+37N	=30B	−16N	+15B	+34N	=22B	6.0	41.5	44.5	27.25	2228	+10.8
10	Iolis, Oleg	2159	BEL	+28N	+35B	−22B	=39N	−18B	+33N	=30B	+37N	+23B	6.0	38.0	42.0	27.25	2136	-3.6
11	Dreelinck, JacobFM	2316	BEL	+39B	=23N	+45B	+17N	=6B	+18N	=4N	−1B	−7N	5.5	46.5	50.0	27.50	2257	-8.2
12	Chaerle, Josse	2115	BEL	+21B	=2N	+46B	−6N	+17B	=29N	+16B	=22N	−8B	5.5	45.0	48.5	28.00	2247	+32.4
13	Wantiez, FabriceFM	2182	BEL	−45N	+43N	+36B	+24B	=8N	+7B	−1N	+32B	−2N	5.5	44.0	47.5	27.50	2192	+7.0
14	Meulders, RichardFM	2082	BEL	+27B	=8B	−3N	=46N	=20B	=21N	+61B	+25N	=19B	5.5	42.5	45.0	25.50	2096	+4.8
15	Godde, Matthias	2127	BEL	+63N	−7B	+38N	=40B	+32N	−2B	−9N	+36B	+33N	5.5	40.5	42.5	21.50	2156	+8.2
16	Van den Berg, Jeroen	2080	NED	+67N	=3B	−8N	+64B	+40N	+9B	−12N	−7B	+31N	5.5	40.5	41.5	20.25	2169	+22.4
17	Verheyen, Olivier	2198	BEL	+51N	+40B	=7N	−11B	−12N	=45B	+38N	=18B	+26N	5.5	39.5	42.5	23.75	2143	-9.6
18	Vanduyfhuys, Igor	2027	BEL	+62N	−9B	+65N	+45B	+10N	−11B	−3N	=17N	+34B	5.5	39.5	41.0	20.25	2142	+30.2
19	Decrop, Hendrik	2179	BEL	+53B	−45N	=33N	=31B	+38N	+24B	+41N	−3B	=14N	5.5	37.5	40.5	23.25	2080	-20.2
20	Orban, Pieter-Jan	1932	BEL	−8N	+62B	+41N	=32B	=14N	−26B	=57N	+49B	+30B	5.5	35.5	37.5	20.00	2129	+94.0
21	Speck, Jakob	1865	GER	−12N	−31B	=42N	+63B	+64N	=14B	=24N	+38B	+32N	5.5	35.0	36.5	19.25	2040	+42.4
22	Decrop, BenjaminFM	2255	BEL	F	+26B	+10N	=7B	=4N	=1N	=6B	=12B	=9N	5.0	49.0	49.0	30.00	2337	+17.6
23	Peeters, Alex	2111	BEL	+44N	=11B	+64N	=5B	+3N	−4B	−8N	+41B	−10N	5.0	45.0	46.5	22.00	2202	+21.2
24	Verstraete, Michael	1989	BEL	+59B	−5N	+25B	−13N	+50B	−19N	=21B	=27N	+52B	5.0	39.0	41.5	18.75	2001	+3.6
25	Walinga, Eric Jan	1920	NED	−3N	+42B	−24N	+56B	−41N	+28B	+58N	−14B	+54B	5.0	36.0	38.5	17.50	1975	+13.2
26	Peeters, Tim	2058	BEL	+66B	−22N	−39B	+55N	+61B	+20N	−29B	+46N	−17B	5.0	33.5	35.0	16.00	2050	-1.8
27	De Winter, Roman	1811	BEL	−14N	−38B	−28N	+66B	+56N	+51B	=40N	=24B	+37B	5.0	33.5	35.0	16.00	1944	+31.4
28	Van Der Straeten, Lieven	1885	BEL	−10B	−69N	+27B	+59N	−46B	−25N	+65B	+64B	+49N	5.0	28.0	29.0	13.50	1931	+11.6
29	Moravec, Vit	2186	CZE	=54B	F	+58N	=8B	=7N	=12B	+26N	=2B	−4N	4.5	41.5	41.5	21.25	2218	+8.4
30	Cocquyt, Tijs	2097	BEL	−35N	+53B	+52N	+33B	=9N	−3B	=10N	=31B	−20N	4.5	40.5	43.5	18.75	2013	-19.0
31	Lenders, Ivan	1951	BEL	−2B	+21N	=34B	=19N	+43B	−37N	+50B	=30N	−16B	4.5	40.0	43.0	19.75	2035	+17.8
32	Carpentier, Jannes	2108	BEL	+68B	−1N	+61B	=20N	−15B	+39N	+35B	−13N	−21B	4.5	40.0	41.0	14.75	2000	-24.0
33	Golsta, Madara	1964	LAT	=6B	+48N	=19B	−30N	=45N	−10B	+47N	+35B	−15B	4.5	39.5	43.0	19.25	2004	+5.6
34	Zvolensky, David	2157	CZE	+55B	−4B	=31N	+58N	+39B	−5N	+49B	−9B	−18N	4.5	39.0	41.5	14.75	2070	-19.8
35	Sivashankar, Samyukta	1841	LUX	+30B	−10N	=50B	−49N	+36B	+40B	−32N	−33N	+64B	4.5	34.0	35.5	16.00	2012	+77.2
36	Zotikishvili, Dimitri	1954	BEL	−7N	+63B	−13N	=68B	−35N	+59N	+39B	−15N	+51B	4.5	33.5	34.5	12.00	1963	+1.0
37	Kools, Jasper	1966	NED	−4N	+55B	+47N	−9B	+54N	+31B	−7N	−10B	−27N	4.0	41.0	44.0	14.00	1990	-1.6
38	Golsta, Ramona	1942	LAT	−1B	+27N	−15B	+60N	−19B	+43N	−17B	−21N	+63N	4.0	40.5	42.5	13.50	1942	-2.6
39	Dechamps, Mark	1949	BEL	−11N	+44B	+26N	=10B	−34N	−32B	−36N	+47B	=40N	4.0	38.0	41.5	17.50	1985	+8.0
40	Castelein, Dirk	1966	BEL	+65B	−17N	+60B	=15N	−16B	−35N	=27B	=51N	=39B	4.0	35.5	37.0	12.75	1878	-19.2
41	Stevens, Christian	2026	FRA	=43B	=60N	−20B	+44N	+25B	+46N	−19B	−23N	F	4.0	35.0	35.0	15.75	1933	-18.2
42	Roose, Hoara	1669	BEL	−57B	−25N	=21B	+62N	−51B	=53N	+44B	+50N	−46B	4.0	30.0	32.0	13.25	1853	+80.8
43	Daems, Thibaut	1727	BEL	=41N	−13B	=56N	+52B	−31N	−38B	−51N	+66B	+55N	4.0	30.0	31.5	11.00	1859	+55.6
44	Damen, Josephine	1857	NED	−23B	−39N	+53N	−41B	+48N	−58B	−42N	+65B	+60N	4.0	28.5	30.0	10.50	1815	-19.2
45	Mylle, Frederik	1904	BEL	+13B	+19B	−11N	−18N	=33B	=17N	−46B	=61N	F	3.5	38.0	38.0	17.25	2052	+52.8
46	Da Silva Heleno, Jorit	1958	BEL	F	F	−12N	=14B	+28N	−41B	+45N	−26B	+42N	3.5	32.5	32.5	15.25	1963	+1.8
47	Brouwers, Stefan	0	NED	+69B	−6N	−37B	+51N	=58B	−49N	−33B	−39N	+62B	3.5	29.5	30.5	7.25	1902	0.0
48	Bultijnck, Kristoff	1723	BEL	F	−33B	−54N	=53N	−44B	−52B	+67N	+62N	+50B	3.5	23.5	23.5	7.50	1824	+20.0
49	Van Hecke, Bert	2029	BEL	F	+54N	−6B	+35B	−5N	+47B	−34N	−20N	−28B	3.0	39.0	39.0	11.00	1883	-29.0
50	Lambrecht, Milan	1909	BEL	−9N	=56B	=35N	+65B	−24N	+60B	−31N	−42B	−48N	3.0	33.0	34.5	7.75	1695	-49.8
51	Roorda, Maarten	1907	NED	−17B	=59N	F	−47B	+42N	−27N	+43B	=40B	−36N	3.0	33.0	33.0	11.25	1799	-20.2
52	Pincket, Thomas	1914	BEL	−5B	+66N	−30B	−43N	−59B	+48N	+62B	F	−24N	3.0	31.0	32.5	7.00	1771	-31.8
53	Gellinck, Simon	1894	BEL	−19N	−30N	−44B	=48B	+63N	=42B	=64N	−60B	=56N	3.0	29.0	30.5	8.00	1732	-78.4
54	Heremans, Dries	1904	BEL	=29N	−49B	+48B	=57N	−37B	−61N	+59B	F	−25N	3.0	28.0	30.5	9.75	1840	-14.8
55	Bernaert, Michael	1874	BEL	−34N	−37N	+66B	−26B	+67N	−57B	+60N	F	−43B	3.0	27.5	28.5	5.00	1817	-14.6
56	Yperman, Jeffrey	1616	BEL	−58B	=50N	=43B	−25N	−27B	−62N	=66B	+67N	=53B	3.0	26.0	27.0	6.75	1707	+17.8
57	Roelandt, Andreas	2023	BEL	+42N	F	−2B	=54B	F	+55N	=20B	F	F	3.0	22.0	22.0	11.25	2015	-0.4
58	Liessens, Tom	1971	BEL	+56N	F	−29B	−34B	=47N	+44N	−25B	F	F	2.5	27.5	27.5	8.75	1875	-12.2
59	Tabsho, Hassan	1633	BEL	−24N	=51B	=68N	−28B	+52N	−36B	−54N	−63B	=65N	2.5	27.0	28.0	5.75	1707	+13.6
60	Rousseau, Christilla	1782	BEL	F	=41B	−40N	−38B	+65N	−50N	−55B	+53N	−44B	2.5	26.5	26.5	6.50	1742	-8.8
61	Artola Pola, Gerardo	1950	ARG	F	F	−32N	+67B	−26N	+54B	−14N	=45B	F	2.5	22.5	22.5	5.75	1913	-6.4
62	Verhagen, Rinus	1742	BEL	−18B	−20N	=63N	−42B	=66N	+56B	−52N	−48B	−47N	2.0	30.0	31.5	4.75	1620	-47.6
63	Van Houdt, Michel	1865	BEL	−15B	−36N	=62B	−21N	−53B	=66N	F	+59N	−38B	2.0	28.5	29.5	4.25	1669	-81.6
64	Brand, Niels	1922	NED	F	F	−23B	−16N	−21B	+68N	=53B	−28N	−35N	1.5	29.5	29.5	2.50	1701	-38.6
65	Cant, Gert	1602	BEL	−40N	F	−18B	−50N	−60B	+67B	−28N	−44N	=59B	1.5	27.5	27.5	2.25	1596	-3.4
66	Muller, Erik	1754	BEL	−26N	−52B	−55N	−27N	=62B	=63B	=56N	−43N	−67B	1.5	27.0	28.0	3.50	1545	-92.8
67	Barbier, Francois	1763	BEL	−16B	F	F	−61N	−55B	−65N	−48B	−56B	+66N	1.0	20.5	20.5	1.50	1491	-44.4
68	Daels, Ilse	1842	BEL	−32N	F	=59B	=36N	F	−64B	F	F	F	1.0	15.0	15.0	3.50	1708	-14.0
69	Stroobant, Arne	1974	BEL	−47N	+28B	F	F	F	F	F	F	F	1.0	8.5	8.5	5.00	2685	+15.2

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Orban, Pieter-JanBEL
+94.0
5.5 pts · #12
2Roose, HoaraBEL
+80.8
4.0 pts · #41
3Sivashankar, SamyuktaLUX
+77.2
4.5 pts · #29

Top rating losers

1Muller, ErikBEL
-92.8
1.5 pts · #66
2Van Houdt, MichelBEL
-81.6
2.0 pts · #61
3Gellinck, SimonBEL
-78.4
3.0 pts · #47

Biggest upsets

R5+281 Elo gap
Tabsho, Hassan1633 beat Pincket, Thomas1914
R1+278 Elo gap
Mylle, Frederik1904 beat FMWantiez, Fabrice2182
R2+275 Elo gap
Mylle, Frederik1904 beat Decrop, Hendrik2179