South Island Chess Championship 2025
Open SwissStandard
65 players participated in this 8-round tournament, held from 24 Sept 2025 to 27 Sept 2025 in Dunedin, New Zealand. 14 titled players from 2 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2042, and top seed was Ilias Angelo (Leo) Baker (🇳🇿 NZL, CM, 2088).
Isabelle Yixuan Ning (🇳🇿 NZL, CM, 2023) won with 7.0/8, ahead of Thomas Van Der Hoorn (6.5) and Ilias Angelo (Leo) Baker (6.0). Ning broke clear in the final round.
The biggest upset came in round 1: Gregory Familton (1702) beat Edward Rains (CM, 2027), a +325-point gap.
Location
🇳🇿Dunedin, New Zealand
Dates
24 Sept 2025 → 27 Sept 2025
Time control
Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1
System
Swiss · 8 rounds
Titled players · 14
FM×2
CM×9
WFM×1
WCM×2
Federations · 2 represented
🇳🇿New Zealand×58
🇮🇳India×1
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 8 roundsCM Isabelle Yixuan Ning led from R5; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 2 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.
Co-leaders
31
11
5
2
1
1
2
1
R5–R8 · LEAD HELD
CM Isabelle Yixuan Ning held the sole lead from R5 through R8 without losing it.
R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND
CM Isabelle Yixuan Ning drew with CM Thomas Van Der Hoorn (Black).
WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers
CM Isabelle Yixuan Ning 5 wins (R1–R5)CM Thomas Van Der Hoorn 3 wins (R1–R3)CM Justin Zhide Wang 3 wins (R4–R6)
Key matchups · top 4
Head-to-head between the four finishers| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1CMIsabelle Yixuan Ning | * | ½ | 1 | — |
| 2CMThomas Van Der Hoorn | ½ | * | 1 | — |
| 3CMJustin Zhide Wang | 0 | 0 | * | — |
| 4FMKendrick Botong Zhang | — | — | — | * |
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ning, Isabelle YixuanCM | 2023 | NZL | +35N | +12B | +4N | +23B | +11B | =2N | =3N | +10B | 7.0 | 37.5 | 41.0 | 34.75 | 2287 | +93.6 |
| 2 | Van Der Hoorn, ThomasCM | 1971 | NZL | +51N | +36B | +10N | =3B | +23N | =1B | +4N | =7B | 6.5 | 37.0 | 39.5 | 30.25 | 2202 | +48.2 |
| 3 | Baker, Ilias Angelo (Leo)CM | 2088 | NZL | +28B | +44N | +18B | =2N | =9B | +11N | =1B | =6N | 6.0 | 38.0 | 41.0 | 28.75 | 2101 | +2.0 |
| 4 | Wang, Justin ZhideCM | 2034 | NZL | +52B | +41N | −1B | +24N | +8N | +7B | −2B | +13N | 6.0 | 37.0 | 39.5 | 26.00 | 1994 | -2.0 |
| 5 | Zhang, Kendrick BotongFM | 2021 | NZL | +33B | =20N | +13B | =17N | =14B | =6N | +16B | +15N | 6.0 | 34.5 | 38.5 | 28.75 | 2023 | +7.6 |
| 6 | Wilson, Dion A | 1924 | NZL | +42B | +31N | +19B | −11N | =10N | =5B | +23N | =3B | 5.5 | 34.5 | 38.0 | 24.50 | 2081 | +61.6 |
| 7 | Yu, ZacharyCM | 2046 | NZL | +61B | +24N | −11B | +29N | +15B | −4N | +31B | =2N | 5.5 | 34.5 | 36.0 | 21.75 | 1957 | -24.4 |
| 8 | Liu, Richard Jingjie | 1828 | NZL | +59B | −10B | +51N | +31N | −4B | +19N | +11B | =9N | 5.5 | 32.5 | 34.5 | 20.75 | 2013 | +70.8 |
| 9 | Rains, EdwardCM | 2027 | NZL | −25N | +52B | +35N | +50B | =3N | +12B | =10N | =8B | 5.5 | 31.5 | 34.0 | 21.75 | 1969 | -6.6 |
| 10 | Young, CohenCM | 2010 | NZL | +53B | +8N | −2B | +20N | =6B | +21N | =9B | −1N | 5.0 | 39.0 | 41.5 | 22.50 | 1982 | -3.6 |
| 11 | Johnson, Quentin J.F. | 1942 | NZL | +34N | +50B | +7N | +6B | −1N | −3B | −8N | +25B | 5.0 | 37.5 | 40.0 | 21.50 | 1994 | +11.2 |
| 12 | Tao, Junqing Jerome | 1887 | NZL | +45B | −1N | +28B | +18N | =21B | −9N | =24B | +31N | 5.0 | 33.5 | 36.5 | 19.75 | 1866 | +0.8 |
| 13 | Sun, Alexander | 0 | NZL | +47N | =17B | −5N | +38B | =22N | +27B | +20N | −4B | 5.0 | 33.0 | 36.0 | 19.50 | 1912 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Muthukumaran, Sriram | 1643 | NZL | +60B | =19N | =21B | +40N | =5N | −22B | +26N | =17B | 5.0 | 31.5 | 33.0 | 18.75 | 1958 | +102.4 |
| 15 | Braganza, NadiaWFM | 1829 | NZL | +38N | −23B | +39N | +27B | −7N | +36B | +22N | −5B | 5.0 | 31.0 | 34.5 | 19.00 | 1920 | +13.6 |
| 16 | Liu, William RuiCM | 2063 | NZL | +39N | +40B | F | F | +30N | +17B | −5N | +18B | 5.0 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 20.00 | 2111 | +20.8 |
| 17 | McNabb, Matthew David | 2044 | NZL | +37B | =13N | F | =5B | +20N | −16N | +21B | =14N | 4.5 | 33.5 | 33.5 | 20.50 | 1997 | -4.4 |
| 18 | King, Mathew J | 1969 | NZL | +27N | +25B | −3N | −12B | +32B | =24N | +37B | −16N | 4.5 | 32.0 | 35.5 | 17.50 | 1794 | -25.6 |
| 19 | Steadman, Michael V RFM | 1992 | NZL | +30N | =14B | −6N | =34B | +25N | −8B | +56N | =29B | 4.5 | 32.0 | 34.5 | 17.00 | 1784 | -37.8 |
| 20 | Christie, Richie | 1808 | NZL | +54N | =5B | +26N | −10B | −17B | +32N | −13B | +37N | 4.5 | 32.0 | 34.5 | 17.00 | 1920 | +14.2 |
| 21 | Cummings, Nick | 1897 | NZL | +46N | =26B | =14N | +36B | =12N | −10B | −17N | +35B | 4.5 | 30.5 | 33.5 | 17.00 | 1803 | -16.0 |
| 22 | Lee, Edward S | 2016 | NZL | −26N | +46B | +25N | F | =13B | +14N | −15B | +28N | 4.5 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 18.50 | 1725 | -26.8 |
| 23 | Stark, JohnCM | 2055 | NZL | +56B | +15N | F | −1N | −2B | +44N | −6B | +24N | 4.0 | 36.0 | 38.5 | 14.50 | 1861 | -28.0 |
| 24 | Broad, Cory | 1564 | NZL | +48N | −7B | +57N | −4B | +35N | =18B | =12N | −23B | 4.0 | 31.5 | 34.0 | 13.75 | 1762 | +42.8 |
| 25 | Familton, Gregory | 1702 | NZL | +9B | −18N | −22B | +58N | −19B | +42N | +33B | −11N | 4.0 | 31.5 | 33.5 | 15.00 | 1852 | +22.8 |
| 26 | Gold, Hamish R | 1726 | NZL | +22B | =21N | −20B | −32N | +60B | +40N | −14B | =30B | 4.0 | 30.0 | 31.5 | 13.75 | 1776 | +7.0 |
| 27 | Gibb, John L | 0 | NZL | −18B | +43N | +44B | −15N | +41B | −13N | −29B | +45N | 4.0 | 28.5 | 31.5 | 13.00 | 1711 | 0.0 |
| 28 | Christie, Jonno | 0 | NZL | −3N | +54B | −12N | +49B | =50N | +30B | =36N | −22B | 4.0 | 28.5 | 31.0 | 12.50 | 1744 | 0.0 |
| 29 | Holdo, Karl | 1711 | NZL | F | =32N | +33B | −7B | =34N | =56B | +27N | =19N | 4.0 | 28.5 | 28.5 | 15.50 | 1853 | +17.0 |
| 30 | Yu, Weiyang CadenceWCM | 1634 | NZL | −19B | +42N | =32B | +60N | −16B | −28N | +45B | =26N | 4.0 | 28.0 | 29.5 | 12.00 | 1721 | +9.6 |
| 31 | Heperi, Dallin | 1747 | NZL | +65N | −6B | +64N | −8B | +38N | +50B | −7N | −12B | 4.0 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 6.00 | 1669 | -18.4 |
| 32 | Bazanov, Michael | 0 | NZL | F | =29B | =30N | +26B | −18N | −20B | +50N | +36B | 4.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 14.00 | 1797 | 0.0 |
| 33 | Loretan, Alf | 1741 | NZL | −5N | +48B | −29N | +64B | −36N | +49B | −25N | +39B | 4.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 9.50 | 1523 | -56.0 |
| 34 | Black, Ross | 1725 | NZL | −11B | =60N | +37B | =19N | =29B | =41N | +44B | F | 4.0 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 13.25 | 1832 | +13.4 |
| 35 | Koentges, Thomas | 1581 | NZL | −1B | +59N | −9B | +45N | −24B | =38N | +55B | −21N | 3.5 | 30.0 | 32.0 | 9.25 | 1540 | -18.0 |
| 36 | Grant, Tyne | 1730 | NZL | +64B | −2N | +58B | −21N | +33B | −15N | =28B | −32N | 3.5 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 8.00 | 1741 | +1.6 |
| 37 | Duffield, Terence | 1800 | NZL | −17N | =47B | −34N | +46B | +52N | +39B | −18N | −20B | 3.5 | 27.0 | 29.5 | 10.50 | 1666 | -21.6 |
| 38 | MacDonald, Caleb | 0 | NZL | −15B | +56N | +41B | −13N | −31B | =35B | +53N | −40N | 3.5 | 27.0 | 29.5 | 10.25 | 1702 | 0.0 |
| 39 | Ashe, Michael | 1649 | NZL | −16B | +55N | −15B | +59N | =40B | −37N | +41B | −33N | 3.5 | 27.0 | 29.0 | 9.75 | 1606 | -8.2 |
| 40 | McIntosh, Fraser | 1662 | NZL | +43B | −16N | F | −14B | =39N | −26B | +51N | +38B | 3.5 | 27.0 | 28.5 | 11.25 | 1654 | -8.0 |
| 41 | Dolejs, Dan | 1716 | NZL | +62N | −4B | −38N | +57B | −27N | =34B | −39N | +51B | 3.5 | 26.0 | 27.0 | 8.00 | 1672 | -6.6 |
| 42 | Sloan, Rogan-Joe | 0 | NZL | −6N | −30B | −48N | +47B | +64N | −25B | =52N | +50B | 3.5 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 6.75 | 1586 | 0.0 |
| 43 | McPherson, Timothy J | 1560 | NZL | −40N | −27B | −49N | −54B | =47N | +48B | +60B | +55N | 3.5 | 21.5 | 23.0 | 8.50 | 859 | -14.4 |
| 44 | Stewart, Ezekiel | 0 | NZL | +49N | −3B | −27N | +51B | +53N | −23B | −34N | F | 3.0 | 26.0 | 26.0 | 8.00 | 1751 | 0.0 |
| 45 | Miriyala, Sreenikesh | 1480 | NZL | −12N | −51B | +46N | −35B | +57N | +53B | −30N | −27B | 3.0 | 24.5 | 27.0 | 8.00 | 1428 | -13.6 |
| 46 | FIDE 4332326 | 0 | — | −21B | −22N | −45B | −37N | +62B | +64N | +49B | −47N | 3.0 | 22.5 | 22.5 | 4.00 | 998 | 0.0 |
| 47 | Peng, Kerry (haiyan) | 0 | NZL | −13B | =37N | −60B | −42N | =43B | +58N | F | +46B | 3.0 | 22.0 | 23.5 | 8.50 | 1682 | 0.0 |
| 48 | Koulanov, Aleksey | 0 | NZL | −24B | −33N | +42B | −53N | −59B | −43N | +64B | +58N | 3.0 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 5.50 | 1382 | 0.0 |
| 49 | Christie, Jacob | 0 | NZL | −44B | −53N | +43B | −28N | +65B | −33N | −46N | +60B | 3.0 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 5.00 | 1515 | 0.0 |
| 50 | Fukushima, Shoji | 1861 | NZL | +55B | −11N | +53B | −9N | =28B | −31N | −32B | −42N | 2.5 | 28.5 | 31.0 | 7.00 | 1641 | -45.2 |
| 51 | Lourenco, EvaWCM | 1628 | NZL | −2B | +45N | −8B | −44N | =55B | +60N | −40B | −41N | 2.5 | 27.5 | 29.0 | 5.75 | 1490 | -18.0 |
| 52 | Lee, Dylan E S | 1553 | NZL | −4N | −9N | +55B | F | −37B | =61N | =42B | =57B | 2.5 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 6.25 | 1511 | -5.0 |
| 53 | Bell, Daniel | 1619 | NZL | −10N | +49B | −50N | +48B | −44B | −45N | −38B | =54N | 2.5 | 23.0 | 25.5 | 7.25 | 983 | -39.2 |
| 54 | Samuel, Scott | 0 | NZL | −20B | −28N | −56B | +43N | +58B | −55N | −57N | =53B | 2.5 | 22.0 | 24.0 | 6.75 | 1675 | 0.0 |
| 55 | Balbalin, Sean | 0 | NZL | −50N | −39B | −52N | +62B | =51N | +54B | −35N | −43B | 2.5 | 20.5 | 21.5 | 4.75 | 1238 | 0.0 |
| 56 | Coleman, Phil | 1763 | NZL | −23N | −38B | +54N | F | +61B | =29N | −19B | F | 2.5 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 6.00 | 1759 | -4.8 |
| 57 | FIDE 4324269 | 0 | — | F | F | −24B | −41N | −45B | +65N | +54B | =52N | 2.5 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 3.75 | 1256 | 0.0 |
| 58 | Akash Jayantkumar Patel | 1627 | IND | −63N | +65B | −36N | −25B | −54N | −47B | +62N | −48B | 2.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 1.00 | 1000 | -35.2 |
| 59 | FIDE 4328108 | 0 | — | −8N | −35B | +62N | −39B | +48N | F | F | F | 2.0 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 4.00 | 886 | 0.0 |
| 60 | Gudoy, Paul | 0 | NZL | −14N | =34B | +47N | −30B | −26N | −51B | −43N | −49N | 1.5 | 26.5 | 29.0 | 5.00 | 1252 | 0.0 |
| 61 | Song, Quinn | 1626 | NZL | −7N | +62B | F | F | −56N | =52B | F | F | 1.5 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 2.25 | 1507 | -19.6 |
| 62 | FIDE 4322045 | 0 | — | −41B | −61N | −59B | −55N | −46N | F | −58B | +64N | 1.0 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 0.00 | 856 | 0.0 |
| 63 | Weegenaar, David P | 1968 | NZL | +58B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.00 | 2427 | +4.8 |
| 64 | FIDE 4332261 | 0 | — | −36N | F | −31B | −33N | −42B | −46B | −48N | −62B | 0.0 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 0.00 | 939 | 0.0 |
| 65 | FIDE 4332288 | 0 | — | −31B | −58N | F | F | −49N | −57B | F | F | 0.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 0.00 | 887 | 0.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Muthukumaran, SriramNZL+102.45.0 pts · #13
- 2Ning, Isabelle YixuanCMNZL+93.67.0 pts · #1
- 3Liu, Richard JingjieNZL+70.85.5 pts · #12
Top rating losers
- 1Loretan, AlfNZL-56.04.0 pts · #47
- 2Fukushima, ShojiNZL-45.22.5 pts · #46
- 3Bell, DanielNZL-39.22.5 pts · #60
Biggest upsets
- R1+325 Elo gap
- R1+290 Elo gap
- R7+187 Elo gap