2025 African Individual Chess Championships - Open Section

SwissStandard

54 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 13 May 2025 to 20 May 2025 in Giza, Egypt. 39 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2421, and top seed was Bassem Amin (🇪🇬 EGY, GM, 2649).

Bassem Amin (🇪🇬 EGY, GM, 2649) won with 7.0/9, ahead of Bilel Bellahcene (7.0) and Ahmed Adly (7.0). Amin won on tie-break after catching the field in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 3: Ala Eddine Boulrens (2136) beat Ahmed Adly (GM, 2597), a +461-point gap.

Location

🇪🇬Giza, Egypt

Dates

13 May 2025 → 20 May 2025

Time control

Standard: 90min/40moves+30min/end+30sec increment per move starting from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇪🇬GMBassem Amin2649

Avg top 10

2,421

Participants

Titled players · 39

GM×5

IM×7

FM×14

CM×13

Federations · 8 represented

🇪🇬Egypt×27

🇨🇲Cameroon×5

🇱🇾Libya×3

🇸🇩Sudan×3

🇸🇳Senegal×2

🇹🇳Tunisia×2

🇰🇪Kenya×2

🇩🇿Algeria×2

Top 3

🥇
GMBassem Amin
🇪🇬EGY·2649
7.0pts·2552perf-6.1
🥈
GMBilel Bellahcene
🇩🇿ALG·2504
7.0pts·2557perf+7.2
🥉
GMAhmed Adly
🇪🇬EGY·2597
7.0pts·2471perf-7.6

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Tight race until R6; 3 players tied at 7.0/9, decided on Buchholz. Title race narrowed from 4 co-leaders at R4 to 3 at the finish.

Co-leaders

Amin7Bellahcene7Adly7Wafa6.5Ezat6Elhusseiny6— ex-leaders:Simpsonled R3, #16

R6 · LEADER CHANGE17 May

GM Bassem Amin takes the sole lead (5.5/6).

R9 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

3 players finish on 7.0/9. Amin takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (48.0).

R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

GM Bassem Amin beat GM Bilel Bellahcene (Black).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMBassem Amin	*	1	0	—
2GMBilel Bellahcene	0	*	—	½
3GMAhmed Adly	1	—	*	—
4IMHamed Wafa	—	½	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Amin, BassemGM	2649	EGY	+14B	=5N	+45B	+17B	+6N	+2N	=12B	−3N	+7B	7.0	48.0	50.5	37.75	2552	-6.1
2	Bellahcene, BilelGM	2504	ALG	+41N	+16B	=7N	+5B	+8N	−1B	+19N	+12B	=4N	7.0	47.0	50.5	37.25	2557	+7.2
3	Adly, AhmedGM	2597	EGY	+15N	=12B	−18N	+24B	=16N	+29B	+17N	+1B	+14N	7.0	43.0	47.0	36.75	2471	-7.6
4	Wafa, HamedIM	2367	EGY	+11N	+29B	−17N	+18B	−12N	+26B	+16B	+5N	=2B	6.5	44.0	48.0	34.00	2364	+1.8
5	Fadi, MarkoFM	2244	EGY	+25B	=1B	+19N	−2N	+10B	+8B	=7N	−4B	+12N	6.0	49.0	53.5	33.50	2469	+51.0
6	Ezat, MohamedIM	2296	EGY	+40N	+38B	=8N	+7B	−1B	=16N	−9B	+15B	+21N	6.0	44.0	47.5	29.00	2391	+10.7
7	George Samir, DavidIM	2346	EGY	+37B	+54N	=2B	−6N	+20B	+38N	=5B	+9N	−1N	6.0	44.0	45.5	26.00	2397	+12.6
8	Fawzy, AdhamGM	2513	EGY	+21B	+22N	=6B	+32N	−2B	−5N	+24B	=18N	+20B	6.0	43.5	47.5	29.00	2354	-14.0
9	Yousry, SalahFM	2256	EGY	+28N	=26B	=12N	−16B	+40N	+11B	+6N	−7B	+18B	6.0	42.5	46.0	30.00	2294	+9.4
10	Ahmed, Moustafa Elsayed	2079	EGY	−19N	+50B	+35N	=13B	−5N	+45N	=20B	+29B	+24N	6.0	36.5	39.0	22.75	2294	+50.8
11	Elhusseiny, EyadFM	2075	EGY	−4B	−27N	+52B	+46N	+42B	−9N	+31B	+30N	+22B	6.0	35.5	37.0	20.00	2225	+58.1
12	Ahmed, Ahmed Alaa	2223	EGY	+42B	=3N	=9B	+37N	+4B	+17B	=1N	−2N	−5B	5.5	48.0	51.0	28.00	2388	+35.6
13	Ashraf, ShereifFM	2264	EGY	+33B	−17N	+20B	=10N	=22B	=18N	+21B	−14B	+25N	5.5	41.0	45.0	26.50	2187	-17.0
14	Idrissi, ChafikCM	2107	MAR	−1N	−35B	+53N	+47B	=33N	+39B	+30B	+13N	−3B	5.5	37.5	39.0	19.00	2247	+29.6
15	Jele, Tapiwa	2105	ZIM	−3B	=42N	−31B	+43N	+35N	+49B	+38B	−6N	+27B	5.5	35.0	37.5	19.00	2211	+23.4
16	Tamer Waguih, FaridFM	2206	EGY	+23B	−2N	+25B	+9N	=3B	=6B	−4N	−21N	+31B	5.0	47.0	51.0	26.00	2287	+22.7
17	Simpson, MichaelIM	2108	RSA	+48N	+13B	+4B	−1N	+30B	−12N	−3B	−20N	+29N	5.0	44.5	47.0	22.50	2292	+79.6
18	Boulrens, Ala Eddine	2136	ALG	+36B	=49N	+3B	−4N	=32B	=13B	+28N	=8B	−9N	5.0	43.5	46.0	24.50	2315	+38.2
19	Abdelnabbi, ImedIM	2385	EGY	+10B	=45N	−5B	=21N	+37B	+22N	−2B	=25N	=23B	5.0	42.0	44.5	23.00	2203	-18.8
20	Nsubuga, HarunaFM	2137	UGA	+46N	=32B	−13N	+27B	−7N	+33B	=10N	+17B	−8N	5.0	41.0	43.5	21.00	2211	+15.6
21	Khalil, Ahmed SalemCM	2102	EGY	−8N	+47B	=39N	=19B	+36N	+32B	−13N	+16B	−6B	5.0	39.0	41.5	19.75	2250	+31.8
22	Sameh Mohamed, AbdalrahmanIM	2211	EGY	+47N	−8B	=33N	+39B	=13N	−19B	+34N	+26B	−11N	5.0	38.5	41.0	19.25	2191	-4.1
23	Abdin, MahmoudCM	1993	EGY	−16N	+41B	=29N	−38B	−24N	+47B	+33N	+28B	=19N	5.0	34.0	36.5	19.00	2178	+65.1
24	Musonda CholaFM	2127	ZAM	=34N	+39B	−32N	−3N	+23B	+27B	−8N	+38B	−10B	4.5	40.0	43.5	18.50	2157	+2.8
25	Sayed, Hany	2033	EGY	−5N	+48B	−16N	+34B	−29N	+40B	+32N	=19B	−13B	4.5	37.0	39.5	16.50	2153	+26.0
26	Abdallah, Mohamed KhalilCM	2123	TUN	+44B	=9N	=49B	−30N	+31B	−4N	+50B	−22N	=37N	4.5	34.5	37.0	15.50	2147	+11.2
27	Elnasri, MohammedCM	1943	SUD	−29N	+11B	=38N	−20N	+52B	−24N	+45B	+39B	−15N	4.5	34.5	36.0	15.25	2099	+36.4
28	Mena, MartinFM	2044	EGY	−9B	+44N	+54B	=49N	=45B	=30N	−18B	−23N	+41N	4.5	31.5	33.0	12.50	2135	+32.1
29	Alhassadi, Yousef A.FM	2165	LBA	+27B	−4N	=23B	=31N	+25B	−3N	+42B	−10N	−17B	4.0	42.5	45.5	16.50	2084	-21.8
30	Amdouni, ZoubaierFM	2226	TUN	−39N	+34B	+40N	+26B	−17N	=28B	−14N	−11B	=35N	4.0	37.0	40.5	16.25	2008	-50.6
31	Ahmed Hassan AhmedCM	2050	SUD	−32N	=53B	+15N	=29B	−26N	+36B	−11N	+34B	−16N	4.0	37.0	38.5	16.25	2037	-3.2
32	Kandil, AhmedFM	2289	EGY	+31B	=20N	+24B	−8B	=18N	−21N	−25B	+42N	F	4.0	37.0	37.0	16.50	2138	-60.8
33	Oluka Robert McligeyoCM	2047	KEN	−13N	+46B	=22B	=45N	=14B	−20N	−23B	=36N	+42B	4.0	35.5	38.0	14.00	2040	-1.6
34	Donkeng Hussel	1910	CMR	=24B	−30N	=42B	−25N	+44B	+37N	−22B	−31N	+43B	4.0	31.5	34.5	13.25	2020	+50.0
35	Naser Eldean,AhmedCM	2006	LBA	F	+14N	−10B	=54N	−15B	−42N	+44B	+48N	=30B	4.0	31.0	31.0	13.75	2050	+9.4
36	Kimani, Kimingi	1911	KEN	−18N	+51B	−37B	+53N	−21B	−31N	=40N	=33B	+48B	4.0	29.5	31.0	9.75	1990	+19.0
37	Nader ObeidFM	2069	SUD	−7N	+43B	+36N	−12B	−19N	−34B	+41N	F	=26B	3.5	35.5	38.0	12.75	2078	-0.6
38	Abdel Moniem, Mohamed	2144	EGY	+52B	−6N	=27B	+23N	+49B	−7B	−15N	−24N	F	3.5	35.5	35.5	11.25	2083	-13.8
39	Hossam Mohamed, AdhamFM	2014	EGY	+30B	−24N	=21B	−22N	+54B	−14N	+46B	−27N	F	3.5	34.5	36.0	10.50	2056	+14.8
40	Bakeer Ehab, Ahmad	2069	EGY	−6B	+52N	−30B	+48N	−9B	−25N	=36B	+46N	F	3.5	33.0	34.5	8.50	2009	-22.8
41	Cogan, NicolasCM	2099	CIV	−2B	−23N	+43B	−42N	=46B	+48N	−37B	+50N	−28B	3.5	31.0	33.5	9.25	1957	-36.6
42	Ebosse Kingue Victor PatrickFM	2002	CMR	−12N	=15B	=34N	+41B	−11N	+35B	−29N	−32B	−33N	3.0	37.0	40.5	12.25	1977	-7.0
43	Ahmed Moustafa, Fares	1968	EGY	−45B	−37N	−41N	−15B	+51N	−46N	+52B	+47B	−34N	3.0	26.0	27.5	6.00	1906	-22.9
44	Metuno Kuete Bleriot Rocalixt	1887	CMR	−26N	−28B	−47N	=50B	−34N	+51B	−35N	=52B	+53N	3.0	25.5	27.0	5.50	1873	-6.8
45	Sayed Hassan, Mohamed	2201	EGY	+43N	=19B	−1N	=33B	=28N	−10B	−27N	F	F	2.5	37.5	37.5	9.75	2050	-30.8
46	Zebaze Dongmo Loic DylaneCM	1921	CMR	−20B	−33N	+51N	−11B	=41N	+43B	−39N	−40B	−50B	2.5	31.0	33.0	6.75	1884	-9.2
47	Deme, Cheikh Sidy Mohamed	1998	SEN	−22B	−21N	+44B	−14N	=48B	−23N	−51B	−43N	+52N	2.5	31.0	32.5	5.75	1844	-75.2
48	Naipal, HoolanCM	1844	MRI	−17B	−25N	+50N	−40B	=47N	−41B	+53N	−35B	−36N	2.5	29.5	31.0	5.25	1851	-0.2
49	Kandil, AdhamGM	2265	EGY	+51N	=18B	=26N	=28B	−38N	−15N	F	F	F	2.5	25.0	25.0	9.00	2043	-35.8
50	Abugenda, NagiCM	1994	LBA	F	−10N	−48B	=44N	+53B	F	−26N	−41B	+46N	2.5	25.0	25.0	5.50	1882	-22.0
51	El, Hadji Saidou Nourou BA	2049	SEN	−49B	−36N	−46B	−52N	−43B	−44N	+47N	+53B	F	2.0	20.5	20.5	4.00	1783	-55.8
52	Ndjolock Simon	1928	CMR	−38N	−40B	−11N	+51B	−27N	−53B	−43N	=44N	−47B	1.5	28.0	29.5	3.50	1734	-82.0
53	Ali Abdullahi, FarahCM	1933	SOM	−54B	=31N	−14B	−36B	−50N	+52N	−48B	−51N	−44B	1.5	25.0	26.5	3.50	1718	-46.2
54	El Ghazali, Youssef M.IM	2149	EGY	+53N	−7B	−28N	=35B	−39N	F	F	F	F	1.5	22.0	22.0	3.50	1920	-30.8

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Simpson, MichaelIMRSA
+79.6
5.0 pts · #16
2Abdin, MahmoudCMEGY
+65.1
5.0 pts · #20
3Elhusseiny, EyadFMEGY
+58.1
6.0 pts · #6

Top rating losers

1Ndjolock SimonCMR
-82.0
1.5 pts · #52
2Deme, Cheikh Sidy MohamedSEN
-75.2
2.5 pts · #46
3Kandil, AhmedFMEGY
-60.8
4.0 pts · #32

Biggest upsets

R3+461 Elo gap
Boulrens, Ala Eddine2136 beat GMAdly, Ahmed2597
R6+269 Elo gap
FMFadi, Marko2244 beat GMFawzy, Adham2513
R3+259 Elo gap
IMSimpson, Michael2108 beat IMWafa, Hamed2367