2025 Etienne Lewis CLOSED Chess Tournament (U18)

Open SwissStandard

44 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 08 Aug 2025 to 10 Aug 2025 in Pretoria, South Africa. 2 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1609, and top seed was Stephen Bulelani (🇿🇦 RSA, 1843).

Stephen Bulelani (🇿🇦 RSA, 1843) won with 6.0/7, ahead of Matthys Andrio De Vries (6.0) and Alex Yang (5.5). Bulelani won on tie-break after catching the field in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 4: Matthys Andrio De Vries (1616) beat Stephen Bulelani (1843), a +227-point gap.

Location

🇿🇦Pretoria, South Africa

Dates

08 Aug 2025 → 10 Aug 2025

Time control

Standard: 60 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇿🇦Stephen Bulelani1843

Avg top 10

1,609

Participants

Federations · 2 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×38

FIDE (no federation)×1

Top 3

🥇
Stephen Bulelani
🇿🇦RSA·1843
6.0pts·1808perf-4.4
🥈
Matthys Andrio De Vries
🇿🇦RSA·1616
6.0pts·1982perf+65.2
🥉
Alex Yang
🇿🇦RSA·1621
5.5pts·1744perf+32.8

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Tight race until R7; 2 players tied at 6.0/7, decided on Buchholz. Title race narrowed from 2 co-leaders at R4 to 2 at the finish.

Co-leaders

Bulelani6De Vries6Mduli5.5Yang5.5Kekana5Berry4.5

R7 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

2 players finish on 6.0/7. Bulelani takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (28.5).

R4 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Stephen Bulelani lost to Matthys Andrio De Vries (White).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Stephen Bulelani 3+3 wins (R1–R3, R5–R7)Matthys Andrio De Vries 4 wins (R1–R4)Siyabonga Mduli 5 wins (R2–R6)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Stephen Bulelani	*	0	—	1
2Matthys Andrio De Vries	1	*	½	½
3Siyabonga Mduli	—	½	*	—
4Alex Yang	0	½	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Bulelani, Stephen	1843	RSA	+26N	+15B	+6N	−2B	+9N	+3B	+8N	6.0	28.5	31.5	25.50	1808	-4.4
2	De Vries, Matthys Andrio	1616	RSA	+34B	+23N	+31B	+1N	=3N	+5B	=4B	6.0	27.5	30.0	24.50	1982	+65.2
3	Yang, Alex	1621	RSA	+29B	+24N	+25B	+7N	=2B	−1N	+22N	5.5	25.5	28.5	19.50	1744	+32.8
4	Mduli, Siyabonga	0	RSA	F	+16B	+26N	+19B	+17N	+22B	=2N	5.5	22.5	25.0	19.50	1578	0.0
5	Kekana, Neo	1603	RSA	F	+13N	+34B	+25N	+31B	−2N	+23B	5.0	21.0	23.5	15.00	1570	-3.6
6	Monnig, Erika	1474	RSA	+13B	+32N	−1B	−23N	+11N	=17B	+16N	4.5	24.5	27.0	16.25	1576	+24.0
7	Berry, Ryan	0	RSA	+28N	+8B	+18N	−3B	−22N	=14B	+17N	4.5	24.0	27.0	16.50	1520	0.0
8	Mahlangu, Nkosinathi Phil	1482	RSA	+44B	−7N	+40B	=27N	+15B	+23N	−1B	4.5	21.5	21.5	9.50	1692	+53.6
9	Van Loggerenberg, Logan	1507	RSA	=16N	+41B	+27N	=22B	−1B	=31N	+32B	4.5	20.5	21.5	11.00	1546	+5.2
10	Kgotse, Thoriso	1610	RSA	+33B	−31N	+28B	+24N	−23B	=12N	+15B	4.5	19.0	21.5	14.00	1692	+16.4
11	Baloyi, Boikanyo	1603	RSA	F	+30N	+32B	=15N	−6B	+35N	+31B	4.5	19.0	21.5	12.25	1496	-16.0
12	Beyers, Jacobus	0	RSA	+35B	−25N	−24B	+29N	+19N	=10B	=18N	4.0	20.5	23.0	13.00	1536	0.0
13	Van Schalkwyk, Nathan	0	RSA	−6N	−5B	−37N	+43B	+41N	+26B	+29N	4.0	18.5	19.5	8.00	1433	0.0
14	Wolfaardt, John Eduan	1555	RSA	+38B	+42N	−22B	−31N	+33B	=7N	=27B	4.0	17.5	18.5	9.25	1463	-15.2
15	Snyders, Meya	1517	RSA	+37B	−1N	+21N	=11B	−8N	+20B	−10N	3.5	26.5	28.5	11.25	1509	-6.4
16	Seitei, Neo	1453	RSA	=9B	−4N	=33B	+38N	+25B	=27N	−6B	3.5	23.0	25.0	10.00	1391	-14.0
17	Lekalakala, Bupe Amogelang	1472	RSA	−41N	+39B	+36N	+18B	−4B	=6N	−7B	3.5	22.5	23.5	10.25	1723	+36.0
18	Radia, Diya	1422	RSA	+30B	+40N	−7B	−17N	=32B	=24N	=12B	3.5	20.5	22.0	9.25	1554	+30.0
19	Kruger, Hendrik	1490	RSA	−40B	+38N	+42B	−4N	−12B	=33N	+35B	3.5	18.0	19.0	6.75	1255	-25.2
20	Matsioloko, Godisang	1421	RSA	F	=33N	=35B	+28N	=24B	−15N	+34B	3.5	17.5	20.0	9.50	1366	-8.4
21	Matsioloko, Osego	1452	RSA	F	+35N	−15B	=40N	+34B	−32N	+33B	3.5	16.5	18.0	8.25	1470	+3.2
22	Van der Merwe, Altus	1459	RSA	F	=27B	+14N	=9N	+7B	−4N	−3B	3.0	28.5	31.5	12.25	1530	+16.0
23	Jooste, Josh	1522	RSA	F	−2B	+41N	+6B	+10N	−8B	−5N	3.0	28.0	29.0	10.00	1484	-10.8
24	Lodi, Olebogeng	1466	RSA	F	−3B	+12N	−10B	=20N	=18B	+28N	3.0	24.0	25.0	10.50	1323	-29.2
25	Murray, Henry	0	RSA	+36N	+12B	−3N	−5B	−16N	−28B	+37N	3.0	23.5	25.5	8.50	758	0.0
26	Ligthelm, Henko	0	RSA	−1B	+37N	−4B	+30N	−27B	−13N	+42B	3.0	23.5	24.5	6.00	1468	0.0
27	Timmerman, Mischke	1435	RSA	F	=22N	−9B	=8B	+26N	=16B	=14N	3.0	23.0	26.0	10.50	1417	-5.2
28	FIDE 534003827	0	—	−7B	+44N	−10N	−20B	+39B	+25N	−24B	3.0	20.5	20.5	5.00	1295	0.0
29	Bath, Xavier	1598	RSA	−3N	−36B	+39N	−12B	+40B	+42N	−13B	3.0	19.5	20.5	4.50	1618	+4.0
30	Viljoen, Amber	1500	RSA	−18N	−11B	+43N	−26B	−37N	+41B	+36N	3.0	16.5	17.5	4.50	705	-39.6
31	Marais, Nathan	0	RSA	F	+10B	−2N	+14B	−5N	=9B	−11N	2.5	30.0	34.0	10.75	1524	0.0
32	Meeran, Museera	0	RSA	F	−6B	−11N	+37B	=18N	+21B	−9N	2.5	25.5	27.5	7.25	1340	0.0
33	Nason, Cyle	1505	RSA	−10N	=20B	=16N	+41B	−14N	=19B	−21N	2.5	22.5	23.5	6.25	1304	-59.6
34	FIDE 14362465	0	—	−2N	+43B	−5N	=36B	−21N	+37B	−20N	2.5	22.5	23.5	4.25	723	0.0
35	Padayachy, Shreya	0	RSA	−12N	−21B	=20N	+42B	+36N	−11B	−19N	2.5	21.5	22.5	5.25	1168	0.0
36	Mogobiyane, Lefa	0	FID	−25B	+29N	−17B	=34N	−35B	+40N	−30B	2.5	17.5	19.0	5.75	1492	0.0
37	Du Toit, Colenso	0	RSA	−15N	−26B	+13B	−32N	+30B	−34N	−25B	2.0	19.0	21.5	7.00	1508	0.0
38	FIDE 534002642	0	—	−14N	−19B	+44N	−16B	−42N	F	+43B	2.0	13.0	13.0	1.00	700	0.0
39	Reyneke, Talia	1458	RSA	F	−17N	−29B	+44B	−28N	−43N	+40B	2.0	12.0	12.0	1.50	1365	-15.2
40	Moabi, Olerato	1401	RSA	+19N	−18B	−8N	=21B	−29N	−36B	−39N	1.5	20.5	22.5	5.25	1290	-33.6
41	Masina, Mandisa	0	RSA	+17B	−9N	−23B	−33N	−13B	−30N	F	1.0	20.5	20.5	3.50	1259	0.0
42	FIDE 534003860	0	—	F	−14B	−19N	−35N	+38B	−29B	−26N	1.0	18.0	18.0	2.00	749	0.0
43	Meletoa, Tshepo	0	RSA	F	−34N	−30B	−13N	F	+39B	−38N	1.0	16.5	16.5	2.00	1480	0.0
44	FIDE 534025820	0	—	−8N	−28B	−38B	−39N	F	F	F	0.0	12.5	12.5	0.00	669	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1De Vries, Matthys AndrioRSA
+65.2
6.0 pts · #4
2Mahlangu, Nkosinathi PhilRSA
+53.6
4.5 pts · #6
3Lekalakala, Bupe AmogelangRSA
+36.0
3.5 pts · #11

Top rating losers

1Nason, CyleRSA
-59.6
2.5 pts · #24
2Viljoen, AmberRSA
-39.6
3.0 pts · #41
3Moabi, OleratoRSA
-33.6
1.5 pts · #22

Biggest upsets

R4+227 Elo gap
De Vries, Matthys Andrio1616 beat Bulelani, Stephen1843
R5+129 Elo gap
Monnig, Erika1474 beat Baloyi, Boikanyo1603