Chess Masters Ghent 2025
10 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 19 Jul 2025 to 23 Jul 2025 in Ghent, Belgium. 10 titled players from 3 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2383, and top seed was Arthur Pijpers (🇳🇱 NED, GM, 2500).
Daniel Howard Fernandez (🇬🇧 ENG, GM, 2481) won with 7.5/9, ahead of Elias Ruzhansky (5.5) and Daniel W Gormally (5.5). Fernandez won solo starting round 2.
The biggest upset came in round 4: Elias Ruzhansky (IM, 2320) beat Arthur Pijpers (GM, 2500), a +180-point gap.
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How it unfolded
Top 10 · 9 roundsGM Daniel Howard Fernandez led from R2 onwards, the title was decided early.
GM Daniel Howard Fernandez never relinquished the lead after R2; final gap +2.0 over the runner-up.
GM Daniel Howard Fernandez opens a +2.0-point gap over the chasing pack (closest: GM Daniel W Gormally); the title is out of reach before R9.
GM Daniel Howard Fernandez beat GM Daniel W Gormally (Black).
Cross-table
| # | Player | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pts | SB | Bh | Δ Elo | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇬🇧GMFernandez, Daniel Howard | 2481 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 | 30.50 | 37.5 | +17.2 | 2647 |
| 3 | 🇧🇪IMRuzhansky, Elias | 2320 | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5.5 | 20.25 | 39.5 | +34.0 | 2470 |
| 2 | 🇬🇧GMGormally, Daniel W | 2435 | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5.5 | 20.00 | 39.5 | +3.2 | 2459 |
| 4 | 🇧🇪FMDauw, Sterre | 2354 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 5.5 | 20.00 | 39.5 | +28.4 | 2468 |
| 5 | 🇳🇱GMPijpers, Arthur | 2500 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5.0 | 19.50 | 40.0 | -10.3 | 2415 |
| 7 | 🇳🇱IMGrutter, Tim | 2405 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.5 | 17.50 | 40.5 | -2.8 | 2382 |
| 6 | 🇧🇪GMDgebuadze, Alexandre | 2396 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | 4.5 | 16.75 | 40.5 | -1.7 | 2383 |
| 8 | 🇳🇱FMVan Osch, Mees | 2347 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | 0 | 1 | 3.5 | 12.50 | 41.5 | -10.0 | 2309 |
| 9 | 🇧🇪FMVan Volsem, Merlijn | 2278 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | 1 | 3.5 | 11.00 | 41.5 | +8.2 | 2316 |
| 10 | 🇧🇪FMVictor, Julian | 2316 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | 0.0 | 0.00 | 45.0 | -71.8 | 1592 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
- 1Ruzhansky, EliasIMBEL+34.05.5 pts · #3
- 2Dauw, SterreFMBEL+28.45.5 pts · #4
- 3Fernandez, Daniel HowardGMENG+17.27.5 pts · #1
- 1Victor, JulianFMBEL-71.80.0 pts · #10
- 2Pijpers, ArthurGMNED-10.35.0 pts · #5
- 3Van Osch, MeesFMNED-10.03.5 pts · #8
- R4+180 Elo gap