Ganja Open - 2025, Group A

SwissStandard

77 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 10 Nov 2025 to 17 Nov 2025 in Ganja, Azerbaijan. 45 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2517, and top seed was Leon Luke Mendonca (🇮🇳 IND, GM, 2620).

Leon Luke Mendonca (🇮🇳 IND, GM, 2620) won with 7.0/9, ahead of Jun Zhao (6.5) and Ilia Iljiushenok (6.5). Mendonca won solo starting round 8.

The biggest upset came in round 2: Zahra Allahverdi (1850) beat Kundu Kaustuv (IM, 2372), a +522-point gap.

Location

🇦🇿Ganja, Azerbaijan

Dates

10 Nov 2025 → 17 Nov 2025

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇮🇳GMLeon Luke Mendonca2620

Avg top 10

2,517

Participants

Titled players · 45

GM×7

IM×13

FM×16

CM×5

WGM×2

WIM×2

Federations · 8 represented

🇦🇿Azerbaijan×24

🇮🇳India×19

🇮🇷Iran×13

🇨🇳China×7

🇮🇱Israel×3

🇬🇪Georgia×2

🇺🇿Uzbekistan×2

🇹🇷Turkiye×2

Top 3

🥇
GMLeon Luke Mendonca
🇮🇳IND·2620
7.0pts·2664perf+5.5
🥈
GMJun Zhao
🇨🇳CHN·2531
6.5pts·2556perf+4.9
🥉
GMIlia Iljiushenok
FID·2521
6.5pts·2481perf-1.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

GM Leon Luke Mendonca led from R8; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 5 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R8.

Co-leaders

Mendonca7Zhao6.5Babazada6.5Iljiushenok6.5Ahmad6Gong6

R8–R9 · LEAD HELD

GM Leon Luke Mendonca held the sole lead from R8 through R9 without losing it.

R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

GM Leon Luke Mendonca drew with GM Jun Zhao (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

GM Leon Luke Mendonca 3 wins (R1–R3)GM Jun Zhao 3 wins (R3–R5)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMLeon Luke Mendonca	*	½	—	½
2GMJun Zhao	½	*	—	—
3IMKhazar Babazada	—	—	*	—
4GMIlia Iljiushenok	½	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Mendonca, Leon LukeGM	2620	IND	+27N	+20B	+23N	=7B	+45B	=2N	=9B	+5N	=3B	7.0	46.5	50.5	38.00	2664	+5.5
2	Zhao, JunGM	2531	CHN	+55N	−34B	+33B	+8N	+26B	=1B	=16N	+24N	=5B	6.5	43.5	47.0	33.25	2556	+4.9
3	Iljiushenok, IliaGM	2521	FID	+35B	=25N	=8B	−14N	+44B	+48N	+23B	+7B	=1N	6.5	43.0	47.0	32.50	2481	-1.2
4	Babazada, KhazarIM	2509	AZE	+44B	=15N	+25B	−11N	+33B	=23N	=10B	+26N	+21B	6.5	42.5	46.5	32.25	2455	-3.6
5	Romanov, EvgenyGM	2567	MKD	+38B	=8N	+13B	−6N	+28B	+11N	+22B	−1B	=2N	6.0	47.5	52.0	32.75	2527	-3.1
6	Talibov, ShiroghlanIM	2443	AZE	+21B	=33N	+29B	+5B	=22N	−16N	+13B	=9N	=12B	6.0	45.0	49.5	33.25	2494	+7.8
7	Ahmad, KhaganIM	2458	AZE	+46B	+14N	+65B	=1N	+11B	=22N	=24B	−3N	=9B	6.0	45.0	47.5	29.50	2508	+8.1
8	Davudov, TunarFM	2339	AZE	+50B	=5B	=3N	−2B	=31N	+35N	+25B	=45N	+24B	6.0	42.5	46.5	29.25	2467	+32.4
9	Alekseev, EvgenyGM	2508	ISR	=57N	+19B	=61N	+32B	=18N	+34B	=1N	=6B	=7N	6.0	42.5	45.5	30.25	2455	-3.6
10	Gong, SunleIM	2374	CHN	=19N	+57B	+59N	−22B	=27N	+30B	=4N	+14B	=16N	6.0	41.0	44.0	27.75	2380	+3.0
11	Sanikidze, TornikeGM	2411	GEO	+60N	=59B	+36N	+4B	−7N	−5B	+27N	=18B	+46N	6.0	40.5	43.5	27.25	2385	+0.2
12	Mayank ChakrabortyIM	2454	IND	+68N	=36B	=49N	+30B	=52N	=18B	=14N	+16B	=6N	6.0	39.5	42.0	27.50	2410	-3.3
13	John Veny AkkarakaranFM	2347	IND	=66N	+37B	−5N	+65B	+38N	=17B	−6N	+30B	+22N	6.0	39.0	41.5	25.50	2383	+13.2
14	Nithin Babu	2310	IND	+56N	−7B	+41N	+3B	=24B	=45N	=12B	−10N	+43B	5.5	42.5	46.0	26.50	2382	+21.0
15	Rustamov, RustamFM	2314	AZE	+41N	=4B	−22N	=19B	+65N	=27B	+32N	=23B	=18N	5.5	42.0	44.5	25.75	2318	+5.2
16	Quparadze, GigaGM	2509	GEO	+75N	+39B	=34N	=52B	=23N	+6B	=2B	−12N	=10B	5.5	42.0	43.5	24.75	2439	-6.7
17	Ibrahimli, MuradIM	2447	AZE	+40B	−52N	+44B	=28N	+29B	=13N	=26B	−21N	+33B	5.5	39.5	43.0	26.00	2288	-15.5
18	Kaustuv, KunduIM	2372	IND	+47B	−65N	+48B	+50N	=9B	=12N	=45B	=11N	=15B	5.5	39.5	42.0	25.75	2331	-1.7
19	Yonal, TimurFM	2045	TUR	=10B	−9N	+73B	=15N	+54B	−25N	+39B	=28N	+44B	5.5	39.5	41.5	22.25	2332	+128.0
20	Subhayan KunduIM	2346	IND	+51B	−1N	=46B	−57N	+58B	+47N	=28B	=33N	+29B	5.5	36.5	39.5	22.75	2253	-9.0
21	Zhou, Shumeng	2051	CHN	−6N	−28N	+69B	=74B	+59N	+71B	+61N	+17B	−4N	5.5	34.0	35.5	17.25	2318	+113.2
22	Suyarov, MukhammadzokhidIM	2487	UZB	=48B	+63N	+15B	+10N	=6B	=7B	−5N	=29N	−13B	5.0	44.5	47.5	25.00	2362	-12.5
23	Bivor AdakFM	2402	IND	+62B	+67N	−1B	+54N	=16B	=4B	−3N	=15N	=28B	5.0	42.5	45.0	20.25	2370	-1.7
24	Zhang, Di	2460	CHN	+31N	=49B	=32N	+61B	=14N	+52B	=7N	−2B	−8N	5.0	41.5	44.5	21.75	2347	-12.2
25	Suleymanli, SuleymanFM	2328	AZE	+58N	=3B	−4N	=31B	+60N	+19B	−8N	F	+45B	5.0	40.5	43.5	21.25	2346	+6.6
26	Wu, YixingIM	2345	CHN	=37N	=53B	+60N	+49B	−2N	+36B	=17N	−4B	=31N	5.0	40.0	43.0	20.75	2259	-8.0
27	Azimi, Amir Mohammad	2143	IRI	−1B	=51N	+67B	+72N	=10B	=15N	−11B	=42N	+47B	5.0	39.5	41.5	18.50	2218	+28.5
28	Noy, EyalFM	2275	ISR	−76N	+21B	+53N	=17B	−5N	+57B	=20N	=19B	=23N	5.0	39.5	41.0	22.75	2251	-3.6
29	Anadkat Kartavya	2185	IND	=53N	+66B	−6N	+37B	−17N	+31B	+52N	=22B	−20N	5.0	38.5	41.0	19.75	2276	+20.0
30	Orujov, FaridFM	2221	AZE	−67B	+62N	+42B	−12N	+40B	−10N	+44B	−13N	+51B	5.0	38.0	40.5	20.00	2199	-5.0
31	Delavari, BehnoodCM	2085	IRI	−24B	=70N	+43B	=25N	=8B	−29N	+58B	+54N	=26B	5.0	37.0	39.5	20.25	2245	+65.7
32	Kubicka, AnnaWIM	2259	POL	=73B	+43N	=24B	−9N	=46B	+68N	−15B	=47N	+48B	5.0	35.5	37.5	18.50	2213	-10.0
33	Hojjatinejad, Ilia	2210	IRI	+74N	=6B	−2N	+66B	−4N	+37B	=34N	=20B	−17N	4.5	41.5	43.0	16.50	2293	+35.2
34	Aslanov, UmidFM	2322	AZE	+42B	+2N	=16B	−45N	+57B	−9N	=33B	=43N	F	4.5	40.0	43.0	21.25	2331	+5.0
35	Mahindrakar Indrajeet	2133	IND	−3N	−41B	=58N	+56N	+42B	−8B	+37N	−40B	+53N	4.5	37.5	40.5	17.50	2103	-9.6
36	Saurabh AnandFM	2158	IND	+72B	=12N	−11B	=40N	+50B	−26N	−46B	+62N	=42B	4.5	37.0	39.0	16.50	2144	-4.4
37	Moridi, Mohammad Kia	2035	IRI	=26B	−13N	+51B	−29N	+72B	−33N	−35B	+65N	+54B	4.5	35.0	37.0	14.50	2126	+39.2
38	Sangma, RahulIM	2136	IND	−5N	+58B	=72N	+59B	−13B	=46N	=47B	=51N	=39B	4.5	34.5	36.5	15.25	2132	-1.7
39	Sliwicka, AlicjaWGM	2298	POL	+70B	−16N	−50B	=42N	=63N	+51B	−19N	+72B	=38N	4.5	33.5	35.5	14.50	2074	-47.4
40	Garakhanov, ShamsiFM	2059	AZE	−17N	+74B	=71N	=36B	−30N	+65B	=54B	+35N	F	4.5	32.5	34.0	13.75	2198	+55.2
41	Nasibov, Rufat	2011	AZE	−15B	+35N	−14B	−44N	+69N	−49B	=53N	+66B	+68B	4.5	32.0	34.5	13.75	2122	+24.8
42	Salimov, Shovkat	2014	AZE	−34N	+75B	−30N	=39B	−35N	+74B	+66N	=27B	=36N	4.5	32.0	33.5	12.50	2155	+32.0
43	Baghirov, Orkhan	1991	AZE	=61N	−32B	−31N	+75B	=66N	+60B	+57N	=34B	−14N	4.5	31.5	33.0	12.50	2174	+81.2
44	Zahmati, SobhanFM	2109	IRI	−4N	+56B	−17N	+41B	−3N	+53B	−30N	+50B	−19N	4.0	41.0	44.5	15.50	2145	+3.0
45	Aizenberg, BennyIM	2444	ISR	F	+76B	=52N	+34B	−1N	=14B	=18N	=8B	−25N	4.0	38.5	38.5	16.25	2328	-11.5
46	Abbasov, Amil	2074	AZE	−7N	+69B	=20N	=71B	=32N	=38B	+36N	F	−11B	4.0	37.5	40.0	15.75	2260	+35.4
47	Shaurya Chaudhary	2044	IND	−18N	−54N	+64B	+53B	+49N	−20B	=38N	=32B	−27N	4.0	36.5	39.5	15.25	2152	+46.7
48	Matyakubov, MirazizCM	2095	UZB	=22N	=71B	−18N	+76B	+61N	−3B	−49N	+56B	−32N	4.0	35.0	36.5	11.75	2222	+50.4
49	Soozankar, A.M.IM	2190	IRI	+77B	=24N	=12B	−26N	−47B	+41N	+48B	F	F	4.0	35.0	35.0	15.50	2242	+9.8
50	Baghirov, Mahammad	2015	AZE	−8N	+55B	+39N	−18B	−36N	−61B	+59N	−44N	+58B	4.0	34.0	37.0	14.00	2143	+34.0
51	Kavinda, AkilaCM	2037	SRI	−20N	=27B	−37N	+73B	+74N	−39N	+64B	=38B	−30N	4.0	34.0	35.5	11.25	2107	+15.8
52	Hamidov, AllahverdiFM	2285	AZE	+69N	+17B	=45B	=16N	=12B	−24N	−29B	F	F	3.5	37.5	37.5	15.75	2357	+13.4
53	Gurbanov, Huseyn	1931	AZE	=29B	=26N	−28B	−47N	+55B	−44N	=41B	+60N	−35B	3.5	35.5	38.5	13.75	2061	+51.2
54	Gu, XiaobingWGM	2148	CHN	−65N	+47B	+76N	−23B	−19N	+63B	=40N	−31B	−37N	3.5	34.0	35.5	10.75	1976	-41.8
55	Samimi, ArminFM	2135	IRI	−2B	−50N	=62B	F	−53N	+75B	+67N	+73B	−56N	3.5	28.0	29.5	7.50	2031	-49.6
56	Azizli, Nurlan	2005	AZE	−14B	−44N	=75N	−35B	F	+77N	+68B	−48N	+55B	3.5	27.0	27.0	8.25	2071	+24.0
57	Jafarli, Babak	2097	AZE	=9B	−10N	+63B	+20B	−34N	−28N	−43B	=58N	F	3.0	37.5	40.5	13.00	2141	+3.6
58	Ebrahimi Rashti, Asal	2014	IRI	−25B	−38N	=35B	+62N	−20N	+67B	−31N	=57B	−50N	3.0	34.5	37.0	9.25	2003	-9.2
59	Abhay Bandewar	1968	IND	+64B	=11N	−10B	−38N	−21B	=62N	−50B	=69N	=75B	3.0	34.5	36.0	9.50	2024	+8.4
60	Masoumi, Sahar	2049	IRI	−11B	+64N	−26B	+70N	−25B	−43N	=72N	−53B	=73N	3.0	31.5	33.5	7.50	1997	-16.0
61	Zhong, KangminFM	2283	CHN	=43B	+73N	=9B	−24N	−48B	+50N	−21B	F	F	3.0	31.0	31.0	11.25	2107	-31.2
62	Choubey Saurabh	2047	IND	−23N	−30B	=55N	−58B	+73N	=59B	+69N	−36B	F	3.0	29.5	31.5	7.75	2022	-8.6
63	Chaudhari, AshishCM	2006	IND	=71N	−22B	−57N	F	=39B	−54N	=65B	=64N	+70B	3.0	27.5	30.0	8.75	2082	+20.8
64	Majumder ShrayanCM	2234	IND	−59N	−60B	−47N	+77N	+76B	=66B	−51N	=63B	F	3.0	23.0	24.5	5.75	1921	-65.4
65	Allahverdi, Zahra	1850	AZE	+54B	+18B	−7N	−13N	−15B	−40N	=63N	−37B	F	2.5	38.5	41.0	10.50	2016	+50.0
66	Rahmani, Pedram	2041	IRI	=13B	−29N	+77B	−33N	=43B	=64N	−42B	−41N	F	2.5	34.5	36.0	8.25	1975	-15.4
67	Mohamadi, NiyoushaWIM	1966	IRI	+30N	−23B	−27N	F	=70B	−58N	−55B	+76N	−69B	2.5	29.0	30.5	7.75	1967	-5.2
68	Rzayev, Askar Aliakbar	2072	TUR	−12B	=77N	=70B	F	=71N	−32B	−56N	+74B	−41N	2.5	28.0	29.5	4.75	1978	-22.8
69	Imani, Adrina	2001	IRI	−52B	−46N	−21N	F	−41B	+76N	−62B	=59B	+67N	2.5	27.5	27.5	5.50	1907	-39.9
70	Tiwari Shivansh	2003	IND	−39N	=31B	=68N	−60B	=67N	−72B	−74N	+77B	−63N	2.5	24.0	25.5	6.50	1862	-35.4
71	Ughuzov, RavanFM	2313	AZE	=63B	=48N	=40B	=46N	=68B	−21N	F	F	F	2.5	23.5	23.5	9.00	2003	-47.4
72	Babayev, Kamran	1873	AZE	−36N	F	=38B	−27B	−37N	+70N	=60B	−39N	F	2.0	31.5	31.5	6.25	1956	+21.2
73	Mursalzade, Javad	1976	AZE	=32N	−61B	−19N	−51N	−62B	F	+77B	−55N	=60B	2.0	28.5	28.5	5.50	1906	-30.4
74	Prakash Vaishnavi	1964	IND	−33B	−40N	F	=21N	−51B	−42N	+70B	−68N	F	1.5	29.5	29.5	5.25	1834	-42.4
75	Baardeh, Tahmoores	2119	IRI	−16B	−42N	=56B	−43N	−77B	−55N	=76B	F	=59N	1.5	27.5	27.5	4.00	1817	-126.4
76	Shreyas Das	1981	IND	+28B	−45N	−54B	−48N	−64N	−69B	=75N	−67B	F	1.5	26.0	27.5	5.75	1901	-33.6
77	Novruzov, Emin	1937	AZE	−49N	=68B	−66N	−64B	+75N	−56B	−73N	−70N	F	1.5	21.5	21.5	2.75	1829	-20.8

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Yonal, TimurFMTUR
+128.0
5.5 pts · #17
2Zhou, ShumengCHN
+113.2
5.5 pts · #15
3Baghirov, OrkhanAZE
+81.2
4.5 pts · #42

Top rating losers

1Baardeh, TahmooresIRI
-126.4
1.5 pts · #77
2Majumder ShrayanCMIND
-65.4
3.0 pts · #58
3Samimi, ArminFMIRI
-49.6
3.5 pts · #52

Biggest upsets

R2+522 Elo gap
Allahverdi, Zahra1850 beat IMKaustuv, Kundu2372
R8+396 Elo gap
Zhou, Shumeng2051 beat IMIbrahimli, Murad2447
R1+298 Elo gap
Allahverdi, Zahra1850 beat WGMGu, Xiaobing2148