Eastern Cape Closed 2025 (U20 Open)
27 players participated in this 6-round tournament, held from 06 Sept 2025 to 07 Sept 2025 in Gqeberha, South Africa. 2 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1576, and top seed was Ismaeel Lagardien (πΏπ¦ RSA, 1827).
Othandwayo Gcwabe (πΏπ¦ RSA, 1588) won with 5.5/6, ahead of Kungawo Makananda (4.0) and Ismaeel Lagardien (4.0). Gcwabe won solo starting round 5.
The biggest upset came in round 6: Ihsaan Mahomed (1436) beat Siyamamkela Ntsunguzi (1571), a +135-point gap.
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How it unfolded
Top 6 Β· 6 roundsOthandwayo Gcwabe led from R5; +1.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.
Othandwayo Gcwabe never relinquished the lead after R5; final gap +1.5 over the runner-up.
Othandwayo Gcwabe won 3 in a row (R1βR3).
Key matchups Β· top 4
Head-to-head between the four finishers| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Othandwayo Gcwabe | * | β | 1 | β |
| 2Ismaeel Lagardien | β | * | Β½ | β |
| 3Kungawo Makananda | 0 | Β½ | * | β |
| 4Asekho Ndzothoyi | β | β | β | * |
Grille amΓ©ricaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Ξ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gcwabe, Othandwayo | 1588 | RSA | +21B | +26N | +19B | =5N | +2B | +6N | 5.5 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 13.75 | 1722 | +14.0 |
| 2 | Makananda, Kungawo | 0 | RSA | +20N | =6B | +7N | =3B | β1N | +12B | 4.0 | 19.5 | 22.0 | 12.75 | 1629 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Lagardien, Ismaeel | 1827 | RSA | +12B | =9N | +8B | =2N | F | +7B | 4.0 | 18.5 | 21.5 | 13.75 | 1831 | -0.4 |
| 4 | Ndzothoyi, Asekho | 1551 | RSA | +25B | β5N | +21B | +12B | F | +11N | 4.0 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 9.00 | 1679 | +20.8 |
| 5 | Ntsunguzi, Siyamamkela | 1571 | FID | +18N | +4B | +11N | =1B | F | β8N | 3.5 | 19.5 | 22.5 | 12.75 | 1629 | -2.0 |
| 6 | Njenjesi, Chulumanco | 0 | RSA | +24B | =2N | +9B | +15N | F | β1B | 3.5 | 19.5 | 20.5 | 9.50 | 1582 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Mella, Emorej | 1568 | RSA | +16B | =8N | β2B | +9N | +19B | β3N | 3.5 | 18.0 | 20.5 | 10.75 | 1646 | +14.4 |
| 8 | Mahomed, Ihsaan | 1436 | RSA | +27N | =7B | β3N | +10B | F | +5B | 3.5 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 8.75 | 1705 | +52.4 |
| 9 | Kopano, Mogadime | 1561 | RSA | +17N | =3B | β6N | β7B | +22N | +13N | 3.5 | 17.0 | 18.5 | 9.50 | 1509 | -2.0 |
| 10 | Rala, Yonwaba | 0 | RSA | =13B | β12N | +24B | β8N | +26N | +20B | 3.5 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 5.00 | 1338 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Nyali, Amyoli | 1563 | RSA | +14B | +15N | β5B | +23N | F | β4B | 3.0 | 17.0 | 18.0 | 7.00 | 1561 | -0.8 |
| 12 | Tshaka, Mtha | 1464 | RSA | β3N | +10B | +26B | β4N | +23B | β2N | 3.0 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 4.50 | 893 | -19.2 |
| 13 | Nkumbi, Lutho | 0 | RSA | =10N | β19B | =22N | +17B | +20N | β9B | 3.0 | 15.0 | 16.5 | 8.00 | 1349 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Botha, Qwin | 1470 | RSA | β11N | +22B | β20N | +18B | F | +15N | 3.0 | 14.5 | 16.0 | 7.50 | 1421 | -7.2 |
| 15 | Perring, Mekhail | 1578 | RSA | +22N | β11B | +18N | β6B | +21N | β14B | 3.0 | 14.5 | 16.0 | 6.50 | 716 | -47.6 |
| 16 | Mrwebi, Wanga | 0 | RSA | β7N | +17B | β23N | +27B | F | +19N | 3.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 5.50 | 1484 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Feni, Aviwe | 0 | RSA | β9B | β16N | +25B | β13N | +24N | +21B | 3.0 | 12.5 | 13.5 | 4.00 | 713 | 0.0 |
| 18 | Bokuva, Khazimla | 0 | RSA | β5B | +25N | β15B | β14N | +27N | +23B | 3.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 2.00 | 1331 | 0.0 |
| 19 | DU PREEZ, Dillon | 1423 | RSA | +23B | +13N | β1N | =20B | β7N | β16B | 2.5 | 17.5 | 18.5 | 5.25 | 1275 | -9.8 |
| 20 | Mangcotwya, Lihle | 1481 | RSA | β2B | +24N | +14B | =19N | β13B | β10N | 2.5 | 16.0 | 17.0 | 5.25 | 1639 | +15.2 |
| 21 | Mpayo, Akohlulwa | 0 | RSA | β1N | +27B | β4N | +26B | β15B | β17N | 2.0 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 0.00 | 1339 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Jezile, Aphelele | 0 | RSA | β15B | β14N | =13B | +25N | β9B | F | 1.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 2.50 | 723 | 0.0 |
| 23 | FIDE 534031880 | 0 | β | β19N | F | +16B | β11B | β12N | β18N | 1.0 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 3.00 | 682 | 0.0 |
| 24 | FIDE 14396106 | 0 | β | β6N | β20B | β10N | F | β17B | +26N | 1.0 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 0.00 | 689 | 0.0 |
| 25 | FIDE 534006214 | 0 | β | β4N | β18B | β17N | β22B | F | +27N | 1.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 0.00 | 1477 | 0.0 |
| 26 | FIDE 534019464 | 0 | β | F | β1B | β12N | β21N | β10B | β24B | 0.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 0.00 | 726 | 0.0 |
| 27 | Mntwini, Mihlali | 1402 | RSA | β8B | β21N | F | β16N | β18B | β25B | 0.0 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 0.00 | 636 | -18.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets β the story behind the numbers.
- 1Mahomed, IhsaanRSA+52.43.5 pts Β· #4
- 2Ndzothoyi, AsekhoRSA+20.84.0 pts Β· #9
- 3Mangcotwya, LihleRSA+15.22.5 pts Β· #10
- 1Perring, MekhailRSA-47.63.0 pts Β· #20
- 2Tshaka, MthaRSA-19.23.0 pts Β· #23
- 3Mntwini, MihlaliRSA-18.00.0 pts Β· #25
- R6+135 Elo gap
- R6+108 Elo gap