2026 Charlotte Open - Championship

SwissStandard

66 players participated in this 6-round tournament, held from 17 Jan 2026 to 19 Jan 2026 in Charlotte, NC, United States. 18 titled players from 4 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2405, and top seed was Awonder Liang (🇺🇸 USA, GM, 2713).

Razvan Preotu (🇨🇦 CAN, GM, 2497) won with 5.0/6, ahead of Lazaro Bruzon Batista (5.0) and Awonder Liang (5.0). Preotu won on tie-break after catching the field in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 1: Sanjay Kumar (1926) beat Matthew Guo Diao (FM, 2340), a +414-point gap.

Location

🇺🇸Charlotte, NC, United States

Dates

17 Jan 2026 → 19 Jan 2026

Time control

Standard: 110 minutes for game with 10 sec increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 6 rounds

Top seed

🇺🇸GMAwonder Liang2713

Avg top 10

2,405

Participants

Titled players · 18

GM×5

FM×7

CM×4

WCM×2

Federations · 4 represented

🇺🇸United States of America×63

🇵🇪Peru×1

🇻🇪Venezuela×1

🇨🇦Canada×1

Top 3

🥇
GMRazvan Preotu
🇨🇦CAN·2497
5.0pts·2554perf+5.4
🥈
GMLazaro Bruzon Batista
🇺🇸USA·2543
5.0pts·2449perf-4.0
🥉
GMAwonder Liang
🇺🇸USA·2713
5.0pts·3021perf+4.9

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 6 rounds

Tight race until R4; 3 players tied at 5.0/6, decided on Buchholz.

Co-leaders

Preotu5Liang5Bruzon Batista5Cordova4.5Prabhu4.5Chirilov4

R5 · LEADER CHANGE19 Jan

GM Emilio Cordova takes the sole lead (4.5/5).

R6 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

3 players finish on 5.0/6. Preotu takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (20.0).

R5 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

GM Razvan Preotu lost to GM Awonder Liang (Black).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMRazvan Preotu	*	0	—	—
2GMAwonder Liang	1	*	—	1
3GMLazaro Bruzon Batista	—	—	*	—
4GMEmilio Cordova	—	0	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Preotu, RazvanGM	2497	CAN	+29N	+27B	+14N	+7B	−3N	+12B	5.0	20.0	23.0	18.00	2554	+5.4
2	Bruzon Batista, LazaroGM	2543	USA	+40B	+19N	=6B	=8N	+11B	+10N	5.0	19.5	22.0	18.00	2449	-4.0
3	Liang, AwonderGM	2713	USA	F	+33B	+51N	+18N	+1B	+4N	5.0	17.5	17.5	17.50	3021	+4.9
4	Cordova, EmilioGM	2489	PER	+31N	+10B	=13N	+22B	+9N	−3B	4.5	20.5	23.5	16.50	2464	+0.9
5	Prabhu, Naveen	2261	USA	+23B	+32N	−7B	+15N	=8B	+17N	4.5	19.0	22.0	16.00	2284	+4.0
6	Chirilov, James AFM	2247	USA	+37N	+24B	=2N	+13B	−12N	=9B	4.0	20.5	23.0	14.50	2346	+17.0
7	Kung, Thomas	2169	USA	+34N	+41B	+5N	−1N	−10B	+25B	4.0	19.0	21.5	12.50	2224	+10.0
8	Fishbein, Mitch	2180	USA	=33N	+48B	+52N	=2B	=5N	=14B	4.0	18.0	20.0	12.00	2266	+14.0
9	Fishbein, AlexanderGM	2412	USA	+62B	+38N	=18B	+17N	−4B	=6N	4.0	18.0	19.0	10.75	2290	-6.2
10	Bondalapati, Sri Vibhav	2073	USA	+55B	−4N	+49B	+50N	+7N	−2B	4.0	17.5	19.5	10.00	2281	+57.6
11	Sanchez Alvares, Kelvin AntonioFM	2194	VEN	+30B	=60N	=17B	+26N	−2N	+29B	4.0	17.5	18.5	11.25	2166	-2.6
12	Uz, Kagan	2277	USA	−49B	+30N	+54B	+25N	+6B	−1N	4.0	17.0	19.0	12.00	2230	-7.2
13	Horobetz, Graham	2212	USA	+54B	+49N	=4B	−6N	+36B	=15N	4.0	17.0	19.0	10.75	2283	+11.0
14	Jiang, AndrewFM	2266	USA	+59N	+25B	−1B	=36N	+38B	=8N	4.0	17.0	18.5	10.25	2250	-1.0
15	Wu, Andrew	2113	USA	=48N	+35B	+56N	−5B	+34N	=13B	4.0	15.5	17.0	9.50	2136	+10.4
16	Nguyen, James LeCM	2118	USA	=35N	−51B	+48N	=41B	+33B	+28N	4.0	12.5	14.5	10.00	2089	-2.4
17	Wang, Aaron	1977	USA	+64N	+20B	=11N	−9B	+22N	−5B	3.5	19.5	20.0	9.50	2234	+76.4
18	Panda, Vedic	2219	USA	+45N	+21B	=9N	−3B	−24N	+37B	3.5	18.5	21.0	10.50	2195	-2.4
19	Ramirez Vido, Robert Yorisan	2094	USA	+42N	−2B	=34N	+35B	=21N	=20B	3.5	17.0	19.5	9.75	2111	+2.4
20	Moon, BenjaminFM	2235	USA	+26B	−17N	=36B	=33N	+54B	=19N	3.5	15.0	17.0	9.25	2087	-21.4
21	Kumar, Sanjay	1926	USA	+28B	−18N	=53B	+60N	=19B	=26N	3.5	15.0	16.0	8.25	2097	+25.2
22	Mulay, Vivan PrakashFM	2110	USA	=61B	+58N	+60B	−4N	−17B	+39N	3.5	13.0	14.0	5.50	2073	-9.5
23	Duren, Andrew	2026	USA	−5N	−50B	+64N	+56B	=43N	+34B	3.5	13.0	13.5	5.75	2025	+0.2
24	Chu, Alex HaoningFM	1995	USA	+65B	−6N	+39B	=27N	+18B	F	3.5	13.0	13.0	7.50	2227	+61.2
25	Baliga, Zubin	2008	USA	+53B	−14N	+43B	−12B	+55N	−7N	3.0	16.5	18.5	6.50	2060	+7.0
26	Chen, Alan Zishun	2000	USA	−20N	+64B	+28N	−11B	=41N	=21B	3.0	16.5	17.0	6.50	2055	+14.0
27	Gadi, Varun	2162	USA	+57B	−1N	=45B	=24B	=37N	=43N	3.0	16.0	17.5	7.00	2034	-40.4
28	Diao, Matthew GuoFM	2340	USA	−21N	+61N	−26B	+42B	+45N	−16B	3.0	15.5	16.5	6.00	1989	-46.2
29	Gurumoorthi, Gurugrahan	2040	USA	−1B	=57N	+58B	=44N	+50B	−11N	3.0	15.0	16.5	5.50	2053	-0.8
30	Katta, Sriansh	1887	USA	−11N	−12B	=59N	=48B	+65N	+52B	3.0	13.5	13.5	3.75	1996	+28.4
31	Pendse, Vihaan	2073	USA	−4B	−55N	+57B	=49N	+53B	=44N	3.0	13.0	14.5	5.75	1999	-27.2
32	Peatman, Carter	2082	USA	+39B	−5B	−50N	−54N	+48B	+60N	3.0	13.0	14.0	5.50	1983	-14.8
33	Vuyyuru, Shriyan	1988	USA	=8B	−3N	+61B	=20B	−16N	=46N	2.5	19.0	20.0	6.00	2087	+24.4
34	Chetlapalli, Vishnu	1984	USA	−7B	+40N	=19B	+53N	−15B	−23N	2.5	17.5	19.5	6.25	1996	+1.5
35	Tyrrell, Benjamin	1876	USA	=16B	−15N	+46B	−19N	=44B	=47N	2.5	16.5	19.0	7.00	1991	+16.6
36	Prasanna, AdvikCM	2109	USA	=51N	+44B	=20N	=14B	−13N	F	2.5	16.0	16.0	7.25	2103	-0.4
37	Bates, Evan	1882	USA	−6B	−53N	+40B	+65N	=27B	−18N	2.5	15.0	15.0	4.00	1993	+26.0
38	Wofford, Matthew	1987	USA	+50B	−9B	=41N	+51B	−14N	F	2.5	14.5	14.5	5.25	2053	+6.2
39	Rana, Oliver	2008	USA	−32N	+59B	−24N	=46B	+56N	−22B	2.5	14.0	15.5	4.25	1939	-23.6
40	Vyas, Miransh Purven	2071	USA	−2N	−34B	−37N	+61N	=42B	+64B	2.5	13.5	14.0	2.75	1936	-42.0
41	Snyder, Charles William	1749	USA	+66B	−7N	=38B	=16N	=26B	F	2.5	13.5	13.5	4.75	2074	+73.2
42	Kondabathini, Namish	1807	USA	−19B	=62N	=47B	−28N	=40N	+56B	2.5	13.0	14.0	4.50	1979	+44.8
43	Schmitz, David	1915	USA	F	=63B	−25N	+47N	=23B	=27B	2.5	13.0	13.0	6.25	2099	+46.4
44	Srivastava, Arav	1889	USA	F	−36N	+62B	=29B	=35N	=31B	2.5	12.0	12.0	5.25	2012	+32.0
45	Manchanda, AdvikCM	1994	USA	−18B	+66N	=27N	+52B	−28B	F	2.5	11.5	11.5	3.50	2141	+35.2
46	Alappatt, Steve Paul	2009	USA	=52N	−56B	−35N	=39N	+57B	=33B	2.5	11.0	12.5	5.00	1855	-50.8
47	LeBakken, Lukas WCM	2065	USA	=56N	−52B	=42N	−43B	+58N	=35B	2.5	11.0	12.5	4.75	1811	-80.4
48	Remhoff, Brian	1916	USA	=15B	−8N	−16B	=30N	−32N	+65B	2.0	18.0	18.0	3.50	1898	-7.6
49	Karthigeyan, Kishan	1984	USA	+12N	−13B	−10N	=31B	=52N	−55B	2.0	17.0	19.0	6.50	1940	-16.4
50	Santhosh, Pranav	1948	USA	−38N	+23N	+32B	−10B	−29N	F	2.0	16.0	16.0	6.50	1970	+5.6
51	Ramesh, Rahul	1914	USA	=36B	+16N	−3B	−38N	=60B	F	2.0	15.0	15.0	5.75	1985	+12.8
52	Li, Allen	1868	USA	=46B	+47N	−8B	−45N	=49B	−30N	2.0	14.5	16.5	4.75	1895	+6.4
53	Le-Tran, Leo	1843	USA	−25N	+37B	=21N	−34B	−31N	=61B	2.0	14.5	15.5	4.75	1843	-0.8
54	Zhang, Andrew	2007	USA	−13N	+65B	−12N	+32B	−20N	F	2.0	14.5	14.5	3.00	2040	+6.8
55	Meadors, Landon	1888	USA	−10N	+31B	F	F	−25B	+49N	2.0	12.0	12.0	5.00	2035	+30.8
56	Movva, Dhruva Ram	1815	USA	=47B	+46N	−15B	−23N	−39B	−42N	1.5	15.0	17.5	3.75	1812	-3.2
57	Sinkar, Anagha AniketWCM	1918	USA	−27N	=29B	−31N	=59B	−46N	=58B	1.5	13.0	14.5	3.00	1837	-24.4
58	Rallabandi, Krishna Kishore	1928	USA	=63N	−22B	−29N	=62N	−47B	=57N	1.5	11.5	12.5	1.75	1862	-21.6
59	Dinesh, Abinav	1967	USA	−14B	−39N	=30B	=57N	=64B	F	1.5	11.5	11.5	2.50	1844	-35.2
60	Rathi, Naitik	1757	USA	F	=11B	−22N	−21B	=51N	−32B	1.0	16.0	16.0	3.00	1798	+4.4
61	Vivek, Dhruv	1932	USA	=22N	−28B	−33N	−40B	F	=53N	1.0	13.5	13.5	2.75	1829	-28.0
62	Atassi, CelineWCM	1964	USA	−9N	=42B	−44N	=58B	F	F	1.0	10.5	10.5	2.00	1804	-37.6
63	Santosh, Saharsh	2235	USA	=58B	=43N	F	F	F	F	1.0	4.0	4.0	2.00	1922	-29.2
64	Ma, Cuihan	1884	USA	−17B	−26N	−23B	F	=59N	−40N	0.5	14.0	14.0	0.75	1642	-46.8
65	Harit, Neil	1756	USA	−24N	−54N	F	−37B	−30B	−48N	0.0	13.0	13.0	0.00	1137	-53.2
66	Ni, Beiyang	2115	USA	−41N	−45B	F	F	F	F	0.0	5.0	5.0	0.00	1072	-62.4

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Wang, AaronUSA
+76.4
3.5 pts · #24
2Snyder, Charles WilliamUSA
+73.2
2.5 pts · #41
3Chu, Alex HaoningFMUSA
+61.2
3.5 pts · #17

Top rating losers

1LeBakken, Lukas WCMUSA
-80.4
2.5 pts · #47
2Ni, BeiyangUSA
-62.4
0.0 pts · #65
3Harit, NeilUSA
-53.2
0.0 pts · #66

Biggest upsets

R1+414 Elo gap
Kumar, Sanjay1926 beat FMDiao, Matthew Guo2340
R1+366 Elo gap
Snyder, Charles William1749 beat Ni, Beiyang2115
R3+340 Elo gap
Chen, Alan Zishun2000 beat FMDiao, Matthew Guo2340