Muscat Nights International Chess Championship 2026 - Open A

SwissStandard

78 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 15 Jan 2026 to 24 Jan 2026 in Muscat, Oman. 53 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2561, and top seed was Pranesh M (🇮🇳 IND, GM, 2628).

Leon Luke Mendonca (🇮🇳 IND, GM, 2615) won with 6.5/9, ahead of Arkadij Naiditsch (6.5) and Mikhail Mozharov (6.5). Mendonca shared the lead from round 8, winning on tie-break.

The biggest upset came in round 9: Vismay Sachar (2051) beat Loic Travadon (IM, 2507), a +456-point gap.

Location

🇴🇲Muscat, Oman

Dates

15 Jan 2026 → 24 Jan 2026

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇮🇳GMPranesh M2628

Avg top 10

2,561

Participants

Titled players · 53

GM×12

IM×14

FM×13

CM×5

WIM×2

WFM×3

WCM×4

Federations · 8 represented

🇮🇳India×29

🇮🇷Iran×14

🇪🇬Egypt×7

🇸🇾Syria×3

🇷🇺Russia×3

🇾🇪Yemen×2

🇹🇷Turkiye×2

🇫🇷France×2

Top 3

🥇
GMLeon Luke Mendonca
🇮🇳IND·2615
6.5pts·2597perf-0.5
🥈
GMArkadij Naiditsch
🇧🇬BUL·2574
6.5pts·2554perf+0.3
🥉
GMMikhail Mozharov
🇷🇺RUS·2524
6.5pts·2520perf+3.4

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Tight race until R9; 6 players tied at 6.5/9, decided on Buchholz. Title race narrowed from 7 co-leaders at R4 to 6 at the finish.

Co-leaders

Mozharov6.5Naiditsch6.5Mendonca6.5Adly6.5Pranesh6.5Chakraborty6.5

R9 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

6 players finish on 6.5/9. Mendonca takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (46.0).

R9 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

GM Mikhail Mozharov drew with GM Arkadij Naiditsch (Black).

R1–R9 · UNBEATEN

GM Mikhail Mozharov went unbeaten across 9 games (R1–R9).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMMikhail Mozharov	*	½	—	—
2GMArkadij Naiditsch	½	*	—	—
3GMLeon Luke Mendonca	—	—	*	—
4GMAhmed Adly	—	—	—	*

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	2615	IND	+23B	+16N	=32B	=7N	=11B	=13N	+22B	+10N	=5B	6.5	46.0	50.5	36.00	2597	-0.5
2	Naiditsch, ArkadijGM	2574	BUL	+48B	+26N	−7B	+49N	=13B	+11N	=5B	+15N	=3B	6.5	45.5	49.5	34.00	2554	+0.3
3	Mozharov, MikhailGM	2524	RUS	+57N	=33B	+24N	+21B	=5B	+23N	=4B	=9N	=2N	6.5	45.0	49.0	34.00	2520	+3.4
4	Mayank ChakrabortyIM	2468	IND	+62N	−24B	+38N	+29B	+31N	+8B	=3N	=5N	=9B	6.5	44.5	47.5	33.00	2494	+6.3
5	Pranesh MGM	2628	IND	=43N	+45B	+33N	+22B	=3N	+32B	=2N	=4B	=1N	6.5	44.0	48.0	33.00	2590	-1.3
6	Adly, AhmedGM	2583	EGY	+35N	+73B	=21N	+14B	=8N	=7B	=15N	=17B	+32N	6.5	43.0	44.5	30.50	2535	-3.3
7	Yadegar, RadinIM	2433	IRI	+63N	+29B	+2N	=1B	=9B	=6N	=10B	=22N	=13B	6.0	47.5	50.5	32.50	2564	+17.1
8	Akbas, Umut AtaIM	2464	TUR	+25B	+68N	+11B	=9N	=6B	−4N	=13B	+26N	=12B	6.0	47.0	49.5	30.75	2520	+8.5
9	Iniyan, PaGM	2595	IND	+78N	+19B	+17N	=8B	=7N	=15B	=32N	=3B	=4N	6.0	46.0	46.0	28.50	2542	-5.0
10	Suleymenov, AlisherGM	2505	KAZ	+40N	−21B	+48N	+24B	=16N	+18B	=7N	−1B	+17N	6.0	43.5	47.5	30.25	2438	-4.8
11	Risteski, EmilIM	2406	MKD	+39N	+76B	−8N	+47B	=1N	−2B	+43N	=18B	+31N	6.0	42.0	42.5	24.00	2420	+3.7
12	Karthik VenkataramanGM	2595	IND	+41B	=27N	+36B	=15N	F	+19B	+47N	=32B	=8N	6.0	40.0	44.0	29.00	2523	-4.4
13	Poormosavi, Seyed KianIM	2393	IRI	+77N	=72B	=43N	+46B	=2N	=1B	=8N	+19B	=7N	6.0	40.0	40.0	24.75	2420	+6.1
14	Stupak, KirillGM	2411	BLR	+51N	+47B	=34N	−6N	=21B	=43B	=24N	+16B	+27N	6.0	39.5	43.5	27.75	2407	+1.2
15	Fawzy, AdhamGM	2462	EGY	=46N	+30B	+72N	=12B	+45N	=9N	=6B	−2B	=18N	5.5	43.5	45.0	24.50	2436	+0.8
16	Rogov, MatfeyFM	2368	RUS	+50N	−1B	+55N	+43B	=10B	−22N	+59B	−14N	+23B	5.5	40.5	44.0	23.50	2351	+0.4
17	Labib, Ibrahim HasanIM	2409	EGY	+58B	+49N	−9B	=59N	=44B	+52N	+23B	=6N	−10B	5.5	39.5	43.0	24.00	2328	-5.8
18	Jacobson, AaronIM	2371	USA	−44B	=46B	+69N	+25N	+59B	−10N	+49B	=11N	=15B	5.5	38.0	40.0	22.25	2272	-8.2
19	Kandil, AdhamGM	2343	EGY	+69B	−9N	=25B	+70B	+35N	−12N	+44B	−13N	+33B	5.5	38.0	40.0	19.50	2309	-3.6
20	Vismay Sachar	2051	IND	−32N	−56B	−61N	+77B	+71N	+70B	=30N	+43B	+34N	5.5	29.5	29.5	15.00	2217	+70.0
21	Abbasi Abeluie, Mohammad MehdiFM	2241	IRI	+67B	+10N	=6B	−3N	=14N	=45B	=28N	=34B	=30N	5.0	43.5	46.0	24.00	2400	+35.2
22	Anuj ShrivatriIM	2481	IND	+55B	=36N	+44B	−5N	+33B	+16B	−1N	=7B	F	5.0	42.5	46.5	23.25	2425	-3.2
23	Chekh Adm Khedr,AramFM	2139	SYR	−1N	+50B	+71N	+28B	+34N	−3B	−17N	+24B	−16N	5.0	42.5	44.5	20.50	2360	+45.4
24	Rami,TalabFM	2173	SYR	+66B	+4N	−3B	−10N	+63B	=44N	=14B	−23N	+46B	5.0	41.0	43.5	21.00	2283	+44.0
25	Samimi, ArminFM	2059	IRI	−8N	+64B	=19N	−18B	=30N	+53B	+36B	=33N	=26B	5.0	40.0	43.0	21.50	2286	+97.6
26	Ezat, MohamedIM	2294	EGY	+37N	−2B	−46N	=39B	+58N	+48B	+45N	−8B	=25N	5.0	38.5	42.5	21.25	2192	-11.0
27	Sharon, RafaelIM	2333	ZAM	+53N	=12B	=28N	−45B	=62N	=35B	+38N	+47B	−14B	5.0	38.0	41.0	21.75	2249	-17.2
28	Borgaonkar AkshayIM	2397	IND	+59B	=44N	=27B	−23N	=41B	+37N	=21B	+50N	F	5.0	37.0	40.5	21.25	2211	-15.7
29	Ahmad, Al KhatibGM	2155	JOR	+65B	−7N	+54B	−4N	=37B	−59N	=51B	+62N	+44B	5.0	35.5	38.0	17.75	2159	-1.4
30	Fandi,Mazen.FM	2304	SYR	=75B	−15N	+65B	−44N	=25B	+63N	=20B	+59N	=21B	5.0	34.0	34.5	17.00	2144	-33.6
31	Khalesi, VahidFM	2248	IRI	−45N	+77B	+76N	+53B	−4B	=49N	=50N	+35B	−11B	5.0	33.5	33.5	13.00	2183	-14.8
32	Tarhan, AdarIM	2452	TUR	+20B	+52N	=1N	+34B	F	−5N	=9B	=12N	−6B	4.5	47.5	51.5	23.25	2509	+8.2
33	Ojas KulkarniFM	2248	IND	+54B	=3N	−5B	+72N	−22N	+62B	=34N	=25B	−19N	4.5	40.0	41.5	16.50	2280	+3.0
34	Travadon, LoicIM	2507	FRA	+38B	+42N	=14B	−32N	−23B	+41N	=33B	=21N	−20B	4.5	39.5	44.0	21.25	2229	-28.2
35	Warnier, Yanis	2114	FRA	−6B	=69N	+75B	+36N	−19B	=27N	+42B	−31N	=37B	4.5	37.5	38.0	15.25	2212	+20.8
36	Habibifard, Parham	2186	IRI	+61N	=22B	−12N	−35B	+69N	=39B	−25N	+55B	=40N	4.5	37.0	39.0	16.50	2162	-17.2
37	Khalafvand, Dorsa SadatWCM	2007	IRI	−26B	−48N	+40N	+38B	=29N	−28B	=55N	+57B	=35N	4.5	36.5	40.5	19.75	2158	+69.2
38	Nithik Reddy Bhavanam	2092	IND	−34N	+74B	−4B	−37N	+67B	+54N	−27B	=56N	+59B	4.5	34.5	35.5	13.00	2141	+12.2
39	Shashish Subbiah	2043	IND	−11B	=60N	+66B	=26N	=68B	=36N	=52B	=48N	=43B	4.5	33.5	36.0	16.25	2148	+47.2
40	Singgih, Diajeng TheresaWIM	2089	INA	−10B	−54N	−37B	=64N	+75B	+61N	+60B	=44N	=36B	4.5	33.0	33.5	13.25	2066	-8.2
41	Kakavand, RamtinFM	2118	IRI	−12N	−53B	+77N	+56B	=28N	−34B	=62N	=58B	+65N	4.5	33.0	33.0	12.50	2167	+12.8
42	Yousry, SalahFM	2242	EGY	+74N	−34B	−53N	+51B	+46N	−47B	−35N	=45B	+67N	4.5	31.5	32.5	13.50	2096	-33.8
43	Bhuvan Krishna Prasanth	2143	IND	=5B	+75N	=13B	−16N	+60B	=14N	−11B	−20N	=39N	4.0	43.5	44.0	15.50	2197	+18.4
44	Roshantab, Sadra	2031	IRI	+18N	=28B	−22N	+30B	=17N	=24B	−19N	=40B	−29N	4.0	41.5	46.0	20.50	2254	+89.6
45	Biglarifard, KooroshCM	2000	IRI	+31B	−5N	+52B	+27N	−15B	=21N	−26B	=42N	F	4.0	40.5	44.5	18.75	2289	+107.2
46	Samarth Sreeni Warrier	2055	IND	=15B	=18N	+26B	−13N	−42B	=60N	+63B	=52N	−24N	4.0	39.0	42.0	17.25	2185	+47.2
47	Seder, MohammedFM	2148	PLE	+60B	−14N	+67B	−11N	+54B	+42N	−12B	−27N	−50B	4.0	39.0	41.5	14.50	2164	+2.4
48	Abhinessh S	2099	IND	−2N	+37B	−10B	=50N	+66B	−26N	+65N	=39B	F	4.0	37.0	39.5	13.75	2161	+8.2
49	Moradi, BehroozFM	2145	IRI	+71N	−17B	+56N	−2B	+70N	=31B	−18N	=51B	F	4.0	36.5	38.5	12.50	2185	+5.8
50	Deak-Sala, EmiliaWFM	2024	AUT	−16B	−23N	+57N	=48B	F	+68N	=31B	−28B	+47N	4.0	35.0	36.5	15.00	2207	+35.6
51	Ilkhanipour, Ramtin	2044	IRI	−14B	−65N	+64B	−42N	+56B	+57B	=29N	=49N	F	4.0	34.5	37.0	15.50	2115	+26.4
52	Poormosavi, Seyed Kanan	2150	IRI	+56N	−32B	−45N	+71B	+53N	−17B	=39N	=46B	F	4.0	34.5	36.5	14.25	2105	-22.0
53	Swara Lakshmi S NairWFM	2019	IND	−27B	+41N	+42B	−31N	−52B	−25N	+72B	+66N	F	4.0	34.5	36.0	13.00	2128	+21.8
54	Muhammad Shayan Noushad Ibrahim	1999	IND	−33N	+40B	−29N	+55B	−47N	−38B	−57N	+69B	+62B	4.0	33.5	35.5	13.50	2069	+34.4
55	Shubh Atha	2082	IND	−22N	+61B	−16B	−54N	=65B	+66N	=37B	−36N	+64B	4.0	32.5	35.0	12.50	2058	-16.6
56	Anup Shankar R	1950	IND	−52B	+20N	−49B	−41N	−51N	+74B	+69N	=38B	=58N	4.0	32.5	33.5	12.75	2031	+19.6
57	Nyazi, Nehad	2097	EGY	−3B	−70N	−50B	+74N	+72B	−51N	+54B	−37N	+63B	4.0	29.5	30.5	9.50	2015	-21.8
58	Khelghatdoust, Amirali	2044	IRI	−17N	−71B	+78N	=73B	−26B	=72N	+64B	=41N	=56B	4.0	27.0	27.0	8.75	2061	+3.6
59	Shivika RohillaWFM	2041	IND	−28N	+78B	+73N	=17B	−18N	+29B	−16N	−30B	−38N	3.5	37.5	37.5	9.25	2196	+29.6
60	Saksham Upadhyay	1922	IND	−47N	=39B	=63N	+76B	−43N	=46B	−40N	−67B	+69N	3.5	28.5	29.0	8.25	1985	+27.2
61	Rogov, Timofey	1981	RUS	−36B	−55N	+20B	−68N	=76N	−40B	+70N	−65B	+66B	3.5	28.0	28.5	10.25	1981	-1.0
62	Velavaa RagaveshCM	2076	IND	−4B	−67N	+74B	+65N	=27B	−33N	=41B	−29B	−54N	3.0	34.5	35.5	8.25	2014	-35.2
63	Rashid Husain AlhammadiCM	2050	UAE	−7B	=66N	=60B	+67N	−24N	−30B	−46N	+72B	−57N	3.0	32.5	34.0	7.00	1969	-44.4
64	Mithilesh Ranjithkumar	1963	IND	−68B	−25N	−51N	=40B	=74N	+71B	−58N	+70B	−55N	3.0	28.0	29.0	6.75	1918	-21.6
65	Siddharth Sanjoy	1954	IND	−29N	+51B	−30N	−62B	=55N	F	−48B	+61N	−41B	2.5	33.0	33.5	9.50	1967	+3.2
66	Ivaschenko, AnnaWCM	1977	FID	−24N	=63B	−39N	+78B	−48N	−55B	+71N	−53B	−61N	2.5	30.0	30.0	3.50	1887	-42.4
67	Boshra, AlshaebyWIM	1981	JOR	−21N	+62B	−47N	−63B	−38N	=69B	F	+60N	−42B	2.5	29.5	30.0	7.50	1959	-5.6
68	Devnani Kush	2157	IND	+64N	−8B	−70N	+61B	=39N	−50B	F	F	F	2.5	23.0	23.0	8.75	2023	-23.4
69	Salim Mohammed, Salim Al AmriFM	2023	OMA	−19N	=35B	−18B	+75N	−36B	=67N	−56B	−54N	−60B	2.0	34.0	34.5	4.00	1878	-35.0
70	Rebecca JesumarianWCM	2003	IND	−73N	+57B	+68B	−19N	−49B	−20N	−61B	−64N	F	2.0	30.0	31.5	6.50	1932	-15.8
71	Al Mashikhi, Mohammed AlyanCM	1908	OMA	−49B	+58N	−23B	−52N	−20B	−64N	−66B	+74N	F	2.0	30.0	31.0	5.00	1865	-9.0
72	Kirthika BWCM	1901	IND	F	=13N	−15B	−33B	−57N	=58B	−53N	−63N	=74B	1.5	32.0	32.0	5.50	1881	-13.6
73	Al-Zendani, ZendanIM	2266	YEM	+70B	−6N	−59B	=58N	F	F	F	F	F	1.5	20.0	20.0	4.00	2081	-10.1
74	Krithik Muthukumar	1997	IND	−42B	−38N	−62N	−57B	=64B	−56N	F	−71B	=72N	1.0	26.5	26.5	2.25	1707	-106.8
75	Atharv Bansal	2017	IND	=30N	−43B	−35N	−69B	−40N	F	F	F	F	0.5	22.5	22.5	2.50	1769	-50.0
76	Akshobhya Damodar KattiCM	2048	IND	F	−11N	−31B	−60N	=61B	F	F	F	F	0.5	20.5	20.5	1.75	1818	-44.0
77	Napone, Emerson	2038	PHI	−13B	−31N	−41B	−20N	F	F	F	F	F	0.0	21.0	21.0	0.00	1403	-24.2
78	Khaled waleed Abdullah	2124	YEM	−9B	−59N	−58B	−66N	F	F	F	F	F	0.0	16.0	16.0	0.00	1346	-40.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Biglarifard, KooroshCMIRI
+107.2
4.0 pts · #45
2Samimi, ArminFMIRI
+97.6
5.0 pts · #21
3Roshantab, SadraIRI
+89.6
4.0 pts · #44

Top rating losers

1Krithik MuthukumarIND
-106.8
1.0 pts · #74
2Atharv BansalIND
-50.0
0.5 pts · #75
3Rashid Husain AlhammadiCMUAE
-44.4
3.0 pts · #62

Biggest upsets

R9+456 Elo gap
Vismay Sachar2051 beat IMTravadon, Loic2507
R5+368 Elo gap
FMChekh Adm Khedr,Aram2139 beat IMTravadon, Loic2507
R1+340 Elo gap
Roshantab, Sadra2031 beat IMJacobson, Aaron2371