16th AFRICAN YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 UNDER 18 OPEN

Open SwissStandard

47 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 07 Dec 2025 to 12 Dec 2025 in Harare, Zimbabwe. 7 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2125, and top seed was Rafael Sharon (🇿🇲 ZAM, IM, 2314).

Ahmed Kandil (🇪🇬 EGY, FM, 2288) won with 8.0/9, ahead of Rafael Sharon (8.0) and Raphael Felix (7.0). Kandil shared the lead from round 1, winning on tie-break.

The biggest upset came in round 1: Kurai Madanhi (1569) beat Simiyu Jadon (FM, 2056), a +487-point gap.

Location

🇿🇼Harare, Zimbabwe

Dates

07 Dec 2025 → 12 Dec 2025

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇿🇲IMRafael Sharon2314

Avg top 10

2,125

Participants

Titled players · 7

IM×1

FM×4

CM×2

Federations · 8 represented

🇿🇼Zimbabwe×18

🇿🇦South Africa×10

🇰🇪Kenya×5

🇧🇼Botswana×3

🇿🇲Zambia×2

🇳🇦Namibia×2

🇱🇸Lesotho×1

🇺🇬Uganda×1

Top 3

🥇
FMAhmed Kandil
🇪🇬EGY·2288
8.0pts·2399perf+21.6
🥈
IMRafael Sharon
🇿🇲ZAM·2314
8.0pts·2414perf+18.8
🥉
FMRaphael Felix
🇿🇦RSA·2307
7.0pts·2242perf-5.6

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Tight race until R9; 2 players tied at 8.0/9, decided on Buchholz.

Co-leaders

Sharon8Kandil8Felix7Soojay6.5Yan6.5Thuto5.5

R9 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

2 players finish on 8.0/9. Kandil takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (47.0).

R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

IM Rafael Sharon beat FM Ahmed Kandil (White).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

IM Rafael Sharon 3+4 wins (R1–R3, R6–R9)FM Ahmed Kandil 5+3 wins (R1–R5, R7–R9)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1IMRafael Sharon	*	1	½	½
2FMAhmed Kandil	0	*	1	1
3FMRaphael Felix	½	0	*	1
4FMJorah Soojay	½	0	0	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Kandil, AhmedFM	2288	EGY	+23B	+31N	+8B	+21N	+4B	−2N	+3B	+6N	+9B	8.0	47.0	50.5	42.50	2399	+21.6
2	Sharon, RafaelIM	2314	ZAM	+30B	+34N	+6B	=4N	=3B	+1B	+14N	+7N	+10B	8.0	47.0	50.0	43.25	2414	+18.8
3	Felix, RaphaelFM	2307	RSA	+12N	+29B	=5N	+22B	=2N	+11B	−1N	+14B	+4B	7.0	49.5	53.5	38.25	2242	-5.6
4	Soojay, JorahFM	2100	RSA	+37N	+27B	+26N	=2B	−1N	+5B	+10N	+11B	−3N	6.5	49.5	52.5	33.50	2165	+36.0
5	Yan, WeilunCM	1958	RSA	+46B	+42N	=3B	−6N	+40B	−4N	+31B	+21N	+14B	6.5	36.5	38.5	23.00	2061	+42.0
6	Pido Edwin	1985	UGA	+28B	+19N	−2N	+5B	−11N	+22B	+16N	−1B	=12N	5.5	48.0	52.5	28.25	1931	-17.2
7	Simiyu JadonFM	2056	KEN	−18N	+20B	=12N	+23B	+13N	+16B	=15N	−2B	=11N	5.5	44.5	49.0	28.00	1868	-57.6
8	Potgieter, Edward	1924	RSA	+43N	+18B	−1N	+17B	−16N	+25B	−11N	=13B	+22N	5.5	43.0	45.0	23.75	1932	+4.8
9	Mpene ThutoCM	1961	BOT	=24N	+32B	−22N	+12B	−10N	+23B	+18N	+15B	−1N	5.5	42.5	46.0	25.75	1893	-16.7
10	Mofya Stephen	2092	ZAM	+38B	=22N	+40B	−15N	+9B	+21N	−4B	+17N	−2N	5.5	42.0	44.5	22.75	2014	-23.6
11	Mutero Tadisa K	1761	ZIM	+42B	+36N	+35B	−14N	+6B	−3N	+8B	−4N	=7B	5.5	41.0	43.0	21.75	1959	+51.6
12	Mokhameleli Mohale	1700	LES	−3B	+45N	=7B	−9N	+33B	+40N	=34B	+31N	=6B	5.5	36.0	38.0	18.50	1903	+52.8
13	Becker Stefan	1882	NAM	+36B	=40N	−15B	+42N	−7B	=31N	+24B	=8N	+25B	5.5	34.0	36.0	19.75	1866	-3.2
14	Sehularo, Kganya	1867	RSA	+47N	+16B	−21N	+11B	+25N	+15B	−2B	−3N	−5N	5.0	46.0	46.0	20.00	1972	+28.0
15	Lin, Chenyi	2079	RSA	=32N	+24B	+13N	+10B	=21B	−14N	=7B	−9N	=17B	5.0	41.0	44.5	24.75	1940	-55.6
16	MATHUTHU PRAISE	0	ZIM	+17B	−14N	+30B	+31N	+8B	−7N	−6B	=34N	=24B	5.0	38.5	41.5	21.75	1859	0.0
17	Oabile Romeo	1786	BOT	−16N	+43B	+18N	−8N	=28B	+41B	+29N	−10B	=15N	5.0	36.5	38.5	17.75	1837	+13.6
18	Madanhi, Kurai	1569	ZIM	+7B	−8N	−17B	=33N	+47B	+30N	−9B	+37N	=34B	5.0	35.0	35.0	15.75	1837	+86.4
19	FAZILAHAMED GRAIG	1730	ZIM	+26B	−6B	−43N	+45N	=41B	+28N	−21B	=20N	+30B	5.0	32.0	34.0	18.50	1831	+17.6
20	Agostinho, Everton Lazio	0	MOZ	F	−7N	+34B	+26N	−31B	+44B	=22N	=19B	+29N	5.0	32.0	32.0	18.25	1836	0.0
21	Kaloki, Hawi	2069	KEN	F	+25N	+14B	−1B	=15N	−10B	+19N	−5B	+27N	4.5	44.0	44.0	21.50	1985	-24.5
22	Lirafu, Siyambonga	1765	RSA	+35N	=10B	+9B	−3N	=34B	−6N	=20B	+26N	−8B	4.5	41.5	44.5	19.75	1868	+24.8
23	Darius Patlo Banda	1686	BOT	−1N	+39B	=36B	−7N	+35B	−9N	+41N	−27B	+33B	4.5	36.0	38.0	13.00	1646	-16.4
24	Wanjala Samuel	1542	KEN	=9B	−15N	−32N	+36B	+37N	=29B	−13N	+38B	=16N	4.5	34.5	37.5	16.25	1733	+52.8
25	RIVETE DEVINE	1756	ZIM	+41N	−21B	+44N	+29B	−14B	−8N	=26B	+32N	−13N	4.5	34.5	36.5	13.75	1730	-10.0
26	Tollerance Takwala	0	ZIM	−19N	+46N	−4B	−20B	+43N	+38B	=25N	−22B	+32B	4.5	34.0	36.0	12.75	1721	0.0
27	MANDIPE TANAKA	1768	ZIM	+33B	−4N	=42B	−40N	−32B	+39N	+28B	+23N	−21B	4.5	32.5	34.5	16.50	1757	-7.2
28	Mawire, Tawananyasha	1548	ZIM	−6N	+41B	−29N	+44B	=17N	−19B	−27N	+40B	+31B	4.5	32.0	34.0	12.50	1618	+15.6
29	CHIPUNZA, James	1812	RSA	+45B	−3N	+28B	−25N	=30B	=24N	−17B	+35N	−20B	4.0	37.5	39.5	13.75	1638	-58.0
30	Mushore, Thandazani	1722	ZIM	−2N	+47B	−16N	+43B	=29N	−18B	=35N	+36B	−19N	4.0	35.0	35.0	8.50	1486	-46.0
31	Allen Nadine Tungamira	1824	ZIM	+44N	−1B	+37N	−16B	+20N	=13B	−5N	−12B	−28N	3.5	43.0	45.0	12.75	1637	-61.2
32	Kunaka, Tawananyasha	1579	ZIM	=15B	−9N	+24B	F	+27N	−34N	+40B	−25B	−26N	3.5	34.5	37.0	14.00	1752	+43.6
33	MURINGANI TERRY	0	ZIM	−27N	−37B	+39N	=18B	−12N	−35B	+46N	+45B	−23N	3.5	30.5	32.5	9.50	1532	0.0
34	Lagardien, Ismaeel	1834	RSA	F	−2B	−20N	F	=22N	+32B	=12N	=16B	=18N	3.0	40.0	40.0	13.50	1769	-19.2
35	PUTA NYASHA	0	ZIM	−22B	F	−11N	=37B	−23N	+33N	=30B	−29B	+38N	3.0	32.0	32.0	10.00	1563	0.0
36	Horn, Evan	0	RSA	−13N	−11B	=23N	−24N	F	=37B	+44B	−30N	+39B	3.0	32.0	32.0	8.75	1532	0.0
37	Mwale Tadala	1665	SWZ	−4B	+33N	−31B	=35N	−24B	=36N	+45N	−18B	−44N	3.0	31.0	33.0	8.50	953	-66.0
38	Muranda Tanaka	1634	ZIM	−10N	−44B	+47N	F	+45B	−26N	+43B	−24N	−35B	3.0	25.5	25.5	4.00	994	-27.6
39	Kiruthu Ted Wahome	1561	KEN	F	−23N	−33B	=46N	+42B	−27B	+47N	=41B	−36N	3.0	21.5	21.5	4.00	1374	-26.4
40	VANGANI ISRAEL	0	ZIM	F	=13B	−10N	+27B	−5N	−12B	−32N	−28N	+41B	2.5	37.5	37.5	9.25	1560	0.0
41	Timothy Cerrulo	0	KEN	−25B	−28N	+46B	F	=19N	−17N	−23B	=39N	−40N	2.0	32.0	34.0	6.00	1493	0.0
42	Rangarirai Brian Mugova	0	ZIM	−11N	−5B	=27N	−13B	−39N	−45B	F	+43N	=46B	2.0	31.0	31.0	5.25	1463	0.0
43	CHIDAWANYIKA TINASHE	0	ZIM	−8B	−17N	+19B	−30N	−26B	+47N	−38N	−42B	F	2.0	29.0	29.0	5.00	1519	0.0
44	MABHUDHU TAPUWA	0	ZIM	−31B	+38N	−25B	−28N	+46B	−20N	−36N	F	−37B	2.0	28.5	28.5	5.00	1527	0.0
45	FIDE 11005327	0	—	−29N	−12B	F	−19B	−38N	+42N	−37B	−33N	+47B	2.0	26.0	26.0	2.00	908	0.0
46	Karipi, Trevor Tala-Omwene Tjitavi	1487	NAM	−5N	−26B	−41N	=39B	−44N	F	−33B	+47B	=42N	2.0	23.5	23.5	2.50	1531	+0.8
47	FIDE 11035188	0	—	−14B	−30N	−38B	F	−18N	−43B	−39B	−46N	−45N	0.0	26.0	26.0	0.00	840	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Madanhi, KuraiZIM
+86.4
5.0 pts · #13
2Wanjala SamuelKEN
+52.8
4.5 pts · #17
3Mokhameleli MohaleLES
+52.8
5.5 pts · #24

Top rating losers

1Mwale TadalaSWZ
-66.0
3.0 pts · #47
2Allen Nadine TungamiraZIM
-61.2
3.5 pts · #35
3CHIPUNZA, JamesRSA
-58.0
4.0 pts · #32

Biggest upsets

R1+487 Elo gap
Madanhi, Kurai1569 beat FMSimiyu Jadon2056
R9+276 Elo gap
Mawire, Tawananyasha1548 beat Allen Nadine Tungamira1824
R5+224 Elo gap
Mutero Tadisa K1761 beat Pido Edwin1985