16th AFRICAN YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 UNDER 14 OPEN

Open SwissStandard

57 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 07 Dec 2025 to 13 Dec 2025 in Harare, Zimbabwe. 8 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1815, and top seed was Abdelmalek Bensidi (🇩🇿 ALG, 2001).

Abdelmalek Bensidi (🇩🇿 ALG, 2001) won with 7.5/9, ahead of Waweru Davidson Mugo (7.0) and Michael Schwartz (7.0). Bensidi shared the lead from round 6 and won solo starting round 7.

The biggest upset came in round 9: Wayne Joe Njarumi (1702) beat Sianyinda lubona twalumba (1976), a +274-point gap.

Location

🇿🇼Harare, Zimbabwe

Dates

07 Dec 2025 → 13 Dec 2025

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇩🇿Abdelmalek Bensidi2001

Avg top 10

1,815

Participants

Federations · 8 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×9

🇿🇼Zimbabwe×8

🇰🇪Kenya×7

🇺🇬Uganda×2

🇿🇲Zambia×2

🇲🇼Malawi×2

🇧🇼Botswana×2

🇩🇿Algeria×1

Top 3

🥇
Abdelmalek Bensidi
🇩🇿ALG·2001
7.5pts·1993perf+3.2
🥈
Waweru Davidson Mugo
🇰🇪KEN·1854
7.0pts·1970perf+50.4
🥉
Michael Schwartz
🇿🇦RSA·1784
7.0pts·1933perf+61.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Abdelmalek Bensidi led from R7; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 2 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R7.

Co-leaders

Bensidi7.5Schwartz7Mugo7Ahmed Gamal El Deen6.5Prosper6.5Njarumi6.5

R7–R9 · LEAD HELD

Abdelmalek Bensidi held the sole lead from R7 through R9 without losing it.

R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Abdelmalek Bensidi beat Michael Schwartz (White).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Abdelmalek Bensidi 5 wins (R4–R8)Michael Schwartz 4 wins (R1–R4)Waweru Davidson Mugo 3 wins (R1–R3)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Abdelmalek Bensidi	*	1	½	0
2Michael Schwartz	0	*	—	½
3Waweru Davidson Mugo	½	—	*	½
4Yaseen Ahmed Gamal El Deen	1	½	½	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Bensidi, Abdelmalek	2001	ALG	+36N	+12B	−4N	+34B	+14N	+3B	+5N	+13B	=2N	7.5	48.0	52.0	42.00	1993	+3.2
2	Waweru Davidson Mugo	1854	KEN	+46B	+28N	+6B	=4N	=5B	+8N	=13N	+20B	=1B	7.0	48.0	51.0	38.00	1970	+50.4
3	Schwartz, Michael	1784	RSA	+35N	+34B	+14N	+21B	=20B	−1N	=4N	+11B	+9N	7.0	45.5	49.5	36.25	1933	+61.2
4	Ahmed Gamal El Deen, Yaseen	1728	EGY	+50B	+30N	+1B	=2B	=13N	=6N	=3B	+8N	=7B	6.5	50.5	52.5	36.25	1920	+80.4
5	Tojomalala, Aiko	1737	MAD	+18N	+32B	=13N	+15B	=2N	+17B	−1B	=6N	+16B	6.5	48.5	52.5	35.50	1858	+46.0
6	Wayne Joe Njarumi	1702	KEN	+24B	+53N	−2N	+25B	+39N	=4B	=9N	=5B	+13N	6.5	44.5	46.0	29.50	1830	+40.6
7	Gondwe Prosper	1712	ZAM	F	F	+35N	+31B	+44B	+34N	+27N	+21B	=4N	6.5	34.5	36.0	28.25	1949	+46.4
8	Maruma, Kamogelo	1665	RSA	+51N	+25B	−9N	+18B	+23N	−2B	+17N	−4B	+21N	6.0	45.0	47.0	27.50	1619	-12.8
9	Odokonyero Daniel	1780	UGA	+40B	+27N	+8B	−20N	=21B	+22N	=6B	+23N	−3B	6.0	44.0	47.5	29.75	1702	-25.6
10	Tatenda Machona	0	ZIM	+44B	=15N	−16B	=26B	+25N	−19N	+33B	+32N	+29B	6.0	38.0	41.0	25.00	1615	0.0
11	Slabbert, Zander Nicolaas	1705	RSA	+42B	+33N	−20B	+30N	+38B	−21N	+32B	−3N	+23B	6.0	38.0	41.0	24.00	1636	-21.2
12	Froom, Gabriel	1622	RSA	+49B	−1N	−15B	+48N	+53B	−32N	+42B	+25N	+20N	6.0	34.0	35.5	18.50	1620	-6.4
13	Sianyinda lubona twalumba	1976	ZAM	+37B	+29N	=5B	+16N	=4B	+20N	=2B	−1N	−6B	5.5	49.0	53.0	29.00	1808	-60.8
14	Gweshe Jordan	1640	ZIM	+52B	+24N	−3B	+32N	−1B	+33N	−23B	+18B	=17N	5.5	43.5	45.5	23.25	1693	+8.0
15	Omara Samora	1624	UGA	+31N	=10B	+12N	−5N	−22B	−18B	+41N	+55B	+26N	5.5	41.5	43.0	23.00	1680	+6.0
16	Mabhera, Jedidiah Panashe	1633	ZIM	=45N	+26B	+10N	−13B	−17N	+29B	+38B	+22N	−5N	5.5	41.0	44.0	25.00	1644	-0.8
17	MUDHEKWA WILLIAM	0	ZIM	−28B	+46N	+33B	+29N	+16B	−5N	−8B	+27N	=14B	5.5	41.0	44.0	24.25	1625	0.0
18	Christopher Otieno Abuodha	0	KEN	−5B	+56N	+43B	−8N	=29B	+15N	+19B	−14N	+28B	5.5	41.0	42.0	21.75	1642	0.0
19	Shapiro, Matthew	1704	RSA	=26N	+45B	−21N	−22B	+40N	+10B	−18N	+39B	+38N	5.5	36.5	39.5	21.75	1598	-11.6
20	Warimwe David James	1874	KEN	+57N	+39B	+11N	+9B	=3N	−13B	=21N	−2N	−12B	5.0	46.0	46.5	22.00	1740	-52.8
21	Kruger, Tobias	1632	RSA	+38B	+43N	+19B	−3N	=9N	+11B	=20B	−7N	−8B	5.0	45.5	48.5	23.50	1696	+22.0
22	Parag Jugmohan, Tp (tejas	0	RSA	−33B	+50N	=40B	+19N	+15N	−9B	+39N	−16B	=27B	5.0	38.0	40.0	20.50	1621	0.0
23	Simbarashe Nyanzira	0	ZIM	−25N	+51B	+53B	+40N	−8B	+28N	+14N	−9B	−11N	5.0	38.0	39.5	17.00	1506	0.0
24	Kasonde, Matthew Cohen	0	NAM	−6N	−14B	+36N	+43B	−27N	−25B	+50N	+35B	+39N	5.0	35.5	37.5	16.50	1343	0.0
25	Maina Geoffrey Gitonga	1460	KEN	+23B	−8N	+52B	−6N	−10B	+24N	+43B	−12B	=30N	4.5	42.0	44.0	17.25	1311	-23.6
26	Kahil Walli	0	TAN	=19B	−16N	+45B	=10N	−32B	+30N	+34B	=28N	−15B	4.5	39.5	42.5	19.50	1534	0.0
27	Phiri Beston	1559	MAW	+41B	−9B	+55N	−38N	+24B	+42N	−7B	−17B	=22N	4.5	38.0	39.5	15.50	948	-20.0
28	Manuel Mwine Bujara	1561	KEN	+17N	−2B	−38N	+54B	+51N	−23B	+35N	=26B	−18N	4.5	37.0	38.5	15.25	1052	-5.2
29	Ntiwane Surprise	1594	SWZ	+54N	−13B	+42N	−17B	=18N	−16N	+53B	+31B	−10N	4.5	37.0	38.5	13.25	1004	-21.6
30	Njuguna Luke Nganga	1541	KEN	+47N	−4B	+54N	−11B	−42N	−26B	+49N	+48B	=25B	4.5	32.0	33.5	11.25	1357	-26.4
31	FIDE 11035560	0	—	−15B	−44N	+46B	−7N	+52B	=53N	+47B	−29N	+55B	4.5	29.0	30.5	10.25	793	0.0
32	Wu Zeyin	1503	BOT	+56B	−5N	F	−14B	+26N	+12B	−11N	−10B	+36N	4.0	42.0	43.0	15.50	1483	-4.4
33	Braaf, Jordan	1485	RSA	+22N	−11B	−17N	+47B	+49N	−14B	−10N	+42B	−34N	4.0	38.0	40.0	13.00	833	-36.4
34	Suresh Babu Goutham	1556	BOT	F	−3N	+48B	−1N	+55B	−7B	−26N	+51N	+33B	4.0	37.5	39.0	10.00	1540	-7.2
35	FIDE 11034203	0	—	−3B	−41N	−7B	+37N	+56B	+54N	−28B	−24N	+51B	4.0	34.0	35.0	8.50	875	0.0
36	FIDE 11031212	0	—	−1B	−49N	−24B	+45N	+48B	−55N	+54B	+43N	−32B	4.0	28.5	30.0	10.00	952	0.0
37	FIDE 11033711	0	—	−13N	−54B	−51N	−35B	+57N	+56B	−48N	+49B	+41N	4.0	22.0	22.5	7.00	1176	0.0
38	LI ZIANG	0	ZIM	−21N	F	+28B	+27B	−11N	=39B	−16N	+44N	−19B	3.5	42.0	45.0	13.75	1553	0.0
39	Prinsloo, Liam	1562	RSA	+48B	−20N	+49B	+44N	−6B	=38N	−22B	−19N	−24B	3.5	36.0	38.0	9.25	1487	-16.8
40	Chitsime Dominic	0	MAW	−9N	+47B	=22N	−23B	−19B	−41N	−45B	+56N	+53B	3.5	32.5	33.5	8.00	944	0.0
41	FIDE 14810239	0	—	F	+35B	F	−53N	=50N	+40B	−15B	+45N	−37B	3.5	30.0	31.5	11.50	790	0.0
42	Godswill Guvuriro	0	ZIM	−11N	F	−29B	+52N	+30B	−27B	−12N	−33N	+46B	3.0	39.0	41.0	9.50	1311	0.0
43	FIDE 11034254	0	—	F	−21B	−18N	−24N	+45B	+51B	−25N	−36B	+50N	3.0	36.5	38.5	7.00	745	0.0
44	Mukundi Shepherd Madzikwa	1443	ZIM	−10N	+31B	F	−39B	−7N	+49B	=55N	−38B	=47N	3.0	32.5	34.0	8.75	837	-20.4
45	FIDE 11009969	0	—	=16B	−19N	−26N	−36B	−43N	+57B	+40N	−41B	=48N	3.0	32.0	32.5	8.00	1474	0.0
46	FIDE 11034920	0	—	−2N	−17B	−31N	+57B	−47N	−52B	+56N	+54B	−42N	3.0	27.5	28.0	3.00	1052	0.0
47	FIDE 554010527	0	—	−30B	−40N	F	−33N	+46B	=50B	−31N	+53N	=44B	3.0	26.0	26.0	7.00	1217	0.0
48	FIDE 11033550	0	—	−39N	+57B	−34N	−12B	−36N	F	+37B	−30N	=45B	2.5	36.5	37.0	6.00	770	0.0
49	FIDE 11034564	0	—	−12N	+36B	−39N	F	−33B	−44N	−30B	−37N	+52B	2.0	36.5	38.5	6.00	731	0.0
50	FIDE 11034459	0	—	−4N	−22B	−1N	F	=41B	=47N	−24B	+52N	−43B	2.0	35.5	35.5	5.25	1064	0.0
51	FIDE 554010535	0	—	−8B	−23N	+37B	+56N	−28B	−43N	F	−34B	−35N	2.0	32.5	33.5	5.00	784	0.0
52	FIDE 11015160	0	—	−14N	+55B	−25N	−42B	−31N	+46N	F	−50B	−49N	2.0	26.5	28.0	4.50	749	0.0
53	FIDE 11017058	0	—	F	−6B	−23N	+41B	−12N	=31B	−29N	−47B	−40N	1.5	40.0	43.0	5.75	839	0.0
54	FIDE 11034491	0	—	−29B	+37N	−30B	−28N	F	−35B	−36N	−46N	=57B	1.5	36.0	36.5	4.25	756	0.0
55	FIDE 11028815	0	—	F	−52N	−27B	F	−34N	+36B	=44B	−15N	−31N	1.5	31.0	31.0	5.50	1223	0.0
56	FIDE 11023074	0	—	−32N	−18B	+57N	−51B	−35N	−37N	−46B	−40B	F	1.0	33.5	34.0	0.50	703	0.0
57	FIDE 11034785	0	—	−20B	−48N	−56B	−46N	−37B	−45N	F	F	=54N	0.5	34.0	35.0	0.75	1073	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Ahmed Gamal El Deen, YaseenEGY
+80.4
6.5 pts · #5
2Schwartz, MichaelRSA
+61.2
7.0 pts · #2
3Waweru Davidson MugoKEN
+50.4
7.0 pts · #3

Top rating losers

1Sianyinda lubona twalumbaZAM
-60.8
5.5 pts · #7
2Warimwe David JamesKEN
-52.8
5.0 pts · #11
3Braaf, JordanRSA
-36.4
4.0 pts · #47

Biggest upsets

R9+274 Elo gap
Wayne Joe Njarumi1702 beat Sianyinda lubona twalumba1976
R3+273 Elo gap
Ahmed Gamal El Deen, Yaseen1728 beat Bensidi, Abdelmalek2001
R9+252 Elo gap
Froom, Gabriel1622 beat Warimwe David James1874