Bucharest Chess Winter 2026
10 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 05 Jan 2026 to 14 Jan 2026 in Bucuresti, Romania. 3 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1714, and top seed was Maria-Catalina Pandelescu (🇷🇴 ROU, 1883).
Maria-Catalina Pandelescu (🇷🇴 ROU, 1883) won with 8.0/9, ahead of Leonard Vasiloi (7.5) and K H N Kalubowila (6.0). Pandelescu took the lead from round 7.
The biggest upset came in round 8: Tudorel Tupilusi (1608) beat Adrian Olar (1794), a +186-point gap.
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How it unfolded
Top 10 · 9 roundsMaria-Catalina Pandelescu led from R7 onwards, the runner-up race stayed tight.
Maria-Catalina Pandelescu takes the sole lead (6.0/7).
Maria-Catalina Pandelescu drew with Leonard Vasiloi (White).
Maria-Catalina Pandelescu 5 wins (R5–R9)Leonard Vasiloi 3 wins (R1–R3)
Cross-table
| # | Player | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pts | SB | Bh | Δ Elo | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇷🇴Pandelescu, Maria-Catalina | 1883 | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 31.75 | 37.0 | +57.6 | 2049 |
| 2 | 🇷🇴Vasiloi, Leonard | 1855 | ½ | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 | 27.50 | 37.5 | +50.4 | 1974 |
| 3 | 🇱🇰Kalubowila, K H N | 1759 | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 6.0 | 23.50 | 39.0 | +19.2 | 1836 |
| 4 | 🇷🇴Cirstea, Radu | 1639 | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4.5 | 15.75 | 40.5 | +18.2 | 1724 |
| 6 | 🇷🇴Ciordas, Andrei-Victor | 1669 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4.0 | 14.25 | 41.0 | +2.2 | 1678 |
| 5 | 🇨🇦Szatmary, Alex | 1775 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4.0 | 11.50 | 41.0 | -49.6 | 1666 |
| 7 | 🇷🇴Tupilusi, Tudorel | 1608 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 3.5 | 12.00 | 41.5 | +7.2 | 1648 |
| 8 | 🇷🇴Lazarean, Colea-Valentin | 1659 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 12.50 | 42.0 | -15.6 | 1597 |
| 9 | 🇷🇴Calotescu, David-Andrei | 1494 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 0 | 2.5 | 10.75 | 42.5 | +19.6 | 1573 |
| 10 | 🇷🇴Olar, Adrian | 1794 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | * | 2.0 | 5.50 | 43.0 | -70.2 | 1487 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
- 1Pandelescu, Maria-CatalinaROU+57.68.0 pts · #1
- 2Vasiloi, LeonardROU+50.47.5 pts · #2
- 3Calotescu, David-AndreiROU+19.62.5 pts · #9
- 1Olar, AdrianROU-70.22.0 pts · #10
- 2Szatmary, AlexCAN-49.64.0 pts · #5
- 3Lazarean, Colea-ValentinROU-15.63.0 pts · #8
- R8+186 Elo gap
- R6+167 Elo gap
- R5+155 Elo gap