Winter Classic Chess Tournament U1800

Open SwissStandard

70 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 06 Dec 2025 to 07 Dec 2025 in Dubai, UAE. 8 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1710, and top seed was Fakuade Babatunde Olabode (🇳🇬 NGR, 1799).

Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal (🇵🇭 PHI, 1790) won with 6.5/7, ahead of Khasan Kenjaev (5.5) and Mihir Bhalchandra khanolkar (5.5). Cristobal won solo starting round 5.

The biggest upset came in round 6: Ariel Rivera (1502) beat Winnie Felix (1733), a +231-point gap.

Location

🇦🇪Dubai, UAE

Dates

06 Dec 2025 → 07 Dec 2025

Time control

Standard: 30 minutes for game with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Avg top 10

1,710

Participants

Federations · 8 represented

🇮🇳India×40

🇵🇭Philippines×9

🇱🇰Sri Lanka×2

🇿🇦South Africa×1

🇬🇧England×1

🇲🇲Myanmar×1

🇨🇦Canada×1

🇵🇰Pakistan×1

Top 3

🥇
Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal
🇵🇭PHI·1790
6.5pts·2031perf+56.4
🥈
Khasan Kenjaev
🇺🇿UZB·1696
5.5pts·1816perf+37.2
🥉
Mihir Bhalchandra khanolkar
🇮🇳IND·1676
5.5pts·1717perf+13.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal led from R5; +1.0-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Cristobal6.5Kenjaev5.5Dwijendralal5.5Karthick5.5khanolkar5.5Alhasan5

R5–R7 · LEAD HELD

Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal never relinquished the lead after R5; final gap +1.0 over the runner-up.

R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal beat Khasan Kenjaev (White).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal 6 wins (R1–R6)Khasan Kenjaev 4 wins (R1–R4)Sajin Dwijendralal 5 wins (R2–R6)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Rhen Rhizzimhel Cristobal	*	1	½	—
2Khasan Kenjaev	0	*	—	1
3Sajin Dwijendralal	½	—	*	—
4Nishita Karthick	—	0	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Cristobal, Rhen Rhizzimhel	1790	PHI	+27N	+36B	+19N	+8B	+3N	+2B	=5N	6.5	30.0	33.0	30.25	2031	+56.4
2	Kenjaev, Khasan	1696	UZB	+9N	+30B	+4N	+17B	=6N	−1N	+16B	5.5	31.0	34.5	25.50	1816	+37.2
3	Mihir Bhalchandra khanolkar	1676	IND	+61N	+21B	+29N	+15B	−1B	=7N	+9B	5.5	28.5	30.5	21.50	1717	+13.2
4	Nishita Karthick	1621	IND	+13B	+16N	−2B	+18N	=29B	+30N	+15B	5.5	27.5	31.0	23.75	1671	+14.8
5	Sajin Dwijendralal	1510	IND	−6B	+47N	+66B	+22N	+8N	+20B	=1B	5.5	27.0	28.0	19.75	1796	+45.2
6	Chakresh Ganesan	1583	IND	+5N	=14B	+34N	+31B	=2B	=10N	=7B	5.0	29.0	32.5	22.50	1753	+54.4
7	Joyson Delson DSouza	1657	IND	+53N	+20B	=31N	=14B	+21N	=3B	=6N	5.0	26.5	28.5	19.25	1748	+23.6
8	Alhasan,Modar.	1688	SYR	+64B	+48N	+22B	−1N	−5B	+26N	+36B	5.0	25.5	27.5	15.50	1712	+8.8
9	Lagutin, Nelsonerro	0	PHI	−2B	+55N	+59B	+35N	+23N	+14B	−3N	5.0	25.0	27.0	16.00	1723	0.0
10	Muhammad Saleem Khan	1643	PAK	F	+39N	+41B	+25N	=16B	=6B	+20N	5.0	23.5	23.5	18.75	1734	+20.8
11	Keertiganesh S R	1643	IND	+50N	+41B	−17N	−30B	+31N	+21B	+23N	5.0	22.5	25.0	17.00	1624	-3.2
12	Gokul Krishna Sajin Resmy	1525	IND	+43B	=32B	−15N	+34B	+49N	+29N	=14B	5.0	22.5	25.0	16.50	1694	+51.6
13	Deloria, Bel Bryan	0	PHI	−4N	+57N	+24B	F	+48B	+51N	+35B	5.0	20.5	22.5	14.00	1666	0.0
14	Phua, Marvin	1773	PHI	+47B	=6N	+18B	=7N	+36B	−9N	=12N	4.5	27.5	30.0	17.50	1716	-11.6
15	Niranjjan Palaniappan	1406	IND	+68B	=25N	+12B	−3N	+33B	+22N	−4N	4.5	27.5	28.5	15.50	1630	+72.4
16	Rivera, Ariel	1502	PHI	+66N	−4B	+46N	+32B	=10N	+17B	−2N	4.5	27.0	28.0	14.50	1680	+23.2
17	Felix, Winnie	1733	PHI	+40B	+24N	+11B	−2N	=30B	−16N	+33B	4.5	26.0	29.0	17.25	1656	-11.6
18	Aavani V Menon	0	IND	+38N	+51B	−14N	−4B	+24N	=42B	+30N	4.5	23.5	25.5	14.00	1633	0.0
19	Patadia, Hitesh Kumar	1656	IND	+58B	+59N	−1B	=33N	−20N	+31B	+29B	4.5	23.0	25.0	12.75	1583	-19.2
20	Neya Shri Ramesh Prabhavathy	1480	IND	+45B	−7N	+54B	+48N	+19B	−5N	−10B	4.0	25.5	27.5	12.00	1522	+10.4
21	Astillero, Jake	1489	PHI	+54B	−3N	+45B	+42N	−7B	−11N	+40B	4.0	24.5	26.5	11.00	1529	+10.4
22	Prashant S	1603	IND	+56N	+52B	−8N	−5B	+27N	−15B	+41N	4.0	24.0	26.0	11.00	1422	-48.8
23	Daksh Patel	1612	IND	+44B	−29N	+40B	+37N	−9B	+47N	−11B	4.0	22.5	25.0	11.50	1571	-9.6
24	Atharva Thampy	1576	IND	+55B	−17B	−13N	+44N	−18B	+53B	+37N	4.0	22.0	24.0	10.00	1592	+1.6
25	Rishi Raghavendran Kotikalakoti	1479	IND	+60N	=15B	=32N	−10B	−38N	+52B	+43N	4.0	21.0	23.0	11.00	1461	-4.4
26	Kshitij Lapaliakr	1527	IND	−52N	+56B	+44N	−29B	+37N	−8B	+38N	4.0	19.5	21.5	11.00	1420	-17.6
27	Nilesh Karthick	1463	IND	−1B	−37N	+62B	+66N	−22B	+60N	+51B	4.0	19.5	20.5	7.00	1419	-10.0
28	Mangalsingh Rawat	1402	IND	−32N	=49B	−47N	+67B	+39N	+38B	=42N	4.0	17.5	18.5	9.75	1387	-5.2
29	Kalia, Rahul	1488	IND	+46N	+23B	−3B	+26N	=4N	−12B	−19N	3.5	28.5	31.5	13.75	1546	+6.6
30	Nikhilesh Karthick	1513	IND	+65B	−2N	+43B	+11N	=17N	−4B	−18B	3.5	28.0	29.5	11.75	1585	+14.0
31	Raiyan Huda	0	IND	+33B	+42N	=7B	−6N	−11B	−19N	+50B	3.5	26.0	28.5	11.50	1554	0.0
32	SOWRRIRAJAN, SENTHIL NATHAN	1712	IND	+28B	=12N	=25B	−16N	+40B	−36N	=47B	3.5	23.5	26.0	12.75	1488	-78.8
33	Sai Shri Ramesh Prabhavathy	1490	IND	−31N	+63B	+38N	=19B	−15N	+34B	−17N	3.5	23.5	25.5	10.75	1485	-11.6
34	Ansh Khandelwal	1496	IND	=39B	+70N	−6B	−12N	+45B	−33N	+49B	3.5	22.0	22.0	7.00	1351	-28.8
35	Kindipan, Zyralle	1720	PHI	=69N	F	+39B	−9B	+58N	+49B	−13N	3.5	18.0	18.0	7.75	2335	+5.2
36	Bustamante, Lemuel	1590	PHI	+37B	−1N	+70B	F	−14N	+32B	−8N	3.0	27.5	27.5	6.50	1610	+4.4
37	Abdukarimzoda, Muhamadamin	0	TJK	−36N	+27B	+51N	−23B	−26B	+45N	−24B	3.0	22.0	24.0	9.00	1437	-4.4
38	Ved Khandelwal	0	IND	−18B	+62N	−33B	+57N	+25B	−28N	−26B	3.0	22.0	24.0	8.00	1294	0.0
39	Puri, Aaveer	0	USA	=34N	−10B	−35N	+50B	−28B	+65N	=48B	3.0	21.0	22.5	7.00	1314	0.0
40	HADI BANDA	1429	IND	−17N	+67B	−23N	+52B	−32N	+46B	−21N	3.0	21.0	22.0	6.00	836	-39.2
41	Ramsurup, Mia Lakshmi	1430	RSA	+57B	−11N	−10N	−49B	+62B	+54N	−22B	3.0	20.5	22.5	6.00	806	-41.6
42	Swan Yee Toe	1593	MYA	+63N	−31B	+53N	−21B	F	=18N	=28B	3.0	20.0	22.0	8.25	1254	-36.0
43	Muhammad Arham P P	0	IND	−12N	+61B	−30N	−47B	+70B	+48N	−25B	3.0	19.5	19.5	4.50	1261	0.0
44	FIDE 547076178	0	—	−23N	+68N	−26B	−24B	−46N	+55N	+54B	3.0	19.0	20.0	5.00	772	0.0
45	Vaibhav Girish	0	IND	−20N	+60B	−21N	+53B	−34N	−37B	+56N	3.0	18.5	20.5	6.00	677	0.0
46	Swaminathan Subramanian	0	IND	−29B	+58N	−16B	−64N	+44B	−40N	+65B	3.0	18.0	19.5	6.50	676	0.0
47	Aaron Joseph Jenny	1475	IND	−14N	−5B	+28B	+43N	F	−23B	=32N	2.5	24.5	26.5	8.75	1452	-8.8
48	Srinjoy Jana	1515	IND	+67N	−8B	+52N	−20B	−13N	−43B	=39N	2.5	22.0	23.0	4.50	782	-32.4
49	Chakkarapani, Srivaths	0	ENG	−59B	=28N	+69B	+41N	−12B	−35N	−34N	2.5	21.0	21.5	5.50	1339	-61.6
50	Arjun Ahlawat	0	IND	−11B	−54N	=65B	−39N	+69N	+58B	−31N	2.5	17.0	17.5	3.25	841	0.0
51	El Banna, Ziad	1601	CAN	+62B	−18N	−37B	+70N	F	−13B	−27N	2.0	20.5	20.5	2.00	656	-55.6
52	Mohamed Rafan Fazlul Wasim	0	IND	+26B	−22N	−48B	−40N	+57B	−25N	−60B	2.0	19.5	21.5	6.00	1270	0.0
53	Agnes Maria Jenny	0	IND	−7B	+65N	−42B	−45N	+55B	−24N	−62N	2.0	19.0	20.5	3.50	812	0.0
54	Sattwik Gupta	0	IND	−21N	+50B	−20N	−61B	+56N	−41B	−44N	2.0	18.5	20.5	4.50	662	0.0
55	Karthikeyan Ramachandran	0	IND	−24N	−9B	−61N	+63B	−53N	−44B	+69N	2.0	18.0	18.5	2.50	776	0.0
56	HAMI ILAN	0	IND	−22B	−26N	−64B	+65N	−54B	+57N	−45B	2.0	17.0	18.5	3.50	766	0.0
57	FIDE 558038515	0	—	−41N	−13B	+63N	−38B	−52N	−56B	+67N	2.0	17.0	18.0	3.00	621	0.0
58	FIDE 558075186	0	—	−19N	−46B	=67N	+69B	−35B	−50N	=63B	2.0	16.5	17.0	2.00	888	0.0
59	Auzair Kantroo	1620	IND	+49N	−19B	−9N	+60B	F	F	F	2.0	16.5	16.5	4.50	1596	-2.8
60	Darshni Senthil Nathan	0	IND	−25B	−45N	+68B	−59N	F	−27B	+52N	2.0	16.0	17.0	3.00	722	0.0
61	Thakkshanya, Subaraj	0	SRI	−3B	−43N	+55B	+54N	F	F	F	2.0	15.5	15.5	4.00	876	0.0
62	HAZI RUHAN	0	IND	−51N	−38B	−27N	+68B	−41N	F	+53B	2.0	15.0	15.0	3.00	695	0.0
63	FIDE 8687870	0	—	−42B	−33N	−57B	−55N	+68N	=67B	=58N	2.0	13.5	14.5	2.50	764	0.0
64	Thusha Hary, Subaraj	0	SRI	−8N	−66B	+56N	+46B	F	F	F	2.0	13.0	13.0	5.00	885	0.0
65	FIDE 547071133	0	—	−30N	−53B	=50N	−56B	+67N	−39B	−46N	1.5	16.0	17.0	2.25	709	0.0
66	Nutter, James Jack	0	RUS	−16B	+64N	−5N	−27B	F	F	F	1.0	18.0	18.0	2.00	688	0.0
67	FIDE 547090146	0	—	−48B	−40N	=58B	−28N	−65B	=63N	−57B	1.0	15.5	17.0	2.00	648	0.0
68	FIDE 558038523	0	—	−15N	−44B	−60N	−62N	−63B	+69B	F	1.0	14.0	14.0	0.50	605	0.0
69	FIDE 8689024	0	—	=35B	F	−49N	−58N	−50B	−68N	−55B	0.5	13.5	13.5	1.75	1435	0.0
70	FIDE 558052453	0	—	F	−34B	−36N	−51B	−43N	F	F	0.0	18.5	19.5	0.00	762	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Niranjjan PalaniappanIND
+72.4
4.5 pts · #11
2Cristobal, Rhen RhizzimhelPHI
+56.4
6.5 pts · #1
3Chakresh GanesanIND
+54.4
5.0 pts · #7

Top rating losers

1SOWRRIRAJAN, SENTHIL NATHANIND
-78.8
3.5 pts · #16
2Chakkarapani, SrivathsENG
-61.6
2.5 pts · #31
3El Banna, ZiadCAN
-55.6
2.0 pts · #52

Biggest upsets

R6+231 Elo gap
Rivera, Ariel1502 beat Felix, Winnie1733
R4+210 Elo gap
Rivera, Ariel1502 beat SOWRRIRAJAN, SENTHIL NATHAN1712
R6+197 Elo gap
Niranjjan Palaniappan1406 beat Prashant S1603