2026 NSWCA Australia Day Weekender

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73 players participated in this 6-round tournament, held from 24 Jan 2026 to 25 Jan 2026 in Sydney, Australia. 12 titled players from 7 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2153, and top seed was David C Smerdon (🇦🇺 AUS, GM, 2476).

George Wendi Xie (🇦🇺 AUS, IM, 2309) won with 5.0/6, ahead of Sterling Bayaca (5.0) and Le Tri Kien (5.0). Xie won on tie-break after catching the field in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 3: Andrew Robinson (1550) beat Aaron Huang (1886), a +336-point gap.

Location

🇦🇺Sydney, Australia

Dates

24 Jan 2026 → 25 Jan 2026

Time control

Standard: 60 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 6 rounds

Avg top 10

2,153

Participants

Titled players · 12

IM×2

FM×3

CM×6

WIM×1

Federations · 7 represented

🇦🇺Australia×64

🇳🇵Nepal×3

🇲🇴Macau China×1

🇭🇰Hong Kong China×1

🇸🇬Singapore×1

🇻🇳Vietnam×1

🇳🇿New Zealand×1

Top 3

🥇
IMGeorge Wendi Xie
🇦🇺AUS·2309
5.0pts·2330perf+2.4
🥈
FMSterling Bayaca
🇦🇺AUS·2250
5.0pts·2307perf+12.6
🥉
CMLe Tri Kien
🇻🇳VIE·2272
5.0pts·2251perf-1.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 6 rounds

Tight race until R5; 3 players tied at 5.0/6, decided on Buchholz.

Co-leaders

Bayaca5Xie5Kien5Liu4.5Tao4.5Lyu4.5

R5 · LEADER CHANGE25 Jan

FM Sterling Bayaca takes the sole lead (4.5/5).

R6 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

3 players finish on 5.0/6. Xie takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (21.0).

R5 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

FM Sterling Bayaca beat IM George Wendi Xie (Black).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1FMSterling Bayaca	*	1	—	—
2IMGeorge Wendi Xie	0	*	—	1
3CMLe Tri Kien	—	—	*	—
4FMEric Liu	—	0	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Xie, George WendiIM	2309	AUS	+9B	+8N	+4B	+26N	−2B	+23N	5.0	21.0	24.0	19.00	2330	+2.4
2	Bayaca, SterlingFM	2250	AUS	+20N	=10B	+19N	+25B	+1N	=5B	5.0	20.5	23.5	19.25	2307	+12.6
3	Le Tri KienCM	2272	VIE	+27N	+52B	=6N	=10B	+9N	+12B	5.0	19.5	21.5	17.25	2251	-1.2
4	Liu, EricFM	2120	AUS	+11N	+5B	−1N	+14B	+42N	=6B	4.5	22.0	24.5	17.25	2183	+14.4
5	Tao, TrevorIM	2341	AUS	+45B	−4N	+21B	+33N	+8B	=2N	4.5	20.0	22.5	15.50	2234	-5.1
6	Li, HuiCM	2050	MAC	+28N	+53B	=3B	=?N	+18B	=4N	4.5	18.5	18.5	13.75	2197	+15.6
7	Lyu, Taifeng (Matt)	1948	AUS	=19N	+32B	=25N	+24B	=?B	+38N	4.5	16.0	16.0	12.75	1994	+13.6
8	Huang, YuanCM	2050	AUS	+31N	−1B	+17N	+30B	−5N	+19B	4.0	20.0	23.0	13.50	2077	+12.8
9	Brown, Heath	1888	AUS	−1N	+30B	+43N	+39B	−3B	+29N	4.0	19.0	21.5	11.50	1976	+12.6
10	Rusakov, JeanFM	2002	AUS	+38B	=2N	+36B	=3N	+26B	−?N	4.0	19.0	19.0	14.00	2190	+40.0
11	Malcolm, Aidan	1802	NZL	−4B	+56N	+15N	−42B	+39N	+26B	4.0	17.0	19.0	12.00	1899	+12.0
12	Zheng, TonyCM	2035	AUS	+22B	−?N	+28B	+47N	+29B	−3N	4.0	17.0	17.0	12.00	2061	+3.4
13	Maharjan, Herakaji	1849	NEP	F	+14B	+31N	−29N	+33B	+34N	4.0	16.0	18.0	13.00	1939	+10.6
14	Harding, Jonathon	1658	AUS	+60B	−13N	+56B	−4N	+52N	+27B	4.0	15.5	17.5	9.00	1936	+77.6
15	Ni, LucasCM	1971	AUS	+40B	−49N	−11B	+58N	+41B	+53N	4.0	14.5	16.5	10.00	1908	-16.8
16	Verma, RudraCM	1996	AUS	+59N	−23B	F	+44N	+35B	+20B	4.0	14.5	14.5	11.00	2056	+19.6
17	Milson, Tyler	1771	AUS	=71B	=46N	−8B	+60N	+47B	+28N	4.0	14.0	14.5	9.00	1842	+14.0
18	Lim, Jongmin	1842	AUS	−52N	+63B	+70N	+57B	−6N	+25B	4.0	13.0	14.0	7.50	1905	+9.8
19	Thuaux, Alexander	1820	AUS	=7B	+71N	−2B	+66N	+22B	−8N	3.5	18.5	19.0	7.75	2009	+45.2
20	Li, Shing Hei	1853	HKG	−2B	+34N	=42B	+62N	+36B	−16N	3.5	17.5	19.5	9.25	1841	-3.2
21	Walls, Kye	1876	AUS	−23N	+37B	−5N	+55B	=24N	+42B	3.5	17.0	19.0	9.25	1890	+1.8
22	Coy, Rupert	1854	AUS	−12N	+39B	=52N	+43B	−19N	+44B	3.5	15.5	17.5	9.00	1818	-2.2
23	Lo, Willis	2102	AUS	+21B	+16N	=?B	F	+27N	−1B	3.5	15.5	15.5	10.50	2213	+11.6
24	Sivaraj, Avinav	1687	AUS	+64B	−70B	+63N	−7N	=21B	+48N	3.5	13.5	14.5	7.25	1789	+24.8
25	Shu, John	1534	AUS	+29B	+44N	=7B	−2N	=49B	−18N	3.0	19.0	21.5	9.00	1820	+71.6
26	Wang, Isaac (Yijun)	1650	AUS	+33B	+40N	+49B	−1B	−10N	−11N	3.0	19.0	21.5	8.50	1895	+61.2
27	Maleki, Aiden	1900	AUS	−3B	+35N	+53N	+37B	−23B	−14N	3.0	18.5	20.5	8.00	1838	-20.4
28	Wu, Simon	0	AUS	−6B	+58N	−12N	+63B	+37N	−17B	3.0	17.5	19.0	6.50	1798	0.0
29	Jain, Kamal	1681	AUS	−25N	+61B	+54N	+13B	−12N	−9B	3.0	17.0	19.0	8.00	1638	-6.0
30	Ding, Daniel (yulin)	1692	AUS	+68B	−9N	+50B	−8N	=45N	=32B	3.0	16.0	17.0	6.25	1782	+23.6
31	Watson, Robert A	1776	AUS	−8B	+67N	−13B	+50N	−34B	+60N	3.0	15.5	16.5	5.50	1669	-15.0
32	Broekhuyse, Paul	1903	AUS	=46B	−7N	+58B	−35N	+62B	=30N	3.0	15.0	17.0	6.75	1724	-27.0
33	Shenoy, Trilok	1785	AUS	−26N	+68B	+64N	−5B	−13N	+54B	3.0	15.0	16.0	4.50	1680	-31.6
34	Pavlidis, Alexi	1642	AUS	+61N	−20B	−57N	+54B	+31N	−13B	3.0	14.5	16.5	7.00	1701	+4.2
35	He, Angela	1642	AUS	+54N	−27B	=65N	+32B	−16N	=45B	3.0	14.5	16.0	7.00	1751	+11.4
36	Lau, Winson	0	AUS	+62N	+59B	−10N	=52B	−20N	=46B	3.0	14.0	16.0	6.25	1852	0.0
37	Hemsley, Steven E	1620	AUS	+50B	−21N	+67B	−27N	−28B	+57N	3.0	14.0	15.0	5.50	1668	+4.0
38	Sze-To, Jonas	1809	AUS	−10N	+66B	F	+65N	+48B	−7B	3.0	14.0	14.0	5.50	1681	-8.8
39	Xia, ChengYi	1686	AUS	+72B	−22N	+71B	−9N	−11B	+52B	3.0	14.0	14.0	2.50	1829	+33.6
40	Welch, Ian	1780	AUS	−15N	−26B	=55N	+59B	=66B	+56N	3.0	13.0	14.5	5.75	1693	-10.2
41	Jurac, Anthony	1717	AUS	−66N	−54B	+61N	+72B	−15N	+55B	3.0	11.5	11.5	4.00	1789	+3.2
42	Pan, Jason	1704	AUS	F	+55B	=20N	+11N	−4B	−21N	2.5	17.5	17.5	7.75	1848	+17.0
43	Rajpura, Palash	1482	AUS	=44B	+48N	−9B	−22N	+51B	−49N	2.5	15.0	17.5	6.25	1634	+26.4
44	Robinson, Andrew	1550	AUS	=43N	−25B	+59N	−16B	+64N	−22N	2.5	15.0	16.5	4.75	1655	+11.0
45	Zha, Leyao	1849	AUS	−5N	=47B	F	+56N	=30B	=35N	2.5	15.0	15.0	6.25	1737	-22.4
46	Talpade, Udit	1770	AUS	=32N	=17B	F	−48N	+65B	=36N	2.5	14.0	14.0	6.50	1838	+6.4
47	Harding, Ben	0	AUS	+65B	=45N	F	−12B	−17N	+61B	2.5	14.0	14.0	4.75	1694	0.0
48	Smerdon, Leonard	0	AUS	=55N	−43B	+69N	+46B	−38N	−24B	2.5	13.5	14.5	4.50	1579	0.0
49	Dekic, Biljana NWIM	1943	AUS	F	+15B	−26N	F	=25N	+43B	2.5	12.5	12.5	8.00	1775	-12.8
50	Magner, Jonah	0	AUS	−37N	+69B	−30N	−31B	=63N	+64B	2.5	12.0	13.0	3.25	1565	+23.6
51	Dingley, Justin	1746	AUS	−63N	−65B	+68N	=64B	−43N	+67B	2.5	8.0	9.0	2.75	1456	-44.4
52	Tefanis, Frank	1989	AUS	+18B	−3N	=22B	=36N	−14B	−39N	2.0	19.5	22.5	7.25	1703	-36.2
53	Parker, Trent	1779	AUS	F	−6N	−27B	+67N	+57B	−15B	2.0	17.5	18.5	3.00	1642	-13.2
54	Ryan, Lewis	0	AUS	−35B	+41N	−29B	−34N	+58B	−33N	2.0	15.0	17.0	5.00	1566	0.0
55	Louie, Simon	1609	AUS	=48B	−42N	=40B	−21N	+68B	−41N	2.0	14.5	15.5	3.75	1572	-5.4
56	Kunkel, Veikko	0	AUS	+73N	−11B	−14N	−45B	+67N	−40B	2.0	14.5	14.5	1.00	1452	0.0
57	Gurung, Bibek	0	NEP	−58B	+60N	+34B	−18N	−53N	−37B	2.0	14.0	16.0	5.00	1565	0.0
58	Dorrian, Benjamin	1673	AUS	+57N	−28B	−32N	−15B	−54N	+72B	2.0	14.0	14.0	2.00	1137	-14.4
59	Huang, Aaron	1886	AUS	−16B	−36N	−44B	−40N	+69B	+68N	2.0	13.5	14.5	2.00	1596	-67.6
60	Lade, Ian	1574	AUS	−14N	−57B	+73N	−17B	+72N	−31B	2.0	13.0	13.0	0.00	918	-19.0
61	Abuelyamen, Aymen	0	AUS	−34B	−29N	−41B	+69B	+73N	−47N	2.0	12.5	12.5	1.00	1433	0.0
62	Zhou, Scott	1611	AUS	−36B	+72N	F	−20B	−32N	+63B	2.0	11.0	11.0	1.50	1673	+3.8
63	Patterson, Philip	1638	AUS	+51B	−18N	−24B	−28N	=50B	−62N	1.5	15.5	17.5	3.75	1524	-30.8
64	Ross, Darryl	1555	AUS	−24N	+73B	−33B	=51N	−44B	−50N	1.5	14.0	14.0	1.25	1283	-26.6
65	England, Tom	1467	AUS	−47N	+51N	=35B	−38B	−46N	F	1.5	13.5	13.5	4.00	1655	+16.2
66	Mayer, Frederick	0	AUS	+41B	−38N	F	−19B	=40N	F	1.5	12.5	12.5	4.50	1695	0.0
67	Chiddy, Lance	1421	AUS	+69N	−31B	−37N	−53B	−56B	−51N	1.0	12.5	13.5	1.00	1437	-0.8
68	Tracey, Michael J	1525	AUS	−30N	−33N	−51B	+73B	−55N	−59B	1.0	12.5	12.5	0.00	944	-23.4
69	Inkin, Tatiana	1461	AUS	−67B	−50N	−48B	−61N	−59N	+73B	1.0	10.0	10.0	0.00	785	-44.4
70	Cheok, Oliver	1936	SGP	−?B	+24N	−18B	F	F	F	1.0	7.5	7.5	3.50	1765	-17.6
71	Shrestha, Shyam Sundar	1972	NEP	=17N	−19B	−39N	F	F	F	0.5	10.5	10.5	2.00	1486	-36.0
72	FIDE 8698511	0	—	−39N	−62B	F	−41N	−60B	−58N	0.0	12.0	12.0	0.00	853	0.0
73	Roping, Arlxander	0	AUS	−56B	−64N	−60B	−68N	−61B	−69N	0.0	8.5	9.5	0.00	726	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Harding, JonathonAUS
+77.6
4.0 pts · #24
2Shu, JohnAUS
+71.6
3.0 pts · #21
3Wang, Isaac (Yijun)AUS
+61.2
3.0 pts · #17

Top rating losers

1Huang, AaronAUS
-67.6
2.0 pts · #41
2Dingley, JustinAUS
-44.4
2.5 pts · #28
3Inkin, TatianaAUS
-44.4
1.0 pts · #69

Biggest upsets

R3+336 Elo gap
Robinson, Andrew1550 beat Huang, Aaron1886
R5+331 Elo gap
Harding, Jonathon1658 beat Tefanis, Frank1989
R6+303 Elo gap
Xia, ChengYi1686 beat Tefanis, Frank1989