9th International Chess Open Tournament Vardaris 2026 C

Open SwissStandard

71 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 19 Feb 2026 to 23 Feb 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece. 7 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1561, and top seed was Emma Donina (🇮🇹 ITA, 1591).

Jon Fejzullahu (🇲🇰 MKD, 1574) won with 6.0/7, ahead of Panagiotis Arg Sidiropoulos (5.5) and Ioannis Gkountroumpis (5.5). Fejzullahu won solo starting round 5.

The biggest upset came in round 3: Konstantinos Psomas (1448) beat Emma Donina (1591), a +143-point gap.

Location

🇬🇷Thessaloniki, Greece

Dates

19 Feb 2026 → 23 Feb 2026

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇮🇹Emma Donina1591

Avg top 10

1,561

Participants

Federations · 7 represented

🇬🇷Greece×46

🇨🇾Cyprus×5

🇲🇰North Macedonia×3

🇧🇬Bulgaria×2

🇮🇹Italy×2

FIDE (no federation)×1

🇹🇷Turkiye×1

Top 3

🥇
Jon Fejzullahu
🇲🇰MKD·1574
6.0pts·1817perf+85.6
🥈
Panagiotis Arg Sidiropoulos
🇬🇷GRE·1577
5.5pts·1745perf+58.4
🥉
Ioannis Gkountroumpis
🇬🇷GRE·1558
5.5pts·1729perf+57.6

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Jon Fejzullahu led from R5; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 7 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Fejzullahu6Gkountroumpis5.5Sidiropoulos5.5Di Giorgio5.5Rapti5.5Iliadis5.5

R5–R7 · LEAD HELD

Jon Fejzullahu held the sole lead from R5 through R7 without losing it.

R7 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Jon Fejzullahu drew with Ioannis Gkountroumpis (White).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

Jon Fejzullahu 3 wins (R1–R3)Ioannis Gkountroumpis 3 wins (R1–R3)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Jon Fejzullahu	*	½	—	—
2Ioannis Gkountroumpis	½	*	½	—
3Panagiotis Arg Sidiropoulos	—	½	*	—
4Victor Di Giorgio	—	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Fejzullahu, Jon	1574	MKD	+34B	+14N	+43B	=17N	+12B	+8N	=3B	6.0	27.0	30.0	25.25	1817	+85.6
2	Sidiropoulos, Panagiotis Arg	1577	GRE	+21B	+9N	=12B	=3B	+33N	=13B	+7N	5.5	28.5	32.0	24.75	1745	+58.4
3	Gkountroumpis, Ioannis	1558	GRE	+29B	+26N	+45B	=2N	=17B	+9N	=1N	5.5	28.5	31.5	23.75	1729	+57.6
4	Di Giorgio, Victor	1471	GRE	+5B	=13N	+19B	+20B	−7N	+12N	+14B	5.5	28.0	32.0	24.75	1720	+81.2
5	Iliadis, Iason	0	GRE	−4N	+57B	+22N	+23B	=32N	+18B	+13N	5.5	25.5	28.0	20.75	1536	0.0
6	Rapti, Evangelia	0	GRE	+59B	=19N	+10B	−12N	+52B	+32B	+17N	5.5	23.5	25.5	19.00	1570	0.0
7	Skordilis, Stefanos	1570	GRE	+37N	+22B	=18N	=11B	+4B	+17N	−2B	5.0	28.0	31.5	21.50	1645	+28.4
8	Athanasopoulos, Nikolaos NA	1576	GRE	+25N	+33B	=11N	+18B	=13N	−1B	+31N	5.0	27.5	31.0	20.25	1648	+27.2
9	Nikolovski, Damjan	1497	MKD	+55N	−2B	+39N	+25B	+43N	−3B	+21N	5.0	25.5	28.0	17.00	1567	+18.8
10	Kalyva, Ioanna	1530	GRE	=36N	+70B	−6N	+29B	=15N	+22B	+26N	5.0	25.5	26.5	17.00	1805	+47.2
11	Kleisarchakis, Nikolaos Georgios	1500	GRE	+67N	+56B	=8B	=7N	=14B	=21N	+24B	5.0	25.0	26.5	17.25	1577	+21.6
12	Koutsionas, Athanasios	1527	GRE	+46N	+39B	=2N	+6B	−1N	−4B	+37N	4.5	29.5	32.5	18.25	1421	-21.6
13	Danev, Tsvetan	1543	BUL	+42N	=4B	+44B	+52N	=8B	=2N	−5B	4.5	28.0	30.5	17.00	1652	+26.4
14	Kouvalakis, Andreas	1476	GRE	+68N	−1B	+61N	+44B	=11N	+35B	−4N	4.5	25.0	26.0	12.00	1415	-14.4
15	Kakagiannis, Stylianos	1514	GRE	F	+36B	−20N	+38N	=10B	+23B	+30N	4.5	24.0	24.0	17.50	1627	+30.4
16	Sidiras, Angelos	1531	GRE	=54B	+38N	−52B	−24N	+59B	+34N	+32B	4.5	19.5	21.5	13.75	1531	+15.2
17	Bimpikas, Ioannis	1539	GRE	+57N	+23B	+32N	=1B	=3N	−7B	−6B	4.0	29.5	32.0	15.75	1596	+18.0
18	Chalkias, Nikolaos Al	1498	GRE	+66B	+40N	=7B	−8N	+19B	−5N	=27N	4.0	27.0	28.5	13.50	1550	+24.8
19	Paraskevopoulou, Aikaterini	1525	GRE	+62N	=6B	−4N	+36B	−18N	=37B	+46N	4.0	25.0	27.0	13.00	1176	-50.8
20	Filippoglou, Ioannis	1543	GRE	=38B	+54N	+15B	−4N	=30B	−26N	+45N	4.0	24.5	27.0	13.75	1462	-24.0
21	Melegkos, Konstantinos	1448	GRE	−2N	+67B	+70N	=35B	+28N	=11B	−9B	4.0	24.5	25.5	10.75	1454	+2.8
22	Kolliopoulos, Vasilis	1474	GRE	+65B	−7N	−5B	+51N	+48B	−10N	+54B	4.0	24.0	25.5	10.00	750	-30.4
23	Kourkoutas, Michail	1464	GRE	+48B	−17N	+40B	−5N	+46B	−15N	+47B	4.0	23.5	26.5	12.50	722	-32.0
24	Drougkas, Ioannis	1450	GRE	−28B	=59N	+56N	+16B	=27N	+33B	−11N	4.0	23.5	25.5	13.50	1509	+13.6
25	Psomas, Konstantinos	1448	GRE	−8B	+66N	+28B	−9N	−40B	+53N	+49B	4.0	23.0	24.5	11.00	1542	+21.6
26	Xynidis, Maximos	1474	GRE	+61N	−3B	=64N	=47B	+44N	+20B	−10B	4.0	22.5	24.0	11.25	1415	-8.4
27	Di Giorgio, Nikolaos	1539	GRE	+41B	−43N	+30B	=45N	=24B	=40N	=18B	4.0	22.0	25.0	14.75	1450	-22.8
28	Donina, Emma	1591	ITA	+24N	−32B	−25N	+55B	−21B	+48N	+43N	4.0	21.5	24.0	12.50	1388	-47.6
29	Kakouris, Giorgos	1433	CYP	−3N	=53B	+69N	−10N	+65B	=47B	+50N	4.0	20.5	21.5	8.25	1412	-3.2
30	Belovska, Sofija	1460	MKD	=47N	+71B	−27N	+64B	=20N	+50B	−15B	4.0	20.0	20.0	8.00	1440	-4.0
31	Dimitras, Alkinoos	1484	GRE	−44N	+62B	−46N	+68B	+54N	+43B	−8B	4.0	18.5	19.5	8.50	1518	+4.0
32	Tafaki, Despoina Theocharia	1494	GRE	+60B	+28N	−17B	+34N	=5B	−6N	−16N	3.5	27.0	29.0	12.25	1502	+1.2
33	Arzoumanidis, Maximos	1481	GRE	+53B	−8N	+51B	+46N	−2B	−24N	=38B	3.5	24.0	26.5	10.25	1187	-52.4
34	Alexandrakis, Alexios	1441	GRE	−1N	+55B	+50N	−32B	=47N	−16B	+66N	3.5	22.5	24.0	8.50	1317	-24.8
35	Munar, Joseph	1526	ITA	+51B	−44N	+41B	=21N	+45B	−14N	−40B	3.5	21.5	24.5	11.50	1455	-7.6
36	Farinis, Michail	0	GRE	=10B	−15N	+60B	−19N	−53B	+56N	+52B	3.5	21.0	23.0	9.50	1420	0.0
37	Alepoudeas, Dimitrios	1437	GRE	−7B	=60N	=53N	+61B	+49B	=19N	−12B	3.5	21.0	23.0	9.25	1446	-2.0
38	Oikonomidis, Anastasios Ioannis	1427	GRE	=20N	−16B	+71N	−15B	+64N	=45B	=33N	3.5	21.0	21.0	6.75	1339	-22.4
39	Malamousi, Evanthia	0	GRE	+49B	−12N	−9B	−48N	=55B	+60N	+53B	3.5	20.5	22.5	8.75	1390	0.0
40	Yordanova, Yoana K.	0	BUL	F	−18B	−23N	+?B	+25N	=27B	+35N	3.5	19.5	19.5	9.50	1487	0.0
41	Patellis, Panormitis	0	GRE	−27N	+68B	−35N	+56B	−50N	=58B	+64N	3.5	17.0	18.0	6.25	720	0.0
42	Sgourou, Anna	1432	GRE	−13B	+65N	−49B	=53N	+60B	+52N	F	3.5	16.0	16.0	7.25	1394	-5.2
43	Kougioumtzoglou, Margarita	1459	GRE	+58B	+27B	−1N	+49N	−9B	−31N	−28B	3.0	26.0	28.5	9.50	1401	-18.4
44	Avramidis, Anastasios	0	GRE	+31B	+35B	−13N	−14N	−26B	−49N	+63B	3.0	23.5	25.5	9.50	1378	0.0
45	Malamousi, Georgia	1452	GRE	+64B	+50B	−3N	=27B	−35N	=38N	−20B	3.0	23.5	25.0	8.25	1388	-18.0
46	Kalonomou, Sofia	0	GRE	−12B	+48N	+31B	−33B	−23N	+51N	−19B	3.0	23.0	26.0	10.00	1247	0.0
47	Konnaris, Ploutarchos	0	CYP	=30B	−52N	+57B	=26N	=34B	=29N	−23N	3.0	22.0	24.5	10.25	1328	0.0
48	Kaligkos, Athanasios	0	GRE	−23N	−46B	+67N	+39B	−22N	−28B	+61N	3.0	20.5	22.0	7.00	690	0.0
49	Kouroutzidis, Stylianos	1533	GRE	−39N	+69B	+42N	−43B	−37N	+44B	−25N	3.0	20.5	21.5	7.50	1253	-58.8
50	Kaliskami, Sophia	1529	GRE	+63B	−45N	−34B	+59N	+41B	−30N	−29B	3.0	20.0	22.0	7.50	644	-97.6
51	FIDE 42175348	0	—	−35N	+58B	−33N	−22B	+68N	−46B	+55N	3.0	19.0	20.0	6.00	678	0.0
52	Papageorgiou, Antonios G	1471	GRE	=69N	+47B	+16N	−13B	−6N	−42B	−36N	2.5	24.5	25.5	8.00	1361	-17.6
53	Chatzidimitriou, Evangelia	0	GRE	−33N	=29N	=37B	=42B	+36N	−25B	−39N	2.5	22.0	25.5	9.00	1297	0.0
54	Pola, Alexandra	0	GRE	=16N	−20B	F	+58N	−31B	+61B	−22N	2.5	21.0	21.0	6.75	1167	0.0
55	Atsikipasi, Stefania	0	GRE	−9B	−34N	+63B	−28N	=39N	+?B	−51B	2.5	21.0	21.0	3.75	1293	0.0
56	Staroverov, Arnold	0	CYP	+?B	−11N	−24B	−41N	=66N	−36B	+68N	2.5	18.5	18.5	1.75	1342	0.0
57	FIDE 541009932	0	—	−17B	−5N	−47N	=67B	+71N	+69B	−58N	2.5	17.5	17.5	1.75	731	0.0
58	Koumparoudis, Ioannis	0	GRE	−43N	−51N	F	−54B	+63B	=41N	+57B	2.5	16.5	16.5	6.25	659	0.0
59	Alexandrou, Emilio	0	CYP	−6N	=24B	+?N	−50B	−16N	−64B	=60N	2.0	20.5	20.5	3.00	1388	0.0
60	Avdeev, Fedor Teodor	0	FID	−32N	=37B	−36N	+62B	−42N	−39B	=59B	2.0	19.5	21.5	4.75	1186	0.0
61	FIDE 541023293	0	—	−26B	+63N	−14B	−37N	+62B	−54N	−48B	2.0	19.5	21.5	4.00	665	0.0
62	FIDE 42154154	0	—	−19B	−31N	=65B	−60N	−61N	+71B	=69N	2.0	14.5	14.5	1.25	700	0.0
63	FIDE 541001591	0	—	−50N	−61B	−55N	+71B	−58N	+68B	−44N	2.0	14.0	14.0	1.00	725	0.0
64	FIDE 541012755	0	—	−45N	F	=26B	−30N	−38B	+59N	−41B	1.5	20.0	20.0	4.00	1127	0.0
65	FIDE 541021967	0	—	−22N	−42B	=62N	+69B	−29N	−66B	−67N	1.5	16.5	17.5	2.00	642	0.0
66	FIDE 541004817	0	—	−18N	−25B	−68N	F	=56B	+65N	−34B	1.5	16.5	16.5	2.75	639	0.0
67	Alexandrou, Nicholas	0	CYP	−11B	−21N	−48B	=57N	−?N	F	+65B	1.5	16.0	16.0	2.75	661	0.0
68	FIDE 42193079	0	—	−14B	−41N	+66B	−31N	−51B	−63N	−56B	1.0	19.5	21.0	1.50	680	0.0
69	FIDE 336112424	0	—	=52B	−49N	−29B	−65N	F	−57N	=62B	1.0	15.5	15.5	2.25	1206	0.0
70	Yar, Elif Doga	0	TUR	+?B	−10N	−21B	F	F	F	F	1.0	9.0	9.0	0.00	686	0.0
71	FIDE 5913500	0	—	F	−30N	−38B	−63N	−57B	−62N	F	0.0	14.0	14.0	0.00	639	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Fejzullahu, JonMKD
+85.6
6.0 pts · #1
2Di Giorgio, VictorGRE
+81.2
5.5 pts · #6
3Sidiropoulos, Panagiotis ArgGRE
+58.4
5.5 pts · #3

Top rating losers

1Kaliskami, SophiaGRE
-97.6
3.0 pts · #56
2Kouroutzidis, StylianosGRE
-58.8
3.0 pts · #48
3Arzoumanidis, MaximosGRE
-52.4
3.5 pts · #50

Biggest upsets

R3+143 Elo gap
Psomas, Konstantinos1448 beat Donina, Emma1591
R5+143 Elo gap
Melegkos, Konstantinos1448 beat Donina, Emma1591