FIDE In The West 2026 (Open)

Open SwissStandard

31 players participated in this 5-round tournament, held on 11 Apr 2026 in Randfontein, South Africa. Top 10 Elo average was 1713, and top seed was Gomolemo Molobi (🇿🇦 RSA, 1841).

Lethabo Makatwane (🇿🇦 RSA, 1766) won with 4.5/5, ahead of Mzwandile Landitho (4.0) and Sello T. Khomane (4.0). Makatwane broke clear in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 2: Kagisho Choeu (1571) beat Ethen Frederik Marx (1699), a +128-point gap.

Location

🇿🇦Randfontein, South Africa

Dates

11 Apr 2026

Time control

Standard: 50 minutes with 10 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 5 rounds

Avg top 10

1,713

Participants

Federations · 1 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×29

Top 3

🥇
Lethabo Makatwane
🇿🇦RSA·1766
4.5pts·2468perf+22.0
🥈
Mzwandile Landitho
🇿🇦RSA·1774
4.0pts·1794perf+1.6
🥉
Sello T. Khomane
🇿🇦RSA
4.0pts·1623perf0.0

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 5 rounds

Lethabo Makatwane led from R5; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Makatwane4.5Khomane4Landitho4Nhlapo3.5Rampuru3.5Rasakanya3

R5–R5 · LEAD HELD

Lethabo Makatwane held the sole lead from R5 through R5 without losing it.

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

Lethabo Makatwane 3 wins (R1–R3)Sello T. Khomane 4 wins (R2–R5)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Lethabo Makatwane	*	—	1	—
2Sello T. Khomane	—	*	—	—
3Mzwandile Landitho	0	—	*	—
4Xolani Nhlapo	—	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Makatwane, Lethabo	1766	RSA	+23B	+6N	+2B	=?N	+4B	4.5	12.5	12.5	12.50	2468	+22.0
2	Landitho, Mzwandile	1774	RSA	+10N	+18B	−1N	+11B	+?B	4.0	12.0	12.0	7.50	1794	+1.6
3	Khomane, Sello T.	0	RSA	−21B	+29N	+15B	+14N	+7B	4.0	10.0	11.0	9.00	1623	0.0
4	Rampuru, Kgalalelo	1637	RSA	+30N	+13B	+12N	=?B	−1N	3.5	9.5	9.5	5.00	1892	+54.0
5	Nhlapo, Xolani	1686	RSA	+24B	−?N	=19B	+21B	+10N	3.5	8.5	8.5	7.25	1909	+18.0
6	Marimuthu, Shaylen	1593	RSA	+25N	−1B	−10N	+22B	+21N	3.0	11.0	12.5	5.50	1675	+22.0
7	Rasakanya, Maabu Ephraim	1576	RSA	+17B	−?N	+22N	+16B	−3N	3.0	11.0	11.0	7.00	2408	+67.2
8	Schutte, Rico	1709	RSA	=11N	+?B	=21N	=10B	=12N	3.0	9.5	9.5	4.75	1623	-9.0
9	Wedzerai, Nomatter	0	RSA	−?B	+24N	+13N	+12B	−?N	3.0	6.5	6.5	6.50	1765	0.0
10	Mahuma, Tshegofatso	1667	RSA	−2B	+28N	+6B	=8N	−5B	2.5	13.5	14.5	5.50	1604	-14.4
11	Maseko, Unathi	1570	RSA	=8B	=17N	+27B	−2N	=14B	2.5	12.0	13.5	5.50	1663	+23.2
12	Mittermaier, Gunther	1733	RSA	+15B	+27N	−4B	−9N	=8B	2.5	12.0	13.5	5.50	1727	-4.4
13	Matsitse, Sabatha	1758	RSA	+19B	−4N	−9B	=15N	+25B	2.5	11.5	13.0	5.25	1655	-20.4
14	Njoko, Sibusiso	1643	RSA	−16B	+26N	+18N	−3B	=11N	2.5	11.5	13.0	5.25	1444	-20.4
15	Choeu, Kagisho	1571	RSA	−12N	+31B	−3N	=13B	+24N	2.5	10.5	10.5	2.75	1797	+47.6
16	Msebenzi, Vusumzi	1696	RSA	+14N	+22B	−?B	−7N	=17B	2.5	10.0	10.0	5.75	1679	-4.4
17	Fritz, Wayde	1577	RSA	−7N	=11B	=25N	+28B	=16N	2.5	9.5	10.5	4.25	1504	-17.2
18	Lokwe, Simthandile	0	RSA	+28B	−2N	−14B	=26N	+27B	2.5	9.5	10.5	3.25	1551	0.0
19	Mutsambwa, Trevor	1508	RSA	−13N	+30B	=5N	+20B	−?N	2.5	8.5	8.5	4.25	1737	+47.6
20	Rishworth, Justin James	1599	RSA	+29B	=21N	−?B	−19N	+26B	2.5	7.0	7.0	3.50	1514	-6.8
21	Badenhorst, Junaid	1505	RSA	+3N	=20B	=8B	−5N	−6B	2.0	13.5	16.0	6.75	1454	-10.0
22	Ngubeni, Jackie M.	1552	RSA	+26B	−16N	−7B	−6N	+29B	2.0	10.0	11.0	2.50	1404	-15.2
23	Thokane, Tshepo	0	RSA	−1N	−25B	−?N	+31B	+28N	2.0	7.0	7.0	1.00	1536	0.0
24	Venter, Christiaan	1613	RSA	−5N	−9B	+30N	=27N	−15B	1.5	10.5	10.5	0.75	1512	-23.2
25	Lekoma, Amogelang	1537	RSA	−6B	+23N	=17B	−?B	−13N	1.5	10.0	10.0	3.25	1370	-21.6
26	FIDE 534042644	0	—	−22N	−14B	+31N	=18B	−20N	1.5	9.5	9.5	1.25	1428	0.0
27	Mtimkulu, Lerato	1612	RSA	+31N	−12B	−11N	=24B	−18N	1.5	9.0	9.0	0.75	1570	-10.4
28	FIDE 14315599	0	—	−18N	−10B	+29B	−17N	−23B	1.0	9.5	10.5	1.00	1466	0.0
29	Chemane, Sean Cheslin	1535	RSA	−20N	−3B	−28N	+30B	−22N	1.0	9.5	9.5	0.00	1434	-15.6
30	Luchies, Maria	1528	RSA	−4B	−19N	−24B	−29N	F	0.0	8.5	8.5	0.00	772	-70.0
31	Marx, Ethen Frederik	1699	RSA	−27B	−15N	−26B	−23N	F	0.0	7.5	7.5	0.00	791	-50.8

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Rasakanya, Maabu EphraimRSA
+67.2
3.0 pts · #3
2Rampuru, KgalaleloRSA
+54.0
3.5 pts · #4
3Choeu, KagishoRSA
+47.6
2.5 pts · #8

Top rating losers

1Luchies, MariaRSA
-70.0
0.0 pts · #31
2Marx, Ethen FrederikRSA
-50.8
0.0 pts · #30
3Venter, ChristiaanRSA
-23.2
1.5 pts · #19

Biggest upsets

R2+128 Elo gap
Choeu, Kagisho1571 beat Marx, Ethen Frederik1699
R2+121 Elo gap
Rampuru, Kgalalelo1637 beat Matsitse, Sabatha1758
R4+120 Elo gap
Rasakanya, Maabu Ephraim1576 beat Msebenzi, Vusumzi1696