2026 South African Closed Chess Championships (Open)
12 players participated in this 11-round tournament, held from 21 Feb 2026 to 01 Mar 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa. 10 titled players. Top 10 Elo average was 2238, and top seed was Jan Karsten (🇿🇦 RSA, IM, 2385).
Jan Karsten (🇿🇦 RSA, IM, 2385) won with 8.0/11, ahead of Caleb Levi Levitan (7.5) and Banele Mhango (6.5). Karsten won solo starting round 5.
The biggest upset came in round 9: James Dinham (2108) beat Daniel Cawdery (IM, 2337), a +229-point gap.
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How it unfolded
Top 12 · 11 roundsIM Jan Karsten led from R5 onwards, the runner-up race stayed tight. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.
IM Jan Karsten held the sole lead from R5 through R11 without losing it.
IM Jan Karsten lost to IM Caleb Levi Levitan (Black).
IM Jan Karsten 3 wins (R7–R9)IM Caleb Levi Levitan 3 wins (R9–R11)
Cross-table
| # | Player | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pts | SB | Bh | Δ Elo | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇿🇦IMKarsten, Jan | 2385 | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 39.75 | 58.0 | -3.0 | 2371 |
| 2 | 🇿🇦IMLevitan, Caleb Levi | 2192 | 1 | * | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 | 38.00 | 58.5 | +45.8 | 2346 |
| 3 | 🇿🇦FMMhango, Banele | 2228 | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6.5 | 33.75 | 59.5 | +15.4 | 2275 |
| 4 | 🇿🇦Mnyasta, Charlton | 2158 | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 6.5 | 33.00 | 59.5 | +37.0 | 2281 |
| 5 | 🇿🇦Dinham, James | 2108 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.5 | 31.75 | 59.5 | +57.8 | 2287 |
| 6 | 🇿🇦FMVan Zyl-Rudd, Jack | 2229 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5.5 | 29.25 | 60.5 | -6.0 | 2210 |
| 7 | 🇿🇦IMCawdery, Daniel | 2337 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5.0 | 26.25 | 61.0 | -24.7 | 2164 |
| 10 | 🇿🇦IMSimpson, Michael | 2166 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 4.5 | 25.00 | 61.5 | -5.4 | 2151 |
| 11 | 🇿🇦FMLevitan, Judah Nathan | 2205 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 23.75 | 61.5 | -18.0 | 2147 |
| 9 | 🇿🇦FMKlaasen, Calvin John | 2190 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 1 | 4.5 | 22.25 | 61.5 | -13.0 | 2148 |
| 8 | 🇿🇦FMBarrish, Daniel | 2290 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 1 | 4.5 | 22.00 | 61.5 | -45.0 | 2139 |
| 12 | 🇿🇦CMMazibuko, Khanya | 2058 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | * | 2.5 | 11.75 | 63.5 | -16.2 | 2013 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
- 1Dinham, JamesRSA+57.86.5 pts · #5
- 2Levitan, Caleb LeviIMRSA+45.87.5 pts · #2
- 3Mnyasta, CharltonRSA+37.06.5 pts · #4
- 1Barrish, DanielFMRSA-45.04.5 pts · #8
- 2Cawdery, DanielIMRSA-24.75.0 pts · #7
- 3Levitan, Judah NathanFMRSA-18.04.5 pts · #11
- R9+229 Elo gap
- R11+193 Elo gap
- R1+182 Elo gap