NMBCU Trials 1 2026 (U14)

Open SwissStandard

21 players participated in this 5-round tournament, held from 20 Feb 2026 to 21 Feb 2026 in Gqeberha, South Africa. Top 10 Elo average was 1207, and top seed was Samuel DRISCOLL (🇿🇦 RSA, 1670).

Samuel DRISCOLL (🇿🇦 RSA, 1670) won with 4.5/5, ahead of Matthew Koutsouvelis (4.0) and Nathan Van Huyssteen (4.0). DRISCOLL shared the lead from round 4 and broke clear in the final round.

Location

🇿🇦Gqeberha, South Africa

Dates

20 Feb 2026 → 21 Feb 2026

Time control

Standard: 60 minutes for game

System

Swiss · 5 rounds

Top seed

🇿🇦Samuel DRISCOLL1670

Avg top 10

1,207

Participants

Federations · 1 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×14

Top 3

🥇
Samuel DRISCOLL
🇿🇦RSA·1670
4.5pts·2299perf+33.2
🥈
Matthew Koutsouvelis
🇿🇦RSA
4.0pts·1520perf0.0
🥉
Nathan Van Huyssteen
🇿🇦RSA
4.0pts·1503perf0.0

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 5 rounds

Samuel DRISCOLL 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

DRISCOLL4.5Koutsouvelis4Van Huyssteen4CHIPUNZA3.5Bownes3.5Sana3.5— ex-leaders:Koutsouvelisled R3, #7

R5 · LEADER CHANGE21 Feb

Samuel DRISCOLL takes the sole lead (4.5/5).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Samuel DRISCOLL 4 wins (R2–R5)Matthew Koutsouvelis 3 wins (R1–R3)Nathan Van Huyssteen 4 wins (R2–R5)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Samuel DRISCOLL	*	—	—	1
2Matthew Koutsouvelis	—	*	—	0
3Nathan Van Huyssteen	—	—	*	—
4Jaden CHIPUNZA	0	1	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	DRISCOLL, Samuel	1670	RSA	=4B	+8N	+7B	+10N	+5B	4.5	13.0	15.5	13.75	2299	+33.2
2	Koutsouvelis, Matthew	0	RSA	+17B	+11N	+?B	−5N	+4B	4.0	11.5	11.5	8.00	1520	0.0
3	Van Huyssteen, Nathan	0	RSA	−9N	+20B	+21N	+12B	+13N	4.0	7.5	7.5	5.00	1503	0.0
4	Bownes, Fabian	0	RSA	=1N	+13B	+9N	+16B	−2N	3.5	13.5	15.5	9.25	1577	0.0
5	CHIPUNZA, Jaden	1547	RSA	+15N	=12B	+14N	+2B	−1N	3.5	13.0	15.0	9.25	1544	-0.8
6	Sana, Enzokuhle	0	RSA	−?N	+15B	=11B	+17N	+10B	3.5	9.0	9.0	7.75	1493	0.0
7	Swartz, Jane	1474	RSA	+20N	=9B	−1N	=14B	+15N	3.0	11.0	11.0	4.25	1381	-9.6
8	NELL, Chelsea Jane	1476	RSA	−13N	−1B	+18N	+21B	+14N	3.0	10.0	10.0	3.00	1574	+10.0
9	Mabutho, Simingayo	0	RSA	+3B	=7N	−4B	+11N	−?B	2.5	13.0	13.0	8.00	1504	0.0
10	Bambalaza, Sakhuvuyo Ed	0	RSA	+18N	=14B	+12N	−1B	−6N	2.5	12.5	13.5	4.50	1544	0.0
11	Murray, Chloe	1495	RSA	+19N	−2B	=6N	−9B	+16N	2.5	12.0	13.0	4.75	2243	+17.2
12	Arbi, Imaan	1484	RSA	+16B	=5N	−10B	−3N	+20B	2.5	12.0	12.0	3.75	1688	+21.2
13	FIDE 14369974	0	—	+8B	−4N	+?B	=?N	−3B	2.5	10.5	10.5	3.00	1495	0.0
14	Sonti, Khwezi	1479	RSA	+21B	=10N	−5B	=7N	−8B	2.0	12.0	12.0	2.75	1226	-36.4
15	FIDE 14360837	0	—	−5B	−6N	+19B	+20N	−7B	2.0	11.0	11.0	1.00	711	0.0
16	Du Toit, Hayden	1443	RSA	−12N	+18B	+17B	−4N	−11B	2.0	10.5	11.5	3.00	688	-34.8
17	FIDE 14389797	0	—	−2N	+19B	−16N	−6B	+21N	2.0	10.5	10.5	1.00	643	0.0
18	FIDE 534019510	0	—	−10B	−16N	−8B	+?N	F	1.0	7.5	7.5	0.00	659	0.0
19	FIDE 534014268	0	—	−11B	−17N	−15N	F	+?B	1.0	6.5	6.5	0.00	693	0.0
20	FIDE 534043055	0	—	−7B	−3N	F	−15B	−12N	0.0	11.5	11.5	0.00	679	0.0
21	FIDE 534043063	0	—	−14N	F	−3B	−8N	−17B	0.0	11.0	11.0	0.00	677	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1DRISCOLL, SamuelRSA
+33.2
4.5 pts · #1
2Arbi, ImaanRSA
+21.2
2.5 pts · #3
3Murray, ChloeRSA
+17.2
2.5 pts · #10

Top rating losers

1Sonti, KhweziRSA
-36.4
2.0 pts · #13
2Du Toit, HaydenRSA
-34.8
2.0 pts · #16
3Swartz, JaneRSA
-9.6
3.0 pts · #14