Wellington Chess Open 2026

Open SwissStandard

76 players participated in this 6-round tournament, held from 03 Apr 2026 to 06 Apr 2026 in Wellington, New Zealand. 11 titled players from 6 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2092, and top seed was Ilias Angelo (Leo) Baker (🇳🇿 NZL, CM, 2185).

William Rui Liu (🇳🇿 NZL, CM, 2116) won with 5.5/6, ahead of Nicolas Croad (5.0) and Cohen Young (5.0). Liu shared the lead from round 5 and broke clear in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 4: FIDE 4334493 (1000) beat Stanley Fitton (1733), a +733-point gap.

Location

🇳🇿Wellington, New Zealand

Dates

03 Apr 2026 → 06 Apr 2026

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 6 rounds

Top seed

🇳🇿CMIlias Angelo (Leo) Baker2185

Avg top 10

2,092

Participants

Titled players · 11

IM×1

FM×1

CM×8

WCM×1

Federations · 6 represented

🇳🇿New Zealand×66

🇮🇳India×1

🇷🇺Russia×1

🇱🇰Sri Lanka×1

🇲🇹Malta×1

🇵🇭Philippines×1

Top 3

🥇
CMWilliam Rui Liu
🇳🇿NZL·2116
5.5pts·2337perf+43.2
🥈
FMNicolas Croad
🇳🇿NZL·2161
5.0pts·2207perf+7.0
🥉
CMCohen Young
🇳🇿NZL·2051
5.0pts·2165perf+17.6

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 6 rounds

CM William Rui Liu led from R6; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.

Co-leaders

Liu5.5Young5Croad5Wang4.5Lawrence4.5Park-Tamati4.5— ex-leaders:Kerled R4, #10

R6 · LEADER CHANGE06 Apr

CM William Rui Liu takes the sole lead (5.5/6).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

CM William Rui Liu 3 wins (R4–R6)CM Cohen Young 4 wins (R3–R6)FM Nicolas Croad 3 wins (R1–R3)

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Liu, William RuiCM	2116	NZL	+28N	+5B	=17N	+4B	+18N	+6B	5.5	20.5	24.0	22.25	2337	+43.2
2	Croad, NicolasFM	2161	NZL	+24B	+8N	+11B	−10N	+17B	+12N	5.0	20.0	23.5	19.50	2207	+7.0
3	Young, CohenCM	2051	NZL	+35B	−4N	+27B	+31N	+11B	+10N	5.0	19.0	22.0	17.50	2165	+17.6
4	Park-Tamati, Philli	1915	NZL	+55N	+3B	+13B	−1N	=14B	+19N	4.5	22.0	24.0	16.50	2140	+35.4
5	Cilia Vincenti, DavidCM	1944	MLT	+15B	−1N	=19B	+29N	+23B	+34N	4.5	20.0	23.0	15.75	1984	+6.6
6	Lawrence, Hugo	0	NZL	+30B	+25N	=31B	+34N	+10B	−1N	4.5	19.5	22.5	15.50	1942	0.0
7	Keith, Matthew	1964	NZL	−19B	+40N	+15B	+58N	+13B	=14N	4.5	18.5	20.5	15.00	1996	+15.6
8	Cordue, Patrick	1940	NZL	+32N	−2B	=23N	+53B	+62N	+45B	4.5	17.0	19.0	12.25	1786	0.0
9	Wang, Justin ZhideCM	2080	NZL	=12B	−31N	+68B	+50N	+20N	+22B	4.5	16.5	18.0	13.00	1950	-26.0
10	Ker, Anthony FIM	2175	NZL	+26N	+33B	+21N	+2B	−6N	−3B	4.0	21.5	24.5	15.00	2259	+5.1
11	Wilson, Dion A	2016	NZL	+38N	+20B	−2N	+56B	−3N	+32B	4.0	19.5	21.5	11.50	1934	-13.6
12	Sethuramalingam, Karthik	1808	NZL	=9N	+46B	+48N	=17B	+21N	−2B	4.0	19.0	21.5	12.50	2073	+82.0
13	Van Der Hoorn, ThomasCM	2054	NZL	+41N	+22B	−4N	+55B	−7N	+26B	4.0	19.0	21.0	12.00	1981	-9.2
14	Tang, HaoCM	2049	NZL	−20N	+57B	+38N	+39B	=4N	=7B	4.0	18.5	20.5	12.50	1870	-18.8
15	Winsley, Daniel	1704	NZL	−5N	+49B	−7N	+54B	+56N	+33B	4.0	17.0	19.0	10.00	1874	+16.4
16	Xu, Luna YuexiuWCM	1903	NZL	−18N	+47B	−32N	+43B	+57B	+55N	4.0	14.0	16.0	9.50	1844	-13.2
17	Loke, Kayden	1994	NZL	+70N	+18B	=1B	=12N	−2N	=20B	3.5	21.5	23.0	11.50	2021	+12.4
18	Baker, Ilias Angelo (Leo)CM	2185	NZL	+16B	−17N	+41B	+32N	−1B	=27N	3.5	19.5	22.5	11.75	1954	-28.6
19	OBrien, Finn	1721	NZL	+7N	−21B	=5N	+59B	+46N	−4B	3.5	19.5	21.5	11.25	1950	+70.4
20	Santos, Aristotle	1784	NZL	+14B	−11N	+64B	+37N	−9B	=17N	3.5	19.0	21.0	10.75	2017	+58.0
21	Rains, EdwardCM	2032	NZL	+27B	+19N	−10B	+57N	−12B	=25N	3.5	18.5	20.5	10.75	1870	-20.4
22	Cummings, Nick	1912	NZL	+40B	−13N	+29B	=36N	+44B	−9N	3.5	18.0	21.0	11.00	1792	-12.8
23	Hurndell, Robert	1705	NZL	+64B	−34N	=8B	+24N	−5N	+48B	3.5	18.0	20.0	10.25	1902	+25.8
24	Benitez, Edgar	1841	NZL	−2N	+36B	=44N	−23B	+51N	+42B	3.5	17.5	20.0	10.00	1666	-19.2
25	Familton, Gregory	1736	NZL	−33N	−6B	+51N	+49B	+39N	=21B	3.5	16.5	19.0	9.75	1875	+9.8
26	Tanoi, Toleafoa Edward	1857	NZL	−10B	+50N	+60B	=44N	+36B	−13N	3.5	16.5	18.5	9.00	1798	-7.2
27	Shannon, Toby	1760	NZL	−21N	+65B	−3N	+67B	+58N	=18B	3.5	16.0	18.0	7.75	1859	+29.2
28	Chen, Wei Kai	1819	NZL	−1B	−56N	+49N	+65B	=30B	+62N	3.5	15.5	17.5	8.25	1687	-16.8
29	FIDE 4332717	0	—	=51N	+52B	−22N	−5B	+59N	+46B	3.5	15.5	17.5	8.25	1840	0.0
30	Moshakova, Elena	1647	RUS	−6N	+54B	−55N	+75B	=28N	+52B	3.5	15.0	15.0	6.75	1560	-4.2
31	Tan, Jin	1688	NZL	=46N	+9B	=6N	−3B	−42N	+56B	3.0	19.5	21.5	10.00	2010	+59.6
32	Abbott, Isaac	1699	NZL	−8B	+37N	+16B	−18B	+61N	−11N	3.0	19.0	21.0	9.00	1866	+29.6
33	Chang, Luke	1994	NZL	+25B	−10N	−35B	+69N	+40B	−15N	3.0	17.5	19.0	8.00	1747	-61.6
34	Nyberg, Michael	1930	NZL	F	+23B	+56N	−6B	+48N	−5B	3.0	17.0	17.0	8.00	1885	-1.4
35	McIntosh, Andrew D	1798	NZL	−3N	+59B	+33N	=48B	−45N	=36B	3.0	16.5	18.5	7.75	1806	+4.8
36	Guo, Anne Xuduo	1575	NZL	+66B	−24N	+75B	=22B	−26N	=35N	3.0	15.5	15.5	5.25	1659	+12.8
37	Mangera, Muhammad	0	NZL	+39N	−32B	+47N	−20B	−41N	+58B	3.0	15.0	17.0	7.50	1684	0.0
38	Robinson, John	0	NZL	−11B	+43N	−14B	−61N	+60B	+65N	3.0	15.0	17.0	7.00	1563	0.0
39	Bakiyaraj, Nenian	1600	NZL	−37B	+71N	+42B	−14N	−25B	+73N	3.0	15.0	16.0	5.50	1068	-16.0
40	Brockway, Andrew	1682	NZL	−22N	−7B	+70N	+74B	−33N	+61B	3.0	14.5	15.0	4.00	1738	+5.2
41	OBrien, Jarrod	1799	NZL	−13B	+68N	−18N	F	+37B	+53B	3.0	14.5	14.5	7.00	1856	+7.6
42	He, Zachary	0	NZL	−47N	+73B	−39N	+63B	+31B	−24N	3.0	14.0	15.0	6.00	1601	0.0
43	Shannon, Ian	0	NZL	+72N	−38B	−46N	−16N	+71B	+57B	3.0	13.0	14.5	5.00	1715	0.0
44	Nazeer, Afique M	1568	SRI	+76N	F	=24B	=26B	−22N	+47B	3.0	13.0	13.0	6.00	1805	+22.2
45	Kusay, Plaso	0	NZL	−57N	+76B	+63N	F	+35B	−8N	3.0	11.5	11.5	5.00	1721	0.0
46	Reedy, Brendan	1940	NZL	=31B	−12N	+43B	+60N	−19B	−29N	2.5	17.0	19.0	6.50	1465	-35.4
47	Patdu, Ariel	1611	PHI	+42B	−16N	−37B	=66N	+69B	−44N	2.5	15.0	16.5	5.50	936	-28.4
48	Miriyala, Sreenikesh	1482	NZL	+73N	+70B	−12B	=35N	−34B	−23N	2.5	15.0	16.0	4.00	1636	+29.6
49	Gavini, Shashank	0	NZL	+58B	−15N	−28B	−25N	=74N	+69B	2.5	14.5	15.0	3.75	1524	0.0
50	Ashe, Michael	1614	NZL	+61N	−26B	=59N	−9B	−52N	+74B	2.5	14.5	15.0	3.50	1633	-1.4
51	Ravi, Vrajesh	0	NZL	=29B	−60N	−25B	+76N	−24B	+72N	2.5	14.0	14.0	3.25	989	0.0
52	Patterson, James	0	NZL	=62B	−29N	−61B	+71N	+50B	−30N	2.5	13.5	15.0	5.00	1482	0.0
53	Ulm, Eric	1598	NZL	=60B	=62N	=69B	−8N	+66B	−41N	2.5	13.5	15.0	4.75	1493	-10.4
54	Hao, John	0	NZL	−56B	−30N	+76B	−15N	=63N	+68B	2.5	13.0	13.0	2.50	1483	0.0
55	Harris, Adam	1687	NZL	−4B	+75N	+30B	−13N	F	−16B	2.0	18.0	18.0	3.50	1686	-3.6
56	Yang, Edison J	1591	NZL	+54N	+28B	−34B	−11N	−15B	−31N	2.0	17.5	20.0	6.00	1586	-2.6
57	Annamalai, Karthikeyan	1678	NZL	+45B	−14N	+67B	−21B	−16N	−43N	2.0	17.5	19.5	5.00	1665	-8.8
58	Sussex, Taylor	1611	NZL	−49N	+66B	+65N	−7B	−27B	−37N	2.0	15.5	17.5	4.00	1621	-0.8
59	Aadhav Dhamodharan	1562	IND	+69B	−35N	=50B	−19N	−29B	=66N	2.0	14.5	16.0	3.75	1438	-16.8
60	Xu, Jingwei	0	NZL	=53N	+51B	−26N	−46B	−38N	=63B	2.0	14.0	16.0	4.75	1561	0.0
61	Xu, Vera Jintian	1444	NZL	−50B	−69N	+52N	+38B	−32B	−40N	2.0	14.0	15.5	5.50	866	-26.8
62	Khanolkar, Amrish	1572	NZL	=52N	=53B	+74N	F	−8B	−28B	2.0	13.5	13.5	3.00	1512	-6.4
63	Le, Long Minh	1627	NZL	+67B	−64N	−45B	−42N	=54B	=60N	2.0	12.5	14.5	4.25	1698	+5.2
64	Winsley, Nicholas	1948	NZL	−23N	+63B	−20N	+68B	F	F	2.0	12.5	12.5	3.50	1677	-25.6
65	Khanolkar, Aarush	1514	NZL	+74B	−27N	−58B	−28N	+75N	−38B	2.0	12.5	12.5	0.50	930	-28.0
66	Cao, Sam	0	NZL	−36N	−58N	+72B	=47B	−53N	=59B	2.0	12.0	13.5	3.75	1350	0.0
67	Panth, Kishore	1446	NZL	−63N	+72B	−57N	−27N	−73B	+75B	2.0	10.0	10.0	1.50	888	-24.4
68	Konduri, Rishi	1571	NZL	+71B	−41B	−9N	−64N	=72B	−54N	1.5	13.5	15.0	2.25	1114	-17.2
69	Karena, Tom	1000	NZL	−59N	+61B	=53N	−33B	−47N	−49N	1.5	12.5	14.5	3.25	1491	0.0
70	Fitton, Stanley	1733	NZL	−17B	−48N	−40B	−72N	+76B	=71N	1.5	12.0	12.0	0.75	921	-62.4
71	He, Jacob	0	NZL	−68N	−39B	+73N	−52B	−43N	=70B	1.5	11.5	12.5	1.75	1370	0.0
72	FIDE 4334493	1000	—	−43B	−67N	−66N	+70B	=68N	−51B	1.5	11.0	12.5	2.25	1592	0.0
73	FIDE 4332679	0	—	−48B	−42N	−71B	F	+67N	−39B	1.0	12.0	12.0	2.00	1386	0.0
74	FIDE 4331010	0	—	−65N	F	−62B	−40N	=49B	−50N	0.5	12.0	12.0	1.25	796	0.0
75	FIDE 4334477	1000	—	F	−55B	−36N	−30N	−65B	−67N	0.0	12.5	12.5	0.00	774	0.0
76	Sethuramalingam, Niranjana	0	NZL	−44B	−45N	−54N	−51B	−70N	F	0.0	12.5	12.5	0.00	851	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Sethuramalingam, KarthikNZL
+82.0
4.0 pts · #8
2OBrien, FinnNZL
+70.4
3.5 pts · #16
3Tan, JinNZL
+59.6
3.0 pts · #28

Top rating losers

1Fitton, StanleyNZL
-62.4
1.5 pts · #67
2Chang, LukeNZL
-61.6
3.0 pts · #34
3Reedy, BrendanNZL
-35.4
2.5 pts · #60

Biggest upsets

R4+733 Elo gap
1000 beat Fitton, Stanley1733
R2+444 Elo gap
Karena, Tom1000 beat Xu, Vera Jintian1444
R2+392 Elo gap
Tan, Jin1688 beat CMWang, Justin Zhide2080