2026 South African Junior Closed (U12 Boys)

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66 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 28 Mar 2026 to 02 Apr 2026 in Rustenburg, South Africa. 2 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1585, and top seed was Callan Manning (🇿🇦 RSA, 1727).

Mason Jesse Stern (🇿🇦 RSA, 1557) won with 7.5/9, ahead of Oliver Resnekov (7.0) and Joshua Nel (7.0). Stern shared the lead from round 7 and broke clear in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 5: Oliver Resnekov (1479) beat Callan Manning (1727), a +248-point gap.

Location

🇿🇦Rustenburg, South Africa

Dates

28 Mar 2026 → 02 Apr 2026

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇿🇦Callan Manning1727

Avg top 10

1,585

Participants

Federations · 2 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×39

FIDE (no federation)×1

Top 3

🥇
Mason Jesse Stern
🇿🇦RSA·1557
7.5pts·1782perf+94.4
🥈
Oliver Resnekov
🇿🇦RSA·1479
7.0pts·1692perf+80.0
🥉
Joshua Nel
🇿🇦RSA·1596
7.0pts·1683perf+33.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Mason Jesse Stern led from R9; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R9.

Co-leaders

Stern7.5Nel7Resnekov7Brits7Manning7Thorulsley6.5

R9 · LEADER CHANGE02 Apr

Mason Jesse Stern takes the sole lead (7.5/9).

R7 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Mason Jesse Stern beat Joshua Nel (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Mason Jesse Stern 4 wins (R4–R7)Joshua Nel 6 wins (R1–R6)Oliver Resnekov 3 wins (R1–R3)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Mason Jesse Stern	*	1	½	—
2Joshua Nel	0	*	½	—
3Oliver Resnekov	½	½	*	—
4Etienne Brits	—	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Stern, Mason Jesse	1557	RSA	+16N	=21B	=7N	+24B	+33N	+13B	+3N	=2B	+9N	7.5	47.5	52.0	42.75	1782	+94.4
2	Resnekov, Oliver	1479	RSA	+36B	+53N	+8B	=6N	+4B	=10N	+12B	=1N	=3B	7.0	50.0	53.5	40.00	1692	+80.0
3	Nel, Joshua	1596	RSA	+57B	+42N	+40B	+4N	+6B	+12N	−1B	=8B	=2N	7.0	47.5	50.5	36.50	1683	+33.2
4	Manning, Callan	1727	RSA	+37N	+47B	+5N	−3B	−2N	+35B	+18N	+12B	+8N	7.0	47.0	51.0	37.00	1573	-36.0
5	Brits, Etienne	1577	RSA	+44B	+38N	−4B	+56N	+40B	−8N	+41B	+6N	+13B	7.0	41.5	44.5	31.50	1678	+32.0
6	Thorulsley, Kairaav	1552	RSA	+26N	+24B	+22N	=2B	−3N	+21B	+7N	−5B	+14N	6.5	48.0	53.0	35.50	1670	+50.4
7	Soojay, Josiah	1501	RSA	+54B	=14N	=1B	+43N	+32B	+15N	−6B	=13N	+19N	6.5	44.5	48.0	32.25	1591	+31.2
8	Stelloh, Sebastian	1440	RSA	+46N	+18B	−2N	+35B	=16N	+5B	+10B	=3N	−4B	6.0	49.5	53.5	33.25	1567	+38.8
9	Stander, Cael Lelethu	1528	RSA	−32B	+44N	+37B	−27N	+42B	+26N	+14B	+23N	−1B	6.0	41.0	45.0	28.00	1469	-14.4
10	Van Der Merwe, Schalk Wolf	1454	RSA	+56B	−22N	+42B	+18N	+41B	=2B	−8N	=17N	+40B	6.0	41.0	44.0	26.75	1575	+40.4
11	FIDE 534001980	0	—	−53B	+50N	+26B	−40N	−17B	+38N	+36B	+27N	+23B	6.0	37.5	41.0	28.00	1574	0.0
12	Ellender, Asher	1412	RSA	+62B	+28N	+25B	+14N	+15B	−3B	−2N	−4N	=18B	5.5	47.5	49.5	25.75	1541	0.0
13	Goncalves, Emilio	1498	RSA	+17B	+41N	+32B	−15N	+27B	−1N	+40N	=7B	−5N	5.5	45.5	49.5	26.25	1540	+16.8
14	Pretorius, Sarel	1516	RSA	+48N	=7B	+39N	−12B	+34N	+16B	−9N	+21B	−6B	5.5	44.0	48.0	26.75	1446	-23.6
15	Motau, Neelo	1499	RSA	+51N	+34B	+29N	+13B	−12N	−7B	−23N	+35B	=16N	5.5	42.0	46.0	26.25	1407	-22.8
16	Bienedell, Robin	1548	RSA	−1B	+60N	+54B	+25N	=8B	−14N	=34B	+41N	=15B	5.5	41.5	44.0	23.00	1493	-25.2
17	Blom, Luca	0	RSA	−13N	+64B	+45N	−21B	+11N	+47B	=19N	=10B	=20N	5.5	41.5	42.5	23.50	1200	0.0
18	Nkabinde, Nkazimulo	0	RSA	+?B	−8N	+30B	−10B	+62N	+36N	−4B	+46B	=12N	5.5	40.0	40.0	18.25	1186	0.0
19	FIDE 534018212	0	—	−38B	+36N	−23B	+53N	+56B	+37N	=17B	+22N	−7B	5.5	39.0	42.0	23.25	1576	0.0
20	Conradie, Lianro Pierre	0	RSA	−34N	−30B	=57B	=48N	+?B	+44N	+37B	+33N	=17B	5.5	35.0	35.0	19.25	1448	0.0
21	Barkhuizen, Simon Jurgens	1472	RSA	+60B	=1N	=43B	+17N	=23B	−6N	+32B	−14N	=25B	5.0	43.5	46.0	23.25	1451	-4.8
22	Klopper, Ben	1574	RSA	+52N	+10B	−6B	=32N	+29N	=23B	=33N	−19B	=24N	5.0	42.0	46.0	24.50	1504	-19.2
23	Whyatt, Benjamin	0	FID	−29N	+52B	+19N	+47B	=21N	=22N	+15B	−9B	−11N	5.0	42.0	46.0	24.00	1518	0.0
24	Opperman, Naude	1518	RSA	+66B	−6N	+38B	−1N	=39B	−34N	+26B	+45N	=22B	5.0	41.5	41.5	18.25	1289	-32.4
25	Talane, Kgosietsile Bok	1417	RSA	+33N	+35B	−12N	−16B	−46N	+55B	+43N	=34B	=21N	5.0	37.5	41.0	21.25	1476	+15.6
26	FIDE 14371499	0	—	−6B	+66N	−11N	+61B	+45N	−9B	−24N	+50B	+47N	5.0	37.5	37.5	14.00	729	0.0
27	Van Zyl, Albertus Petrus	1556	RSA	−61N	+51B	+62N	+9B	−13N	−33B	+31N	−11B	+46N	5.0	37.0	39.0	21.00	1357	-32.0
28	FIDE 534005218	0	—	+30N	−12B	+46N	−33B	−35N	+51B	−47N	+57B	+34N	5.0	36.0	39.0	20.50	619	0.0
29	Sithole, Adiel Ean	0	RSA	+23B	+55N	−15B	−41N	−22B	=42N	+60B	=32N	+33B	5.0	36.0	38.5	19.75	1465	0.0
30	FIDE 14396327	0	—	−28B	+20N	−18N	−31B	−60N	+63B	+61N	+49B	+41B	5.0	33.5	35.0	17.00	1531	0.0
31	Koutsouvelis, Matthew	0	RSA	+?B	−32N	−56B	+30N	−37B	+57N	−27B	+44N	+42B	5.0	33.0	33.0	16.00	1363	-58.8
32	Vosloo, Dewaal	1569	RSA	+9N	+31B	−13N	=22B	−7N	+39B	−21N	=29B	=43N	4.5	42.5	46.5	22.50	1363	-56.0
33	Van Der Merwe, Zander Christia	1423	RSA	−25B	+63N	+49B	+28N	−1B	+27N	=22B	−20B	−29N	4.5	42.0	43.5	18.00	1440	+1.6
34	Mbewe, Lumi	0	RSA	+20B	−15N	+55B	=39N	−14B	+24B	=16N	=25N	−28B	4.5	41.5	45.0	21.50	1506	-28.4
35	FIDE 534035400	0	—	+63B	−25N	+53B	−8N	+28B	−4N	+54B	−15N	=38B	4.5	40.0	41.5	15.75	724	0.0
36	FIDE 534038280	0	—	−2N	−19B	+52N	+49N	+55B	−18B	−11N	=43B	+54N	4.5	39.5	43.0	17.00	1492	0.0
37	FIDE 534000054	0	—	−4B	+?N	−9N	+60B	+31N	−19B	−20N	=48B	+53N	4.5	39.0	39.0	13.00	824	0.0
38	FIDE 534018301	0	—	+19N	−5B	−24N	−45B	+61N	−11B	+62N	+56B	=35N	4.5	37.0	39.0	14.75	1437	0.0
39	Nana, Mihir	0	RSA	+49B	=43N	−14B	=34B	=24N	−32N	−45B	+?N	+56N	4.5	34.5	34.5	13.75	1462	0.0
40	Ndwandwa, Longezo	0	RSA	F	+45B	−3N	+11B	−5N	+43N	−13B	+47B	−10N	4.0	43.5	43.5	18.00	731	-63.2
41	Kleynhans, Magnus	1514	RSA	+58N	−13B	+61N	+29B	−10N	+46B	−5N	−16B	−30N	4.0	41.0	43.0	14.00	724	-77.2
42	Wilson, Jared	1507	RSA	+65N	−3B	−10N	+59B	−9N	=29B	+58N	=54B	−31N	4.0	38.5	39.5	11.25	724	-57.2
43	Vermeulen, Petrus Van Der	0	RSA	+59N	=39B	=21N	−7B	+44N	−40B	−25B	=36N	=32B	4.0	38.0	41.0	16.25	1296	0.0
44	FIDE 14360756	0	—	−5N	−9B	+58N	+54N	−43B	−20B	+52N	−31B	+59N	4.0	38.0	41.0	13.50	749	0.0
45	Smit, Juanru	0	RSA	+50B	−40N	−17B	+38N	−26B	=60N	+39N	−24B	=48N	4.0	36.5	39.0	16.25	717	0.0
46	Khumalo, Musawenkosi Eth	0	RSA	−8B	+?N	−28B	+?N	+25B	−41N	+49B	−18N	−27B	4.0	34.5	34.5	9.00	1288	0.0
47	FIDE 123110786	0	—	+?B	−4N	+?B	−23N	+57B	−17N	+28B	−40N	−26B	4.0	34.5	34.5	8.00	927	0.0
48	FIDE 534038183	0	—	−14B	−49N	−60B	=20B	+66N	+53N	=50B	=37N	=45B	4.0	33.5	33.5	12.50	716	0.0
49	FIDE 534046070	0	—	−39N	+48B	−33N	−36B	+59N	+62B	−46N	−30N	+?B	4.0	31.5	31.5	9.00	628	0.0
50	FIDE 534017585	0	—	−45N	−11B	+64N	−55N	+?B	=52B	=48N	−26N	+61B	4.0	29.5	29.5	7.00	704	0.0
51	FIDE 14396564	0	—	−15B	−27N	−?B	+64N	+65B	−28N	=55N	=58B	+62N	4.0	26.0	26.0	7.25	1249	0.0
52	FIDE 534034773	0	—	−22B	−23N	−36B	+66N	=?B	=50N	−44B	+?N	+57N	4.0	25.5	25.5	5.00	775	0.0
53	FIDE 14371626	0	—	+11N	−2B	−35N	−19B	=63N	−48B	+65B	+55N	−37B	3.5	36.5	37.5	11.25	1492	0.0
54	Janse Van Rensburg, Josh	0	RSA	−7N	+61B	−16N	−44B	+58N	+56B	−35N	=42N	−36B	3.5	35.0	37.0	10.00	1455	+5.2
55	Soobramoney, Hezron	1505	RSA	+64N	−29B	−34N	+50B	−36N	−25N	=51B	−53B	+58N	3.5	33.5	34.5	10.00	618	-24.8
56	Labuschagne, Gian	1592	RSA	−10N	+59B	+31N	−5B	−19N	−54N	+64B	−38N	−39B	3.0	39.0	40.0	9.00	715	-48.4
57	Coetzee, Tristan	0	RSA	−3N	=58B	=20N	+63B	−47N	−31B	+59N	−28N	−52B	3.0	36.5	38.0	8.75	797	0.0
58	FIDE 534011641	0	—	−41B	=57N	−44B	+?N	−54B	+?N	−42B	=51N	−55B	3.0	26.0	26.0	3.50	707	0.0
59	FIDE 534009574	0	—	−43B	−56N	+66B	−42N	−49B	+?N	−57B	+60N	−44B	3.0	24.5	24.5	2.50	750	0.0
60	FIDE 534038264	0	—	−21N	−16B	+48N	−37N	+30B	=45B	−29N	−59B	−?N	2.5	36.0	36.0	11.00	719	0.0
61	FIDE 14383012	0	—	+27B	−54N	−41B	−26N	−38B	+?N	−30B	F	−50N	2.0	31.0	31.0	5.00	1533	0.0
62	FIDE 534002871	0	—	−12N	F	−27B	+?N	−18B	−49N	−38B	+63N	−51B	2.0	30.0	30.0	1.50	682	0.0
63	FIDE 534038027	0	—	−35N	−33B	F	−57N	=53B	−30N	−?B	−62B	+66N	1.5	22.5	22.5	1.75	628	0.0
64	FIDE 534009167	0	—	−55B	−17N	−50B	−51B	F	+65N	−56N	F	F	1.0	21.0	21.0	1.00	749	0.0
65	FIDE 534009191	0	—	−42B	−?N	−?B	F	−51N	−64B	−53N	+66B	−?B	1.0	12.5	12.5	0.00	706	0.0
66	FIDE 534000186	0	—	−24N	−26B	−59N	−52B	−48B	F	−?N	−65N	−63B	0.0	23.5	23.5	0.00	717	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Stern, Mason JesseRSA
+94.4
7.5 pts · #1
2Resnekov, OliverRSA
+80.0
7.0 pts · #4
3Thorulsley, KairaavRSA
+50.4
6.5 pts · #2

Top rating losers

1Kleynhans, MagnusRSA
-77.2
4.0 pts · #47
2Ndwandwa, LongezoRSA
-63.2
4.0 pts · #63
3Koutsouvelis, MatthewRSA
-58.8
5.0 pts · #32

Biggest upsets

R5+248 Elo gap
Resnekov, Oliver1479 beat Manning, Callan1727
R1+138 Elo gap
Van Der Merwe, Schalk Wolf1454 beat Labuschagne, Gian1592
R6+137 Elo gap
Stelloh, Sebastian1440 beat Brits, Etienne1577