2026 South African Junior Closed (U14 Boys)

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77 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 28 Mar 2026 to 02 Apr 2026 in Rustenburg, South Africa. Top 10 Elo average was 1741, and top seed was Michael Schwartz (🇿🇦 RSA, 1876).

Shaurya Singh (🇿🇦 RSA, 1759) won with 8.5/9, ahead of Janko X Weideman (7.0) and Tshireletso Kalimashe (6.5). Singh won solo starting round 5.

The biggest upset came in round 4: Ruah Venter (1418) beat Dhyan Dawah (1685), a +267-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

🇿🇦Michael Schwartz1876

Avg top 10

1,741

Participants

Federations · 1 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×73

Top 3

🥇
Shaurya Singh
🇿🇦RSA·1759
8.5pts·2131perf+127.2
🥈
Janko X Weideman
🇿🇦RSA·1713
7.0pts·1828perf+46.4
🥉
Tshireletso Kalimashe
🇿🇦RSA·1695
6.5pts·1823perf+62.4

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Shaurya Singh led from R5; +1.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Singh8.5Weideman7Kalimashe6.5Segal6.5Naidoo6.5Puran6.5

R5–R9 · LEAD HELD

Shaurya Singh never relinquished the lead after R5; final gap +1.5 over the runner-up.

R6 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Shaurya Singh beat Janko X Weideman (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Shaurya Singh 7 wins (R1–R7)Janko X Weideman 4 wins (R1–R4)Tshireletso Kalimashe 4 wins (R1–R4)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Shaurya Singh	*	1	—	1
2Janko X Weideman	0	*	½	—
3Tshireletso Kalimashe	—	½	*	—
4Jamie Dylan Segal	0	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Singh, Shaurya	1759	RSA	+47B	+57N	+15B	+4N	+6B	+2N	+5B	=8N	+7B	8.5	49.0	52.5	49.25	2131	+127.2
2	Weideman, Janko X	1713	RSA	+43N	+28B	+37N	+26B	=3N	−1B	+21N	+4B	=8N	7.0	47.5	52.0	37.00	1828	+46.4
3	Kalimashe, Tshireletso	1695	RSA	+58B	+13N	+9B	+10N	=2B	=4N	−8B	+22N	=5B	6.5	49.5	53.0	36.50	1823	+62.4
4	Naidoo, Shivam	1598	RSA	+23B	+22N	+18B	−1B	+39N	=3B	+17N	−2N	+16B	6.5	48.5	53.0	34.25	1784	+90.8
5	Schwartz, Michael	1876	RSA	+25N	+19B	−26N	+28B	+7N	+10B	−1N	+27B	=3N	6.5	48.0	53.0	36.25	1777	-30.8
6	Segal, Jamie Dylan	1766	RSA	=11N	+50B	+48N	+12B	−1N	+16B	−9N	+10B	+17N	6.5	47.5	51.5	34.00	1762	+3.2
7	Puran, Madhav	1788	RSA	+36B	=46N	+17B	+16N	−5B	+15N	+22B	+9B	−1N	6.5	47.0	51.0	34.00	1825	+20.8
8	Taylor, Samuel	1658	RSA	=56N	+49B	=16N	+27B	=19N	+46B	+3N	=1B	=2B	6.5	46.0	49.5	34.50	1786	+47.2
9	Adams, Chezhaan Ethan	1724	RSA	+42N	+34B	−3N	=22B	+41N	+19B	+6B	−7N	=14B	6.0	45.5	50.0	31.50	1706	-6.0
10	Jugree, Abhay	1640	RSA	+29B	+64N	+21B	−3B	+37N	−5N	+23B	−6N	+27B	6.0	44.0	47.0	27.50	1737	+44.8
11	Thakur, Yuv	1552	RSA	=6B	=24N	=13B	+40N	−16B	+33N	+18B	=30N	+32B	6.0	43.5	48.0	31.25	1714	+79.2
12	Naidu, Saien	1630	RSA	+51B	=41N	+46B	−6N	+31B	−17N	+34B	=20N	+29B	6.0	41.0	45.0	28.00	1701	+34.4
13	Kudiyarov, Maxim	1566	RSA	+65N	−3B	=11N	−25B	=38N	+62N	+51B	+36N	+23B	6.0	38.5	41.5	24.75	1650	+38.8
14	Rust, Christoph	1536	RSA	+77B	−18N	+71B	−15N	+61B	=30N	+44B	+21B	=9N	6.0	36.5	37.5	21.00	1656	+34.7
15	Changara, Alvis Tafadzwa	1709	RSA	+67N	+27B	−1N	+14B	=24N	−7B	−20N	+46B	+40N	5.5	45.0	48.0	25.00	1662	-18.0
16	Mphahlele, Phetolo	1618	RSA	+54B	+71N	=8B	−7B	+11N	−6N	+58B	+24N	−4N	5.5	44.5	46.5	23.75	1682	+29.2
17	Goliath, Caron	1537	RSA	=59N	+74B	−7N	+42B	+48N	+12B	−4B	+26N	−6B	5.5	42.5	44.0	22.75	1678	+53.6
18	Keerath, Aryan	1696	RSA	+55N	+14B	−4N	=56B	=25N	=20B	−11N	+43B	+38N	5.5	42.0	45.5	26.00	1533	-59.2
19	Motsifane, Lesedi	0	RSA	+70B	−5N	+23B	+61N	=8B	−9N	=36B	+47N	=20B	5.5	41.0	43.0	22.25	1626	0.0
20	Meissenheimer, Kyle	1613	RSA	+53B	−21N	−61B	+69N	+63B	=18N	+15B	=12B	=19N	5.5	37.5	40.0	23.50	1610	+0.4
21	Mehta, Aryan	1598	RSA	+73N	+20B	−10N	+47B	=26N	+24B	−2B	−14N	=34B	5.0	43.5	45.5	21.50	1603	+3.2
22	Mtati, Wazo	1537	RSA	+72N	−4B	+50N	=9N	+36B	+26B	−7N	−3B	=37N	5.0	43.5	45.5	20.75	1635	+40.8
23	De Jager, Luan	1483	RSA	−4N	+69B	−19N	+50B	+28N	+37B	−10N	+25B	−13N	5.0	42.5	45.0	21.00	1622	+58.4
24	Mazikana, Ethan	1656	RSA	=49N	=11B	+41B	+32N	=15B	−21N	+25N	−16B	=30B	5.0	41.5	45.5	24.75	1593	-23.6
25	McLachlan, Geoffrey	1443	RSA	−5B	=63N	+53B	+13N	=18B	+31N	−24B	−23N	+52B	5.0	41.0	44.0	23.25	1579	+52.8
26	Kapp, Sebastian	1676	RSA	+66B	+62N	+5B	−2N	=21B	−22N	+46N	−17B	=31B	5.0	41.0	44.0	21.50	1642	-17.6
27	Kirstein, Tinus Ederich	1586	RSA	+76B	−15N	+52B	−8N	+62B	+51N	+32B	−5N	−10N	5.0	40.5	42.0	17.50	1593	+26.4
28	Matima, Tshimologo	1529	RSA	+61B	−2N	+66B	−5N	−23B	+54N	+48B	−29N	+47B	5.0	38.5	41.5	18.00	1599	+28.8
29	Labuschagne, Edrich	1537	RSA	−10N	=35B	=59N	−48B	+68B	+52N	+45N	+28B	−12N	5.0	38.0	41.0	20.75	1564	+8.0
30	Nemusombori, Livhuwani Natha	1477	RSA	+60N	=48B	=56N	−39B	+47N	=14B	=49N	=11B	=24N	5.0	37.0	40.5	21.75	1569	+36.4
31	CHIPUNZA, Jaden	1547	RSA	−48N	+59B	+51N	+70B	−12N	−25B	=38N	+39B	=26N	5.0	36.5	38.5	18.75	1519	-12.0
32	Brink, Andrew	1427	RSA	=74N	=38B	+62N	−24B	+70N	+39B	−27N	+49B	−11N	5.0	34.0	35.5	16.50	1519	+35.2
33	Nel, Charles Paul	1597	RSA	=38N	−56B	−65N	+43B	+42N	−11B	=59N	+63B	+49N	5.0	33.5	36.5	20.00	1429	-56.8
34	Changara, Alvern	1518	RSA	+68B	−9N	−70B	+52N	+73B	=58N	−12N	+57B	=21N	5.0	33.0	35.0	16.75	1520	-0.8
35	Walters, Charles	0	RSA	−46B	=29N	−36B	=67N	+66B	−47N	+62B	+51N	+57N	5.0	31.0	34.0	17.50	1558	0.0
36	Arries, Keaton	1591	RSA	−7N	=65B	+35N	+57B	−22N	+41B	=19N	−13B	=45N	4.5	40.5	43.5	19.50	1554	-15.6
37	Simon, Riley	1568	RSA	+39B	+52N	−2B	+58N	−10B	−23N	−47B	+48N	=22B	4.5	39.5	43.0	18.50	1541	-14.0
38	Masoeu, Senogo	1489	RSA	=33B	=32N	=57B	−46N	=13B	+61N	=31B	+44N	−18B	4.5	38.5	41.5	19.75	1561	+34.8
39	George, Panashe	1528	RSA	−37N	+75B	+64B	+30N	−4B	−32N	=40B	−31N	+58B	4.5	37.0	38.5	15.25	1479	-22.4
40	Claassen, Enrique	1489	RSA	−50N	+73B	=42N	−11B	+65N	=48B	=39N	+59B	−15B	4.5	35.0	37.0	15.00	1420	-28.4
41	Canham, Ethan	1568	RSA	+75N	=12B	−24N	+65B	−9B	−36N	=63B	+61N	=42B	4.5	35.0	36.5	14.25	1509	-27.2
42	Tebeila, Leago	1473	RSA	−9B	+76N	=40B	−17N	−33B	+53N	=64N	+71B	=41N	4.5	34.5	36.0	13.50	1369	-32.4
43	Wessels, Theodore	0	RSA	−2B	−61N	=60B	−33N	+71B	+75N	+50B	−18N	+56B	4.5	33.5	35.0	12.75	1455	0.0
44	Step, Nicholas	1584	RSA	−52B	−70N	+74N	+55B	=49N	+56B	−14N	−38B	+59N	4.5	31.5	33.0	14.50	1234	-89.6
45	Dawah, Dhyan	1685	RSA	−62B	+54N	−47B	−63N	+69B	+70N	−29B	+58N	=36B	4.5	29.5	31.5	14.25	1492	-88.8
46	Bender, Jandre	1601	RSA	+35N	=7B	−12N	+38B	+56N	−8N	−26B	−15N	=54B	4.0	43.0	46.5	18.25	1532	-27.2
47	Vilo, Sibabalwe	1469	RSA	−1N	+60B	+45N	−21N	−30B	+35B	+37N	−19B	−28N	4.0	43.0	46.5	17.50	1540	+23.6
48	Grahan, Tylo	1469	RSA	+31B	=30N	−6B	+29N	−17B	=40N	−28N	−37B	+64N	4.0	41.0	44.0	17.75	1504	+17.2
49	Truscott, Adriaan	0	RSA	=24B	−8N	=63B	+53N	=44B	+57N	=30B	−32N	−33B	4.0	38.5	41.5	16.25	1467	0.0
50	Smile, Osakhe	1446	RSA	+40B	−6N	−22B	−23N	=75B	+60N	−43N	=55B	+67N	4.0	36.0	37.5	13.75	1484	+7.6
51	Makhoana, Neo	1512	RSA	−12N	+68B	−31B	+75N	+64N	−27B	−13N	−35B	+63N	4.0	36.0	37.5	10.50	1399	-36.0
52	Haupt, Joshua	1433	RSA	+44N	−37B	−27N	−34B	+77N	−29B	+67N	+64B	−25N	4.0	35.0	36.0	11.50	1361	-25.6
53	Van Wyk, Petrus Gerhardu	0	RSA	−20N	+67B	−25N	−49B	+55N	−42B	=54B	=66N	+62B	4.0	33.0	36.0	13.50	1379	0.0
54	Arries, Jayde	1491	RSA	−16N	−45B	+72N	−64B	+76N	−28B	=53N	+69B	=46N	4.0	30.5	32.0	10.00	1358	-41.6
55	Kanjee, Viyaash	0	RSA	−18B	−58N	+76B	−44N	−53B	=72N	+75B	=50N	+61B	4.0	28.0	29.5	9.00	1404	0.0
56	Scholtz, Rohann	1506	RSA	=8B	+33N	=30B	=18N	−46B	−44N	−57B	+60B	−43N	3.5	38.5	42.0	17.00	1547	+17.6
57	Boshoff, Reinhardt	1604	RSA	+63B	−1B	=38N	−36N	+60B	−49B	+56N	−34N	−35B	3.5	38.5	41.5	12.25	1540	-24.0
58	Rule, Liam	1601	RSA	−3N	+55B	+77N	−37B	+59N	=34B	−16N	−45B	−39N	3.5	38.0	39.0	11.00	1201	-99.6
59	Makanjee, Arjun	0	RSA	=17B	−31N	=29B	+66N	−58B	+73N	=33B	−40N	−44B	3.5	36.0	38.0	12.75	1410	0.0
60	Buckas, Abu	1485	RSA	−30B	−47N	=43N	+74B	−57N	−50B	+72B	−56N	+69B	3.5	29.0	30.5	8.25	1216	-84.4
61	Punt, Heinrich	1444	RSA	−28N	+43B	+20N	−19B	−14N	−38B	+73N	−41B	−55N	3.0	39.5	41.5	12.00	1308	-31.6
62	Maritz, Deegan	1485	RSA	+45N	−26B	−32B	+71N	−27N	−13B	−35N	+65B	−53N	3.0	37.5	39.5	9.50	1435	-16.4
63	Venter, Ruah	1418	RSA	−57N	=25B	=49N	+45B	−20N	=64B	=41N	−33N	−51B	3.0	36.0	39.0	12.75	1419	-0.8
64	Louw, Lukas	1458	RSA	+69B	−10B	−39N	+54N	−51B	=63N	=42B	−52N	−48B	3.0	34.0	36.5	10.25	1363	-46.8
65	Terblanche, Bernard	1483	RSA	−13B	=36N	+33B	−41N	−40B	=67N	=66B	−62N	=72B	3.0	33.5	35.5	11.25	1387	-35.6
66	Gouws, Christiaan	1518	RSA	−26N	+72B	−28N	−59B	−35N	+76B	=65N	=53B	−68N	3.0	30.5	32.0	7.00	1290	-32.8
67	Labuschagne, Jantjie	0	RSA	−15B	−53N	−69N	=35B	+74N	=65B	−52B	+70N	−50B	3.0	30.0	31.5	7.50	1291	0.0
68	Mokhathi, Oratile	0	RSA	−34N	−51N	−73B	+72B	−29N	−71B	F	+74N	+66B	3.0	24.5	24.5	6.50	1329	0.0
69	Prinsloo, Liam	1427	RSA	−64N	−23N	+67B	−20B	−45N	+77B	=74B	−54N	−60N	2.5	30.0	31.0	4.75	740	-88.8
70	Jonker, Tertius	1411	RSA	−19N	+44B	+34N	−31N	−32B	−45B	−71N	−67B	F	2.0	34.5	34.5	9.50	1480	+16.4
71	Steenkamp, Anton	0	RSA	F	−16B	−14N	−62B	−43N	+68N	+70B	−42N	F	2.0	30.5	30.5	5.00	1265	0.0
72	FIDE 14398303	0	—	−22B	−66N	−54B	−68N	F	=55B	−60N	+76B	=65N	2.0	27.0	27.0	5.00	1140	0.0
73	Du Preez, Jody	0	RSA	−21B	−40N	+68N	+77B	−34N	−59B	−61B	F	F	2.0	27.0	27.0	4.00	712	0.0
74	Bhomela, Owethu	0	RSA	=32B	−17N	−44B	−60N	−67B	F	=69N	−68B	=77N	1.5	28.0	28.0	4.25	1255	0.0
75	FIDE 534010084	0	—	−41B	−39N	F	−51B	=50N	−43B	−55N	=77N	=76B	1.5	28.0	28.0	3.25	1192	0.0
76	FIDE 14387280	0	—	−27N	−42B	−55N	F	−54B	−66N	+77B	−72N	=75N	1.5	25.0	25.0	1.75	702	0.0
77	FIDE 14398273	0	—	−14N	F	−58B	−73N	−52B	−69N	−76N	=75B	=74B	1.0	22.5	22.5	1.50	699	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Singh, ShauryaRSA
+127.2
8.5 pts · #1
2Naidoo, ShivamRSA
+90.8
6.5 pts · #4
3Thakur, YuvRSA
+79.2
6.0 pts · #9

Top rating losers

1Rule, LiamRSA
-99.6
3.5 pts · #72
2Step, NicholasRSA
-89.6
4.5 pts · #65
3Prinsloo, LiamRSA
-88.8
2.5 pts · #77

Biggest upsets

R4+267 Elo gap
Venter, Ruah1418 beat Dawah, Dhyan1685
R3+216 Elo gap
Vilo, Sibabalwe1469 beat Dawah, Dhyan1685
R3+200 Elo gap
Kapp, Sebastian1676 beat Schwartz, Michael1876