2026 Chess Power House Freedom Day Open (A)
Open SwissStandard
44 players participated in this 5-round tournament, held on 27 Apr 2026 in Bedfordview, South Africa. 3 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1754, and top seed was Kuhlase Matthiolus Makhosonke (🇿🇦 RSA, 1797).
Raymond Magagula (🇿🇦 RSA, 1785) won with 4.5/5, ahead of Jurie J. Hayes (4.0) and Sabatha Matsitse (4.0). Magagula shared the lead from round 4 and broke clear in the final round.
The biggest upset came in round 1: Nolawi Mekebeb (1450) beat Khetha Mngadi (1732), a +282-point gap.
Location
🇿🇦Bedfordview, South Africa
Dates
27 Apr 2026
Time control
Standard: 50 minutes with 10 seconds increment from move 1
System
Swiss · 5 rounds
Federations · 3 represented
🇿🇦South Africa×32
🇧🇪Belgium×1
🇲🇿Mozambique×1
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 5 roundsRaymond Magagula 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
20
9
2
3
1
R5–R5 · LEAD HELD
Raymond Magagula held the sole lead from R5 through R5 without losing it.
R3–R5 · WIN STREAK
Ernest Khumalo won 3 in a row (R3–R5).
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magagula, Raymond | 1785 | RSA | +30N | +14B | =2N | +21B | +8N | 4.5 | 13.0 | 15.0 | 13.00 | 1970 | +14.4 |
| 2 | Hayes, Jurie J. | 1726 | RSA | +16N | +13B | =1B | =28N | +12B | 4.0 | 13.5 | 15.5 | 12.25 | 1908 | +29.6 |
| 3 | Matsitse, Sabatha | 1758 | RSA | +18N | +26B | −4N | +32B | +17N | 4.0 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 10.00 | 1807 | +10.4 |
| 4 | Chakandidano, Nhamo | 1611 | RSA | +37B | +40N | +3B | =8N | =9B | 4.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 9.50 | 1935 | +34.4 |
| 5 | Khumalo, Ernest | 1638 | RSA | +15B | −8N | +36B | +20N | +28B | 4.0 | 11.5 | 13.0 | 9.50 | 2356 | +63.2 |
| 6 | Mngadi, Khetha | 1732 | RSA | −25N | +15B | +13N | +26B | +11N | 4.0 | 11.0 | 13.0 | 11.00 | 1746 | +5.6 |
| 7 | Froom, Gabriel | 1640 | RSA | =34N | =27B | +35N | +25B | +21N | 4.0 | 8.0 | 9.5 | 7.75 | 2360 | +31.2 |
| 8 | Mphela, Thato | 0 | RSA | +31N | +5B | +34N | =4B | −1B | 3.5 | 14.5 | 16.0 | 9.50 | 1708 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Cumbane. Augusto Elidio | 1726 | MOZ | F | +25B | +17N | +22B | =4N | 3.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 9.50 | 1937 | +17.2 |
| 10 | Lodi, Khotso | 1630 | RSA | =27N | −34B | +24N | +31B | +22N | 3.5 | 9.0 | 10.5 | 8.00 | 2527 | +25.4 |
| 11 | Pitso, Kabelo | 1791 | RSA | −29B | +19N | +18B | +23N | −6B | 3.0 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 8.50 | 1595 | -39.2 |
| 12 | Makhosonke, Kuhlase Matthiolus | 1797 | RSA | −26N | +16B | +30N | +14B | −2N | 3.0 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 8.00 | 1605 | -19.4 |
| 13 | FIDE 123111021 | 0 | — | +33B | −2N | −6B | +40N | +29B | 3.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 5.00 | 1669 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Ratshumela, Gudani | 1597 | RSA | +41B | −1N | +27B | −12N | +23B | 3.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 4.50 | 1602 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Rossouw, Alicia | 0 | RSA | −5N | −6N | +42B | +30B | +35N | 3.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 3.50 | 1514 | +12.4 |
| 16 | Libisi, Live | 0 | RSA | −2B | −12N | +?B | +27N | +33B | 3.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 4.00 | 1698 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Tema, Ofana | 1603 | RSA | +38B | +39N | −9B | +29N | −3B | 3.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 4.00 | 1553 | -8.0 |
| 18 | Ahmid, Kaleem | 1501 | RSA | −3B | +44N | −11N | +39B | +32N | 3.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 3.00 | 1580 | +5.2 |
| 19 | FIDE 534036482 | 0 | — | −21N | −11B | +38N | +41B | +26N | 3.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 3.00 | 1545 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Naidoo, Kajol | 1588 | RSA | +43N | −22B | +41N | −5B | +25N | 3.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 2.00 | 1484 | -16.4 |
| 21 | Mzimela, Nkosinathi | 1667 | RSA | +19B | +29N | =28B | −1N | −7B | 2.5 | 13.5 | 15.5 | 6.00 | 1599 | -15.6 |
| 22 | Lukhwareni, Nkhumbuleni | 1737 | RSA | +36B | +20N | =23B | −9N | −10B | 2.5 | 12.5 | 14.0 | 5.75 | 1599 | -18.0 |
| 23 | Molusi, Katlego | 1599 | RSA | +24N | +35B | =22N | −11B | −14N | 2.5 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 5.25 | 1435 | -11.2 |
| 24 | Jonas, Tlotliso | 0 | RSA | −23B | =?N | −10B | +37N | +36B | 2.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 2.50 | 1485 | 0.0 |
| 25 | Mekebeb, Nolawi | 1450 | RSA | +6B | −9N | +33B | −7N | −20B | 2.0 | 14.5 | 16.5 | 6.00 | 1599 | +34.8 |
| 26 | Ngubeni, Jackie M. | 1552 | RSA | +12B | −3N | +39B | −6N | −19B | 2.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 4.00 | 1637 | +6.0 |
| 27 | FIDE 534048499 | 0 | — | =10B | =7N | −14N | −16B | +39N | 2.0 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 4.75 | 1498 | 0.0 |
| 28 | Makatwane, Lethabo | 1766 | RSA | F | +32B | =21N | =2B | −5N | 2.0 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 5.25 | 1650 | -12.6 |
| 29 | Thorulsley, Kairaav | 1551 | RSA | +11N | −21B | +31N | −17B | −13N | 2.0 | 11.5 | 13.5 | 5.00 | 1695 | +30.4 |
| 30 | Wany, Jobert | 1546 | RSA | −1B | +42N | −12B | −15N | +37B | 2.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 1.00 | 866 | -42.4 |
| 31 | Tshabalala, Tshepo | 1717 | RSA | −8B | +37N | −29B | −10N | +38B | 2.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 2.00 | 790 | -53.6 |
| 32 | Adamson, Luke | 1566 | RSA | +42B | −28N | +40B | −3N | −18B | 2.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 1.00 | 875 | -21.6 |
| 33 | Mahuma, Tshegofatso | 1667 | RSA | −13N | +38B | −25N | +34B | −16N | 2.0 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 2.50 | 653 | -30.8 |
| 34 | FIDE 14330415 | 0 | — | =7B | +10N | −8B | −33N | −?B | 1.5 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 5.50 | 1549 | 0.0 |
| 35 | Bhima, Anesu Calvin | 0 | RSA | +?B | −23N | −7B | =36N | −15B | 1.5 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 0.75 | 1394 | 0.0 |
| 36 | Jacobs, Johannes | 1456 | RSA | −22N | +43B | −5N | =35B | −24N | 1.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 0.75 | 888 | -16.8 |
| 37 | FIDE 14379465 | 0 | — | −4N | −31B | +43N | −24B | −30N | 1.0 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 0.00 | 825 | 0.0 |
| 38 | FIDE 534048464 | 0 | — | −17N | −33N | −19B | +44B | −31N | 1.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.00 | 862 | 0.0 |
| 39 | Naidoo, Gerard Ricardo | 0 | RSA | +44B | −17B | −26N | −18N | −27B | 1.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.00 | 752 | -63.2 |
| 40 | Serrao, Olivier | 0 | BEL | +?N | −4B | −32N | −13B | F | 1.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 0.00 | 1477 | -22.0 |
| 41 | FIDE 534048456 | 0 | — | −14N | F | −20B | −19N | F | 0.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.00 | 792 | 0.0 |
| 42 | FIDE 534048472 | 0 | — | −32N | −30B | −15N | F | F | 0.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 0.00 | 710 | 0.0 |
| 43 | FIDE 534048480 | 0 | — | −20B | −36N | −37B | −?N | F | 0.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 0.00 | 748 | 0.0 |
| 44 | FIDE 534048448 | 0 | — | −39N | −18B | F | −38N | F | 0.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 0.00 | 700 | 0.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Khumalo, ErnestRSA+63.24.0 pts · #1
- 2Mekebeb, NolawiRSA+34.82.0 pts · #11
- 3Chakandidano, NhamoRSA+34.44.0 pts · #20
Top rating losers
- 1Naidoo, Gerard RicardoRSA-63.21.0 pts · #41
- 2Tshabalala, TshepoRSA-53.62.0 pts · #37
- 3Wany, JobertRSA-42.42.0 pts · #39
Biggest upsets
- R1+282 Elo gap
- R1+245 Elo gap
- R1+240 Elo gap