EC Open 2026 (Open)

Open SwissStandard

35 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 10 Apr 2026 to 12 Apr 2026 in East London, South Africa. 5 titled players from 3 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2049, and top seed was Joseph Mwale (🇲🇼 MAW, FM, 2288).

James Dinham (🇿🇦 RSA, 2166) won with 5.5/7, ahead of Banele Mhango (5.0) and Jack Van Zyl-Rudd (5.0). Dinham won solo starting round 4.

The biggest upset came in round 6: Sinovuyo Racaza (1667) beat Lwazi Selepe (2055), a +388-point gap.

Location

🇿🇦East London, South Africa

Dates

10 Apr 2026 → 12 Apr 2026

Time control

Standard: 60 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇲🇼FMJoseph Mwale2288

Avg top 10

2,049

Participants

Titled players · 5

FM×3

CM×2

Federations · 3 represented

🇿🇦South Africa×27

🇲🇼Malawi×1

🇿🇼Zimbabwe×1

Top 3

🥇
James Dinham
🇿🇦RSA·2166
5.5pts·2123perf-2.2
🥈
FMBanele Mhango
🇿🇦RSA·2243
5.0pts·2307perf+13.2
🥉
FMJack Van Zyl-Rudd
🇿🇦RSA·2223
5.0pts·2223perf+3.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

James Dinham led from R4; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.

Co-leaders

Dinham5.5Mhango5Van Zyl-Rudd5Nevin5Mwale4Peter4

R4–R7 · LEAD HELD

James Dinham held the sole lead from R4 through R7 without losing it.

R5 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

James Dinham lost to FM Banele Mhango (White).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

James Dinham 4 wins (R1–R4)FM Banele Mhango 3 wins (R3–R5)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1James Dinham	*	0	—	1
2FMBanele Mhango	1	*	½	—
3FMJack Van Zyl-Rudd	—	½	*	1
4CMTyler Nevin	0	—	0	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Dinham, James	2166	RSA	+23B	+22N	+8B	+4N	−2B	=13N	+14N	5.5	23.0	25.0	18.25	2123	-2.2
2	Mhango, BaneleFM	2243	RSA	F	=14B	+7N	+5B	+1N	=3B	+15N	5.0	26.0	29.5	21.25	2307	+13.2
3	Van Zyl-Rudd, JackFM	2223	RSA	F	+18N	=12B	+6N	+4B	=2N	+13B	5.0	24.0	24.0	19.75	2223	+3.2
4	Nevin, TylerCM	1965	RSA	+32B	+24N	+15B	−1B	−3N	+21N	+10B	5.0	22.0	22.0	11.50	1942	+1.2
5	Chang, Samuel	1782	RSA	+21B	+11N	=6B	−2N	−12B	=16B	+19N	4.0	23.0	25.0	12.75	1933	+24.8
6	Peter, NeathanCM	1955	RSA	F	+17B	=5N	−3B	=7N	+23B	+9N	4.0	22.5	22.5	13.50	1983	+7.4
7	Mwale, JosephFM	2288	MAW	F	=13N	−2B	+24N	=6B	+17B	+18N	4.0	21.0	21.0	12.25	2083	-22.4
8	Mankga, Thabang	1876	RSA	+26B	+33N	−1N	+23B	−18N	−9B	+16N	4.0	20.0	20.0	7.50	1556	-31.2
9	Zitha, Smangaliso	1549	RSA	F	F	+31B	+28N	+20B	+8N	−6B	4.0	18.5	18.5	9.50	1912	+16.0
10	Racaza, Sinovuyo	1667	RSA	F	F	+16N	+26B	+29N	+11B	−4N	4.0	18.0	18.0	11.00	2010	+15.2
11	Selepe, Lwazi	2055	RSA	+25N	−5B	F	+22N	+27B	−10N	+12B	4.0	17.5	17.5	9.50	1808	-25.6
12	Vermaak, Ashley Christopher	1886	RSA	+16N	+30B	=3N	−13B	+5N	−15B	−11N	3.5	23.5	25.0	11.50	1757	-18.4
13	Deysel, Kaleb	1829	RSA	F	=7B	=14N	+12N	+21B	=1B	−3N	3.5	23.5	23.5	12.00	2062	+50.8
14	Mafanya, Kulasande	1808	RSA	F	=2N	=13B	+25N	=15N	+18B	−1B	3.5	22.5	22.5	11.00	1906	+14.6
15	Mbewe, Tatenda	1644	RSA	+29B	F	−4N	+27N	=14B	+12N	−2B	3.5	20.5	20.5	8.75	1839	+32.4
16	Martin, Andrew	0	RSA	−12B	+31N	−10B	+33N	+25B	=5N	−8B	3.5	18.5	18.5	5.00	1582	0.0
17	Nkuzo, Onako	1744	RSA	+27B	−6N	+20B	−21N	+32B	−7N	=29B	3.5	16.0	16.0	5.25	1714	-7.2
18	Sibanda, Takudzwa	1806	RSA	F	−3B	+26N	+32N	+8B	−14N	−7B	3.0	18.5	18.5	6.00	1831	+0.6
19	Madlala, Nonhle	0	RSA	F	F	F	+?N	+33B	+22N	−5B	3.0	6.0	6.0	2.00	1736	0.0
20	De Lange, Jacques	0	RSA	−22B	F	−17N	+30B	−9N	+25N	=24B	2.5	15.0	15.0	4.50	1462	0.0
21	Philander, Cuwin	0	RSA	−5N	F	F	+17B	−13N	−4B	+23N	2.0	22.0	24.0	5.50	1682	0.0
22	Mafongosi, Xhanti	1689	RSA	+20N	−1B	F	−11B	+30N	−19B	F	2.0	18.5	18.5	4.00	1272	-7.2
23	Mazikana, Maxwell	1449	ZIM	−1N	F	+33B	−8N	+24B	−6N	−21B	2.0	17.5	17.5	2.00	1601	+20.0
24	Jikijela, Anisha	1635	RSA	F	−4B	=30N	−7B	−23N	+31B	=20N	2.0	17.0	18.0	3.00	1016	-37.6
25	Mzizi, Olwethu	1442	RSA	−11B	F	+29N	−14B	−16N	−20B	+30N	2.0	16.5	16.5	3.00	1025	-3.6
26	FIDE 534011595	0	—	−8N	F	−18B	−10N	+34B	+28N	−27B	2.0	15.0	15.0	2.00	983	0.0
27	Naicker, Kresen	0	RSA	−17N	F	F	−15B	−11N	+?B	+26N	2.0	13.0	13.0	2.00	1535	0.0
28	FIDE 534000895	0	—	F	F	F	−9B	+?N	−26B	+?N	2.0	8.0	8.0	0.00	1617	0.0
29	Dlovashe, Akhanyile	0	RSA	−15N	F	−25B	+?N	−10B	F	=17N	1.5	13.0	13.0	1.75	1479	0.0
30	Jezile, Aphelele	0	RSA	F	−12N	=24B	−20N	−22B	+33N	−25B	1.5	12.0	12.0	1.00	1341	0.0
31	FIDE 534042334	0	—	F	−16B	−9N	F	−?B	−24N	+33B	1.0	9.5	9.5	0.00	750	0.0
32	Mpitikezi, Thembelani	1420	RSA	−4N	F	F	−18B	−17N	F	F	0.0	17.0	17.0	0.00	990	-12.0
33	FIDE 534019464	0	—	F	−8B	−23N	−16B	−19N	−30B	−31N	0.0	15.0	15.0	0.00	862	0.0
34	FIDE 534047115	0	—	F	F	F	−?B	−26N	F	−?N	0.0	8.0	8.0	0.00	734	0.0
35	FIDE 534017917	0	—	F	F	F	−?N	−?B	−?B	F	0.0	2.0	2.0	0.00	771	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Deysel, KalebRSA
+50.8
3.5 pts · #9
2Mbewe, TatendaRSA
+32.4
3.5 pts · #17
3Chang, SamuelRSA
+24.8
4.0 pts · #18

Top rating losers

1Jikijela, AnishaRSA
-37.6
2.0 pts · #31
2Mankga, ThabangRSA
-31.2
4.0 pts · #19
3Selepe, LwaziRSA
-25.6
4.0 pts · #8

Biggest upsets

R6+388 Elo gap
Racaza, Sinovuyo1667 beat Selepe, Lwazi2055
R6+327 Elo gap
Zitha, Smangaliso1549 beat Mankga, Thabang1876
R2+273 Elo gap
Chang, Samuel1782 beat Selepe, Lwazi2055