With an Elo rating of 2452, Haowen Xue started the Arona Open in Tenerife as the 29th seed, behind 26 grandmasters and 2 international masters. But that didn't stop him from winning the event with 8 points from 10 games and an Elo performance of 2677.
In the penultimate round, he scored an important win against Lithuanian GM Titas Stremavicius.
The 16-year-old Chinese player is still untitled, but has already achieved a number of remarkable results in his career. For example, he won gold with the Chinese team at the 2023 World U16 Team Championship in Eindhoven with 7 points from 9 games (+5, =4) on the top board.
However, his eighth place at the strong Dubai Open 2023 attracted even more attention, not least because Xue won a spectacular game against Hans Niemann.
The 15-year-old Shreyas Royal, who finished second at the Arona Open, also caused a stir. Royal was born on 9 January 2009 and is England's youngest International Master. He made his first GM norm in November 2022 at the Tegernsee Open in Germany, which was also a record, as no English player of that age had ever made a GM norm.

On his way to the Grandmaster title: Shreyas Royal | Photo: Olympics.com
In December 2023 Royal made his second GM norm at the London Chess Classic, but with an Elo performance of 2575, Royal narrowly missed his third norm in Tenerife, though he still has a good chance of becoming the youngest English grandmaster of all time. This record has been held for over 17 years by David Howell, who became grandmaster at the Rilton Cup in Stockholm in 2007 at the age of 16.
Final standings Arona Open
Rk. |
Snr |
|
|
Name |
Country |
Elo |
Pts. |
Tb1 |
Tb2 |
Tb3 |
1 |
29 |
|
|
Xue, Haowen |
CHN |
2452 |
8 |
1 |
2691 |
60 |
2 |
24 |
|
IM |
Royal, Shreyas |
ENG |
2483 |
7,5 |
1 |
2526 |
54,5 |
3 |
27 |
|
IM |
Zhao, Yuanhe |
CHN |
2463 |
7,5 |
2 |
2563 |
56 |
4 |
5 |
|
GM |
Gorshtein, Ido |
ISR |
2563 |
7 |
1 |
2608 |
59 |
5 |
8 |
|
GM |
Sankalp, Gupta |
IND |
2552 |
7 |
1 |
2594 |
57,5 |
6 |
1 |
|
GM |
Pichot, Alan |
ESP |
2640 |
7 |
1 |
2593 |
59 |
7 |
4 |
|
GM |
Gupta, Abhijeet |
IND |
2589 |
7 |
1 |
2552 |
55 |
8 |
10 |
|
GM |
Stremavicius, Titas |
LTU |
2538 |
7 |
1 |
2538 |
56,5 |
9 |
15 |
|
GM |
Kantor, Gergely |
HUN |
2528 |
7 |
1 |
2523 |
56 |
10 |
13 |
|
GM |
Sosa, Tomas |
ARG |
2535 |
7 |
1 |
2499 |
54,5 |
11 |
3 |
|
GM |
Kazakouski, Valery |
LTU |
2603 |
7 |
1 |
2471 |
55,5 |
12 |
2 |
|
GM |
Albornoz Cabrera, Carlos Daniel |
CUB |
2614 |
7 |
1 |
2465 |
51,5 |
13 |
78 |
|
|
Rappazzo, Johannes |
SUI |
2169 |
7 |
1 |
2331 |
49,5 |
14 |
17 |
|
GM |
Raja, Rithvik R |
IND |
2511 |
7 |
3 |
2455 |
53,5 |
15 |
19 |
|
GM |
Lalit, Babu M R |
IND |
2509 |
7 |
3 |
2394 |
51 |
16 |
21 |
|
GM |
David, Alberto |
ITA |
2502 |
6,5 |
1 |
2567 |
60,5 |
17 |
26 |
|
GM |
Bilguun, Sumiya |
MGL |
2466 |
6,5 |
1 |
2516 |
56,5 |
18 |
6 |
|
GM |
Peralta, Fernando |
ARG |
2562 |
6,5 |
1 |
2494 |
55,5 |
19 |
7 |
|
GM |
Socko, Bartosz |
POL |
2556 |
6,5 |
1 |
2483 |
56,5 |
20 |
54 |
|
FM |
O`gorman, Tom |
IRL |
2337 |
6,5 |
1 |
2413 |
56,5 |
21 |
23 |
|
GM |
Pakleza, Zbigniew |
POL |
2489 |
6,5 |
1 |
2402 |
52,5 |
22 |
32 |
|
GM |
Prraneeth, Vuppala |
IND |
2436 |
6,5 |
1 |
2398 |
53,5 |
23 |
16 |
|
GM |
Blohberger, Felix |
AUT |
2527 |
6,5 |
1 |
2378 |
51,5 |
24 |
22 |
|
GM |
Quparadze, Giga |
GEO |
2494 |
6,5 |
1 |
2299 |
48 |
25 |
12 |
|
GM |
Pantsulaia, Levan |
GEO |
2535 |
6,5 |
2 |
2460 |
54 |
26 |
11 |
|
GM |
Krysa, Leandro |
ARG |
2535 |
6,5 |
2 |
2452 |
55,5 |
27 |
36 |
|
IM |
Dhulipalla, Bala Chandra Prasad |
IND |
2420 |
6,5 |
2 |
2406 |
54,5 |
28 |
20 |
|
GM |
Paichadze, Luka |
GEO |
2504 |
6 |
1 |
2519 |
59 |
...157 participants
Games
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.Ba4 a6 5.c4 Ngf6 6.0-0 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.d3 0-0 9.h3 b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Rab1 Rac8 13.Bh6 Rfd8 14.Bxg7 14.Nh4 b5 15.cxb5 axb5 16.Bxb5 d5 17.Rbe1 14...Kxg7 15.Nh2 Ne5 15...b5= 16.Bc2 16.cxb5 d5= 16...Nf8 16.f4± Nc6 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.f5 b5 19.Rbe1 Rb8 20.Rf3 bxc4 21.dxc4 Qb7 21...Qd7± 22.b3 Ng8 22.b3!+- 22.fxg6 Qxb2 22...Bxe4? 23.Nxe4 Qxb2 24.Qxb2+- 23.Qf4 fxg6= 22...Nxe4? 22...Bxe4 23.Nxe4 Nxe4 24.Qb2+ f6 25.fxg6 25.Qe2 gxf5 26.Rxf5 Ng5± 22...Rf8 23.Nd5 Ng8 24.Qb2+ f6 23.Nxe4 Bxe4 24.f6+! Kh8 25.fxe7 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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Pichot,A | 2640 | Rappazzo,J | 2169 | 1–0 | 2024 | B51 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.1 |
Mamani Beltran,D | 2162 | Albornoz Cabrera,C | 2614 | ½–½ | 2024 | B23 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.2 |
Kazakouski,V | 2603 | Rempe,J | 2161 | ½–½ | 2024 | E71 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.3 |
Cacciola,A | 2159 | Gupta,A | 2589 | 0–1 | 2024 | B66 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.4 |
Gorshtein,I | 2563 | Gruzman,I | 2149 | 1–0 | 2024 | E16 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.5 |
Hernandez Leon,S | 2144 | Peralta,F | 2562 | 0–1 | 2024 | C01 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.6 |
Socko,B | 2556 | Vega Gutierrez,B | 2135 | 1–0 | 2024 | D77 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.7 |
Prudhvi Kumar V | 2102 | Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | 0–1 | 2024 | A47 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.8 |
Erdos,V | 2539 | Narva,T | 2079 | 1–0 | 2024 | D43 | Arona Festival 2024 | 1.9 |
Yip,C | 2402 | Pichot,A | 2640 | ½–½ | 2024 | C45 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.1 |
Gupta,A | 2589 | Barria Santos,J | 2410 | 1–0 | 2024 | E90 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.2 |
Kulon,K | 2380 | Gorshtein,I | 2563 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.3 |
Peralta,F | 2562 | Kochavi,O | 2394 | 1–0 | 2024 | E41 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.4 |
Garcia Blanco,O | 2365 | Socko,B | 2556 | 0–1 | 2024 | C11 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.5 |
Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | Vega Gutierrez,S | 2368 | ½–½ | 2024 | D41 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.6 |
Savitha Shri B | 2356 | Erdos,V | 2539 | 0–1 | 2024 | B28 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.7 |
Stremavicius,T | 2538 | Khayrullin,D | 2359 | ½–½ | 2024 | A20 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.8 |
Ortega Hermida,D | 2351 | Krysa,L | 2535 | 0–1 | 2024 | C77 | Arona Festival 2024 | 2.9 |
Bilguun,S | 2466 | Gupta,A | 2589 | 1–0 | 2024 | B23 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.1 |
Tsolakidou,S | 2421 | Peralta,F | 2562 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.2 |
Socko,B | 2556 | Xue,H | 2452 | ½–½ | 2024 | B13 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.3 |
Erdos,V | 2539 | Omelja,A | 2435 | ½–½ | 2024 | A17 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.4 |
Krysa,L | 2535 | Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad | 2420 | ½–½ | 2024 | E04 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.5 |
Sosa,T | 2535 | Van der Lende,I | 2415 | 1–0 | 2024 | C04 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.6 |
Paichadze,L | 2504 | Baenziger,F | 2410 | ½–½ | 2024 | C02 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.7 |
O`Gorman,T | 2337 | David,A | 2502 | ½–½ | 2024 | E27 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.8 |
Royal,S | 2483 | Ritviz,P | 2334 | 0–1 | 2024 | E11 | Arona Festival 2024 | 3.9 |
Ritviz,P | 2334 | Sosa,T | 2535 | ½–½ | 2024 | C16 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.1 |
Pichot,A | 2640 | Bilguun,S | 2466 | 1–0 | 2024 | B41 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.2 |
Samant Aditya S | 2469 | Kazakouski,V | 2603 | ½–½ | 2024 | C64 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.3 |
Xue,H | 2452 | Gorshtein,I | 2563 | ½–½ | 2024 | A37 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.4 |
Peralta,F | 2562 | Kovchan,A | 2455 | 1–0 | 2024 | D36 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.5 |
Omelja,A | 2435 | Socko,B | 2556 | ½–½ | 2024 | E18 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.6 |
Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | Admiraal,M | 2451 | 1–0 | 2024 | B11 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.7 |
Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad | 2420 | Erdos,V | 2539 | ½–½ | 2024 | | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.8 |
Socko,M | 2416 | Krysa,L | 2535 | ½–½ | 2024 | D02 | Arona Festival 2024 | 4.9 |
Kantor,G | 2528 | Pichot,A | 2640 | ½–½ | 2024 | D37 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.1 |
Paichadze,L | 2504 | Peralta,F | 2562 | 1–0 | 2024 | C02 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.2 |
David,A | 2502 | Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | ½–½ | 2024 | B13 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.3 |
Sosa,T | 2535 | Baenziger,F | 2410 | ½–½ | 2024 | C07 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.4 |
Kazakouski,V | 2603 | Ritviz,P | 2334 | 1–0 | 2024 | A27 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.5 |
Prraneeth Vuppala | 2436 | Gupta,A | 2589 | 0–1 | 2024 | B92 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.6 |
Gorshtein,I | 2563 | Omelja,A | 2435 | 1–0 | 2024 | D58 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.7 |
Socko,B | 2556 | Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad | 2420 | ½–½ | 2024 | C45 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.8 |
Erdos,V | 2539 | Socko,M | 2416 | ½–½ | 2024 | D38 | Arona Festival 2024 | 5.9 |
Gorshtein,I | 2563 | Paichadze,L | 2504 | 1–0 | 2024 | E11 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.1 |
Pichot,A | 2640 | Sosa,T | 2535 | ½–½ | 2024 | C84 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.2 |
Xue,H | 2452 | Kazakouski,V | 2603 | 1–0 | 2024 | A13 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.3 |
Gupta,A | 2589 | David,A | 2502 | 0–1 | 2024 | E12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.4 |
Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | Kantor,G | 2528 | 1–0 | 2024 | C54 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.5 |
Stremavicius,T | 2538 | Goutham Krishna H | 2324 | ½–½ | 2024 | B07 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.6 |
Baenziger,F | 2410 | Krysa,L | 2535 | ½–½ | 2024 | E01 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.7 |
Peralta,F | 2562 | Admiraal,M | 2451 | 1–0 | 2024 | D40 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.8 |
Tsolakidou,S | 2421 | Socko,B | 2556 | ½–½ | 2024 | C72 | Arona Festival 2024 | 6.9 |
David,A | 2502 | Gorshtein,I | 2563 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.1 |
Xue,H | 2452 | Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | 1–0 | 2024 | A29 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.2 |
Paichadze,L | 2504 | Pichot,A | 2640 | ½–½ | 2024 | B53 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.3 |
Goutham Krishna H | 2324 | Peralta,F | 2562 | ½–½ | 2024 | A08 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.4 |
Kochavi,O | 2394 | Stremavicius,T | 2538 | ½–½ | 2024 | C70 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.5 |
Krysa,L | 2535 | Zhao,Y | 2463 | 0–1 | 2024 | E71 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.6 |
Sosa,T | 2535 | Ayush Sharma | 2325 | ½–½ | 2024 | B22 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.7 |
Bilguun,S | 2466 | Baenziger,F | 2410 | ½–½ | 2024 | C07 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.8 |
Kuegel,T | 2416 | Albornoz Cabrera,C | 2614 | ½–½ | 2024 | B55 | Arona Festival 2024 | 7.9 |
David,A | 2502 | Xue,H | 2452 | ½–½ | 2024 | B30 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.1 |
Zhao,Y | 2463 | Gorshtein,I | 2563 | ½–½ | 2024 | A38 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.2 |
Pichot,A | 2640 | Royal,S | 2483 | 0–1 | 2024 | C55 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.3 |
Omelja,A | 2435 | Kazakouski,V | 2603 | 0–1 | 2024 | A46 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.4 |
Peralta,F | 2562 | Bilguun,S | 2466 | ½–½ | 2024 | D31 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.5 |
Samant Aditya S | 2469 | Socko,B | 2556 | ½–½ | 2024 | C42 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.6 |
Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | Paichadze,L | 2504 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.7 |
Stremavicius,T | 2538 | Prraneeth Vuppala | 2436 | 1–0 | 2024 | D37 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.8 |
Pantsulaia,L | 2535 | Kochavi,O | 2394 | ½–½ | 2024 | E17 | Arona Festival 2024 | 8.9 |
Xue,H | 2452 | Stremavicius,T | 2538 | 1–0 | 2024 | E05 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.1 |
Kazakouski,V | 2603 | David,A | 2502 | ½–½ | 2024 | B48 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.2 |
Gorshtein,I | 2563 | Royal,S | 2483 | ½–½ | 2024 | A16 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.3 |
Balakrishnan,P | 2510 | Zhao,Y | 2463 | 0–1 | 2024 | D90 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.4 |
Paichadze,L | 2504 | Albornoz Cabrera,C | 2614 | ½–½ | 2024 | B53 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.5 |
Raja Rithvik R | 2511 | Peralta,F | 2562 | ½–½ | 2024 | A14 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.6 |
Socko,B | 2556 | Martinez Ramirez,L | 2449 | 1–0 | 2024 | D78 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.7 |
Bilguun,S | 2466 | Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | ½–½ | 2024 | B30 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.8 |
Goutham Krishna H | 2324 | Pantsulaia,L | 2535 | ½–½ | 2024 | A40 | Arona Festival 2024 | 9.9 |
Zhao,Y | 2463 | Xue,H | 2452 | ½–½ | 2024 | A13 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.1 |
Sosa,T | 2535 | Kazakouski,V | 2603 | ½–½ | 2024 | B53 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.2 |
Gorshtein,I | 2563 | Kantor,G | 2528 | ½–½ | 2024 | A22 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.3 |
Royal,S | 2483 | Socko,B | 2556 | 1–0 | 2024 | E11 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.4 |
Albornoz Cabrera,C | 2614 | David,A | 2502 | 1–0 | 2024 | B12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.5 |
Socko,M | 2416 | Pichot,A | 2640 | 0–1 | 2024 | E91 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.6 |
Gupta,A | 2589 | Goutham Krishna H | 2324 | 1–0 | 2024 | E73 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.7 |
Peralta,F | 2562 | Prraneeth Vuppala | 2436 | ½–½ | 2024 | D27 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.8 |
Sankalp Gupta | 2552 | Kochavi,O | 2394 | 1–0 | 2024 | B12 | Arona Festival 2024 | 10.9 |
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