Dejun Sun Crowned 2026 Gold Coast Chess Club Champion

Final Results & Prizes

After seven rounds of fighting chess at Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, Dejun Sun claimed the 2026 Gold Coast Chess Club Championship with 5.5/7, taking home the $225 first prize.

🥇 1st – Dejun Sun: 5.5/7 — $225

🥈 2nd – Luka Hart: 5/7 — $112.50

🥉 3rd – Peter Lucas: 5/7 — $112.50

With Luka and Peter finishing level on points, the combined second and third place prizes were split evenly between them.

In the Under 1200 rating group,

Ryan Lo and Joshua O'Donnell each claimed $75,

while Siyoung Choi secured the Unrated Prize, earning a free Gold Coast Chess Club membership.

A Championship Full of Twists

Sun set the pace early with a brilliant 5/5 start, including a win over top seed Adam Vagg, and looked to be running away with the title. That changed in Round 6 when Luka Hart defeated Sun, throwing the championship wide open heading into the final night.

With Peter Lucas also still in contention, everything came down to Round 7. Hart's title charge was halted by a strong performance from Oleg Kitikov, while Sun secured the draw he needed against Lucas to finish half a point clear and take the championship.

There were also strong performances throughout the field, including Marek Breeden recovering from 0/3 to win his final four games, and 911-rated Ryan Lo scoring 3.5/7 against a much higher-rated field.

More Championship Chess Ahead

The classical championship may be over, but our 2026 Championship season is far from finished. Next up are the Gold Coast Chess Club Allegro Championship and Blitz Championship, giving players another chance to compete for club titles in faster time controls.

Both events are open to new and experienced players alike, with full details and registration available on the Gold Coast Chess Club website.

We hope to see you across the board!