2025 Cracking Series International Chess Challenge-Section A

Open SwissStandard

52 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 18 Jul 2025 to 21 Jul 2025 in Gaborone, Botswana. 3 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1781, and top seed was Keabetswe Makwaeba (🇧🇼 BOT, 1795).

Manyenyengwa Karabo (🇧🇼 BOT, 1781) won with 6.0/7, ahead of Habulezi Joseph (5.0) and Motheo Pheto (5.0). Karabo took the lead from round 6.

The biggest upset came in round 1: Mampe Leruo (1655) beat Gothusaone Laolang (1785), a +130-point gap.

Location

🇧🇼Gaborone, Botswana

Dates

18 Jul 2025 → 21 Jul 2025

Time control

Standard: 75 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇧🇼Keabetswe Makwaeba1795

Avg top 10

1,781

Participants

Federations · 3 represented

🇧🇼Botswana×37

🇿🇦South Africa×2

🇿🇼Zimbabwe×1

Top 3

🥇
Manyenyengwa Karabo
🇧🇼BOT·1781
6.0pts·2015perf+33.8
🥈
Habulezi Joseph
🇧🇼BOT·1794
5.0pts·2025perf+33.2
🥉
Motheo Pheto
🇧🇼BOT·1768
5.0pts·1983perf+31.0

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Manyenyengwa Karabo led from R6; +1.0-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 2 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R6.

Co-leaders

Karabo6Joseph5Pheto5Katlego5Tamu5Laolang5

R6 · LEADER CHANGE21 Jul

Manyenyengwa Karabo takes the sole lead (5.5/6).

R7 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Manyenyengwa Karabo drew with Habulezi Joseph (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Manyenyengwa Karabo 3 wins (R4–R6)Habulezi Joseph 4 wins (R3–R6)Motheo Pheto 4 wins (R1–R4)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Manyenyengwa Karabo	*	½	—	—
2Habulezi Joseph	½	*	—	—
3Motheo Pheto	—	—	*	1
4Selebogo Katlego	—	—	0	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Manyenyengwa Karabo	1781	BOT	+38N	+28B	=11N	+20B	+26N	+14B	=2N	6.0	23.0	25.0	20.25	2015	+33.8
2	Habulezi Joseph	1794	BOT	F	=21N	+9B	+13N	+6B	+4N	=1B	5.0	28.5	28.5	23.75	2025	+33.2
3	Motheo Pheto	1768	BOT	+34B	+8N	+16B	+5N	−4B	+15N	F	5.0	27.0	30.0	20.50	1983	+31.0
4	Augustine Tamu	1771	BOT	+33N	+25B	+15N	+14B	+3N	−2B	−5B	5.0	26.5	29.5	19.50	1898	+24.2
5	Selebogo Katlego	1783	BOT	F	+27B	+22N	−3B	+29N	+26B	+4N	5.0	22.5	22.5	17.50	2016	+33.2
6	Gothusaone Laolang	1785	BOT	−44N	+39B	+35N	+27B	−2N	+28B	+17N	5.0	19.5	20.5	14.50	1832	+9.4
7	Blessings Motshabi	1732	BOT	−20N	+32B	+50N	−29B	+33N	+38B	+14N	5.0	18.5	18.5	12.00	1865	+13.6
8	Oabile Romeo	1674	BOT	+10N	−3B	+48N	F	+36B	+16N	=12B	4.5	24.5	25.0	13.75	1861	+40.0
9	Alexander Selemane	1683	BOT	+41N	=26B	−2N	+24B	=22N	+27B	=13N	4.5	22.5	24.0	13.50	1805	+41.2
10	Makwaeba, Keabetswe	1795	BOT	−8B	+43N	+38B	=21N	+31B	+11N	F	4.5	22.5	23.5	12.25	1847	+6.8
11	Raymond Maretlwaneng	1756	BOT	+42N	+48B	=1B	F	+25N	−10B	+23N	4.5	22.0	22.5	12.00	1758	0.0
12	Bartlett Ezra	1756	BOT	+32N	+50B	−14N	=25B	+20N	=22B	=8N	4.5	22.0	22.0	12.25	1642	-26.0
13	Machinya Desire	1767	BOT	+39N	+44B	=20N	−2B	+37B	=18N	=9B	4.5	21.0	22.0	11.00	1835	+9.6
14	Mokwena, Morwa	1788	BOT	+19B	+31N	+12B	−4N	+21B	−1N	−7B	4.0	28.0	31.0	15.00	1782	-0.8
15	Kapwe Thapelo	1753	BOT	+30B	+29N	−4B	F	+17N	−3B	+18N	4.0	25.5	28.5	14.00	1724	-3.2
16	Casmon, Mbabi	1745	BOT	+51N	+23B	−3N	−17B	+35N	−8B	+33N	4.0	22.5	22.5	9.00	1599	-20.2
17	Seitei, Tirelo	1689	BOT	F	+30N	+49B	+16N	−15B	+37N	−6B	4.0	18.5	19.0	9.50	1762	+16.4
18	Mutasa Taonaishe	0	ZIM	=?N	−24B	+23N	+44B	+40N	=13B	−15B	4.0	18.0	18.0	8.25	1715	0.0
19	Kgatla, Daniel	1664	RSA	−14N	+36B	+45N	−40B	−23N	+43B	+30N	4.0	15.5	16.5	7.50	943	-31.2
20	Nyazenga Raymond	0	BOT	+7B	+37N	=13B	−1N	−12B	−24N	+43N	3.5	25.5	26.5	10.25	1690	0.0
21	Maphepa Adrian	1726	BOT	+36N	=2B	+24N	=10B	−14N	=23B	F	3.5	24.0	26.5	12.50	1764	+4.2
22	Moses Adam	1756	BOT	+43B	+49N	−5B	=31N	=9B	=12N	F	3.5	21.5	22.0	7.50	1642	-25.6
23	Tsatsi Nathan	0	BOT	+45B	−16N	−18B	+43N	+19B	=21N	−11B	3.5	21.0	22.0	7.75	1636	0.0
24	Ramothala, Mosimanegape	0	BOT	=40B	+18N	−21B	−9N	+45N	+20B	F	3.5	20.5	21.5	9.25	1429	-17.8
25	Darius Patlo Banda	1697	BOT	+52B	−4N	+51B	=12N	−11B	+29N	F	3.5	20.5	20.5	5.25	1650	-11.2
26	Thapelo Tsebetsame	1774	BOT	+35B	=9N	+40N	F	−1B	−5N	=31B	3.0	25.5	27.0	7.75	1711	-10.2
27	Nophaus Sole	1721	BOT	+46B	−5N	+34B	−6N	+32B	−9N	F	3.0	22.5	23.5	7.00	1503	-44.4
28	Bokani Tswelelo	1699	BOT	+47B	−1N	+42B	−37N	+34B	−6N	F	3.0	20.5	21.5	5.50	1524	-36.0
29	Samuel Lini	1666	BOT	F	−15B	+44N	+7N	−5B	−25B	+38N	3.0	20.5	20.5	8.00	1710	+14.0
30	FIDE 11304529	0	—	−15N	−17B	+41N	−35B	+47N	+42B	−19B	3.0	17.5	18.5	4.00	883	0.0
31	Nkwe, Omogolo	1695	RSA	F	−14B	+46N	=22B	−10N	+40B	=26N	3.0	17.5	17.5	5.75	1690	-1.6
32	Dambe Lamodimo	0	BOT	−12B	−7N	+52B	+49N	−27N	+45B	F	3.0	17.0	17.0	1.50	936	0.0
33	Mpho Nchini	1597	BOT	−4B	+52N	−37B	+51N	−7B	+48N	−16B	3.0	16.5	16.5	0.50	954	-23.4
34	Sebabole Tumisang Trevor	1535	BOT	−3N	+41B	−27N	+46B	−28N	+51B	F	3.0	15.5	15.5	2.50	929	-30.0
35	Makhuwa, Botho	1626	BOT	−26N	F	−6B	+30N	−16B	=36N	+41B	2.5	19.0	19.0	5.75	968	-37.2
36	Othusitse Lesang	0	BOT	−21B	−19N	F	+39B	−8N	=35B	+40N	2.5	18.0	18.0	4.75	1597	0.0
37	Kebopetswe, Golekwamang	1766	BOT	F	−20B	+33N	+28B	−13N	−17B	F	2.0	21.0	21.0	6.00	1688	-8.4
38	Pande Munashe	1638	BOT	−1B	+47N	−10N	F	+48B	−7N	−29B	2.0	20.0	20.0	1.50	944	-57.2
39	Isaacs Isago	1534	BOT	−13B	−6N	+47B	−36N	F	+49B	F	2.0	16.5	16.5	1.50	976	-16.0
40	Mpuisang, Alex B	1698	BOT	=24N	F	−26B	+19N	−18B	−31N	−36B	1.5	20.0	20.0	5.75	1616	-19.2
41	FIDE 11332182	0	—	−9B	−34N	−30B	+52N	=42B	F	−35N	1.5	14.5	14.5	0.75	814	0.0
42	FIDE 11330287	0	—	−11B	F	−28N	−45B	=41N	−30N	+50B	1.5	13.0	13.0	0.75	928	0.0
43	FIDE 11332093	0	—	−22N	−10B	F	−23B	+46N	−19N	−20B	1.0	20.0	20.0	1.00	938	0.0
44	Mampe Leruo	1655	BOT	+6B	−13N	−29B	−18N	F	F	F	1.0	17.5	17.5	5.00	1614	-6.0
45	FIDE 11332166	0	—	−23N	F	−19B	+42N	−24B	−32N	−46B	1.0	16.5	16.5	1.50	871	0.0
46	FIDE 11332123	0	—	−27N	F	−31B	−34N	−43B	F	+45N	1.0	11.0	11.0	1.00	850	0.0
47	FIDE 11332140	0	—	−28N	−38B	−39N	F	−30B	F	+51N	1.0	11.0	11.0	0.00	824	0.0
48	FIDE 11332190	0	—	F	−11N	−8B	F	−38N	−33B	=49N	0.5	18.5	18.5	0.25	866	0.0
49	FIDE 11332131	0	—	F	−22B	−17N	−32B	F	−39N	=48B	0.5	13.0	13.0	0.25	860	0.0
50	FIDE 11332107	0	—	F	−12N	−7B	F	F	F	−42N	0.0	16.5	16.5	0.00	944	0.0
51	FIDE 11332174	0	—	−16B	F	−25N	−33B	F	−34N	−47B	0.0	15.5	15.5	0.00	843	0.0
52	FIDE 11332158	0	—	−25N	−33B	−32N	−41B	F	F	F	0.0	12.0	12.0	0.00	847	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Alexander SelemaneBOT
+41.2
4.5 pts · #10
2Oabile RomeoBOT
+40.0
4.5 pts · #17
3Manyenyengwa KaraboBOT
+33.8
6.0 pts · #1

Top rating losers

1Pande MunasheBOT
-57.2
2.0 pts · #49
2Nophaus SoleBOT
-44.4
3.0 pts · #32
3Makhuwa, BothoBOT
-37.2
2.5 pts · #44

Biggest upsets

R1+130 Elo gap
Mampe Leruo1655 beat Gothusaone Laolang1785
R1+121 Elo gap
Oabile Romeo1674 beat Makwaeba, Keabetswe1795