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
Federations · 3 represented
🇧🇼Botswana×37
🇿🇦South Africa×2
🇿🇼Zimbabwe×1
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 7 roundsManyenyengwa 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
20
11
3
2
1
1
1
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+41.24.5 pts · #10
- 2Oabile RomeoBOT+40.04.5 pts · #17
- 3Manyenyengwa KaraboBOT+33.86.0 pts · #1
Top rating losers
- 1Pande MunasheBOT-57.22.0 pts · #49
- 2Nophaus SoleBOT-44.43.0 pts · #32
- 3Makhuwa, BothoBOT-37.22.5 pts · #44
Biggest upsets
- R1+130 Elo gap
- R1+121 Elo gap