2025 CBL & NUL Open Chess Championship
Open SwissStandard
43 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 08 Nov 2025 to 09 Nov 2025 in Maseru, Lesotho. 7 titled players from 2 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 1807, and top seed was Lebajoa Tsephe (🇱🇸 LES, CM, 1950).
Lebajoa Tsephe (🇱🇸 LES, CM, 1950) won with 6.0/7, ahead of Karabo Mokete (5.5) and George Mahommed (5.0). Tsephe shared the lead from round 6 and broke clear in the final round.
The biggest upset came in round 5: Refuoe Ramakabane (1558) beat Bonolo Ntsielo (WCM, 1824), a +266-point gap.
Location
🇱🇸Maseru, Lesotho
Dates
08 Nov 2025 → 09 Nov 2025
Time control
Standard: 60 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1
System
Swiss · 7 rounds
Titled players · 7
CM×5
WFM×1
WCM×1
Federations · 2 represented
🇱🇸Lesotho×36
🇪🇸Spain×1
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 7 roundsCM Lebajoa Tsephe led from R7; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.
Co-leaders
18
7
2
1
1
2
1
R5 · LEADER CHANGE09 Nov
George Mahommed takes the sole lead (4.5/5).
WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers
CM Lebajoa Tsephe 4 wins (R4–R7)CM Karabo Mokete 3 wins (R2–R4)
Key matchups · top 4
Head-to-head between the four finishers| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1CMLebajoa Tsephe | * | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2CMKarabo Mokete | — | * | — | — |
| 3CMTokelo Klaas | 0 | — | * | — |
| 4George Mahommed | 0 | — | — | * |
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tsephe, LebajoaCM | 1950 | LES | +13N | +8B | −10N | +19B | +4N | +25B | +3N | 6.0 | 25.5 | 28.0 | 24.00 | 1990 | +6.8 |
| 2 | Karabo MoketeCM | 1814 | LES | −19N | +18B | +13N | +22B | =25N | +16B | +20N | 5.5 | 20.0 | 22.5 | 18.25 | 2087 | +30.4 |
| 3 | George Mahommed | 1830 | LES | +26N | =17B | +19N | +16B | +10N | =6B | −1B | 5.0 | 25.0 | 27.5 | 17.25 | 1816 | +2.0 |
| 4 | Klaas, TokeloCM | 1856 | LES | +40B | +21N | =28B | +12N | −1B | +10B | =6N | 5.0 | 24.5 | 25.0 | 15.25 | 1841 | +1.4 |
| 5 | Joang MolapoCM | 1659 | LES | −11N | +43B | =26N | +17B | =9N | +15B | +10N | 5.0 | 22.5 | 22.5 | 15.00 | 1883 | +16.4 |
| 6 | Ramakabane, Refuoe | 1558 | LES | +37N | −10B | +42N | +18B | +20B | =3N | =4B | 5.0 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 12.50 | 1866 | +39.0 |
| 7 | Khama, Letsatsi | 1701 | LES | +14N | F | F | +31B | +19N | +17N | +11B | 5.0 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 16.50 | 2413 | +7.6 |
| 8 | Mokhameleli Mohale | 1684 | LES | +31B | −1N | =9B | +27N | =12B | =14N | +16N | 4.5 | 24.5 | 26.5 | 14.25 | 1789 | +15.6 |
| 9 | Abele Mokoma | 0 | LES | −20N | +41B | =8N | +26B | =5B | +12N | =14B | 4.5 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 13.25 | 1666 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Motlomelo, LihloelaCM | 1764 | LES | +33B | +6N | +1B | +11N | −3B | −4N | −5B | 4.0 | 30.0 | 32.0 | 17.00 | 1696 | -9.0 |
| 11 | Maluke, Lereko | 0 | LES | +5B | +27N | +20N | −10B | −16N | +21B | −7N | 4.0 | 23.5 | 26.0 | 13.50 | 1732 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Matlali Pofane | 1609 | LES | +38N | =16B | +17N | −4B | =8N | −9B | +25N | 4.0 | 23.5 | 24.5 | 11.00 | 1789 | +48.0 |
| 13 | Moketa, Lira | 1552 | LES | −1B | +31N | −2B | +36N | −14B | +32N | +23B | 4.0 | 22.5 | 23.5 | 8.00 | 1082 | -10.4 |
| 14 | Makatsa Zachia | 0 | LES | −7B | +40N | +25B | F | +13N | =8B | =9N | 4.0 | 21.5 | 22.0 | 11.50 | 1646 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Kotelo, Tlotliso | 0 | LES | −28B | +36N | −21B | +32N | +27B | −5N | +22B | 4.0 | 18.0 | 19.0 | 8.50 | 1480 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Bokang, Motsamai | 1807 | LES | +23B | =12N | +39B | −3N | +11B | −2N | −8B | 3.5 | 26.0 | 27.0 | 10.00 | 1580 | -30.4 |
| 17 | Machoba, Hlompho | 1613 | LES | +36B | =3N | −12B | −5N | +18N | −7B | +19N | 3.5 | 25.5 | 26.5 | 10.00 | 1550 | -8.8 |
| 18 | Lekau, Ramokotjo | 1707 | LES | =27B | −2N | +40B | −6N | −17B | +35N | +26B | 3.5 | 20.5 | 21.0 | 5.75 | 1509 | -25.8 |
| 19 | Batloung Lesela | 0 | LES | +2B | +39N | −3B | −1N | −7B | +31N | −17B | 3.0 | 27.0 | 28.0 | 8.50 | 1644 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Ntsielo, BonoloWCM | 1824 | LES | +9B | +25N | −11B | F | −6N | +22N | −2B | 3.0 | 24.5 | 27.0 | 10.00 | 1650 | -34.8 |
| 21 | Lieketseng, NgataneWFM | 1638 | LES | +32B | −4B | +15N | −25N | +23B | −11N | −24B | 3.0 | 21.5 | 23.5 | 9.00 | 891 | -26.0 |
| 22 | Lenyane, Tau | 1600 | LES | +42B | −28N | +23B | −2N | +33N | −20B | −15N | 3.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 5.00 | 1011 | -28.0 |
| 23 | Thabo Chaoana | 0 | LES | −16N | +38B | −22N | +37B | −21N | +29B | −13N | 3.0 | 17.0 | 18.0 | 4.50 | 1418 | 0.0 |
| 24 | Tsepo Tjamela | 1592 | LES | F | F | F | +34N | F | +33B | +21N | 3.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.00 | 2438 | +11.2 |
| 25 | Katleho Phakisi | 1626 | LES | +41N | −20B | −14N | +21B | =2B | −1N | −12B | 2.5 | 25.5 | 25.5 | 5.75 | 1618 | -5.2 |
| 26 | Pontso Makhebesela | 1453 | LES | −3B | +32N | =5B | −9N | −31N | +30B | −18N | 2.5 | 22.5 | 24.5 | 7.00 | 1608 | +26.4 |
| 27 | Mosiuoa Matata | 0 | LES | =18N | −11B | +37N | −8B | −15N | =40B | =29N | 2.5 | 19.5 | 20.0 | 4.25 | 1551 | 0.0 |
| 28 | Thabang, Mphane | 1796 | LES | +15N | +22B | =4N | F | F | F | F | 2.5 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 9.50 | 1921 | +6.6 |
| 29 | Libe, Sofonea | 1692 | LES | F | F | F | +38B | +40N | −23N | =27B | 2.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 2.75 | 2269 | +4.4 |
| 30 | Makotoko Leshoboro | 0 | LES | F | F | F | =35B | +41N | −26N | +32B | 2.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 2.75 | 653 | -27.6 |
| 31 | Khanya, Makheka | 0 | LES | −8N | −13B | +38N | −7N | +26B | −19B | −34N | 2.0 | 21.0 | 22.0 | 3.50 | 1405 | 0.0 |
| 32 | Mofihli, Matijane | 0 | LES | −21N | −26B | +43N | −15B | +37N | −13B | −30N | 2.0 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 1.00 | 760 | 0.0 |
| 33 | FIDE 21305439 | 0 | — | −10N | −37B | +41N | F | −22B | −24N | +36B | 2.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 1.00 | 852 | 0.0 |
| 34 | Lipholo Rorisang | 0 | LES | F | F | F | −24B | F | +38N | +31B | 2.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 3.00 | 792 | 0.0 |
| 35 | Tumelo Putsoa | 0 | LES | F | F | F | =30N | F | −18B | +40N | 1.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 1.75 | 1591 | 0.0 |
| 36 | FIDE 21305650 | 0 | — | −17N | −15B | +?N | −13B | F | F | −33N | 1.0 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 0.00 | 783 | 0.0 |
| 37 | Paricio Estan, Javier | 0 | ESP | −6B | +33N | −27B | −23N | −32B | F | F | 1.0 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 2.00 | 758 | 0.0 |
| 38 | FIDE 21305706 | 0 | — | −12B | −23N | −31B | −29N | F | −34B | +41B | 1.0 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 0.00 | 851 | 0.0 |
| 39 | Siyabonga Sibeko | 1718 | LES | +43N | −19B | −16N | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 0.00 | 1007 | -7.6 |
| 40 | Moorosi Thato | 1470 | LES | −4N | −14B | −18N | F | −29B | =27N | −35B | 0.5 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 1.25 | 952 | -20.4 |
| 41 | FIDE 21305668 | 0 | — | −25B | −9N | −33B | F | −30B | F | −38N | 0.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 0.00 | 811 | 0.0 |
| 42 | FIDE 21305714 | 0 | — | −22N | F | −6B | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.00 | 779 | 0.0 |
| 43 | FIDE 21305722 | 0 | — | −39B | −5N | −32B | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 0.00 | 889 | 0.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Matlali PofaneLES+48.04.0 pts · #8
- 2Ramakabane, RefuoeLES+39.05.0 pts · #6
- 3Karabo MoketeCMLES+30.45.5 pts · #1
Top rating losers
- 1Ntsielo, BonoloWCMLES-34.83.0 pts · #12
- 2Bokang, MotsamaiLES-30.43.5 pts · #21
- 3Lenyane, TauLES-28.03.0 pts · #33
Biggest upsets
- R5+266 Elo gap
- R3+186 Elo gap
- R4+149 Elo gap