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

Top seed

🇱🇸CMLebajoa Tsephe1950

Avg top 10

1,807

Participants

Titled players · 7

CM×5

WFM×1

WCM×1

Federations · 2 represented

🇱🇸Lesotho×36

🇪🇸Spain×1

Top 3

🥇
CMLebajoa Tsephe
🇱🇸LES·1950
6.0pts·1990perf+6.8
🥈
CMKarabo Mokete
🇱🇸LES·1814
5.5pts·2087perf+30.4
🥉
George Mahommed
🇱🇸LES·1830
5.0pts·1816perf+2.0

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

CM Lebajoa Tsephe led from R7; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.

Co-leaders

Tsephe6Mokete5.5Klaas5Mahommed5Ramakabane5Molapo5— ex-leaders:Motlomeloled R4, #11

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
+48.0
4.0 pts · #8
2Ramakabane, RefuoeLES
+39.0
5.0 pts · #6
3Karabo MoketeCMLES
+30.4
5.5 pts · #1

Top rating losers

1Ntsielo, BonoloWCMLES
-34.8
3.0 pts · #12
2Bokang, MotsamaiLES
-30.4
3.5 pts · #21
3Lenyane, TauLES
-28.0
3.0 pts · #33

Biggest upsets

R5+266 Elo gap
Ramakabane, Refuoe1558 beat WCMNtsielo, Bonolo1824
R3+186 Elo gap
CMMotlomelo, Lihloela1764 beat CMTsephe, Lebajoa1950
R4+149 Elo gap
Ramakabane, Refuoe1558 beat Lekau, Ramokotjo1707