2025 Botash Chess Championships- Open Section
Open SwissStandard
47 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 28 Nov 2025 to 30 Nov 2025 in Sowa Town, Botswana. 5 titled players from 3 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2013, and top seed was Spencer Masango (🇿🇼 ZIM, 2143).
Keletshabile Monnaatsheko (🇧🇼 BOT, 2050) won with 6.0/7, ahead of Spencer Masango (5.5) and Motunge Gaolathe (5.5). Monnaatsheko shared the lead from round 6 and broke clear in the final round.
The biggest upset came in round 5: Magetse Usher (1556) beat Baone Kealeboga (1926), a +370-point gap.
Location
🇧🇼Sowa Town, Botswana
Dates
28 Nov 2025 → 30 Nov 2025
Time control
Standard: All Moves in 60 Min. 05 Sec. / /
System
Swiss · 7 rounds
Titled players · 5
FM×1
CM×4
Federations · 3 represented
🇧🇼Botswana×39
🇿🇲Zambia×2
🇿🇼Zimbabwe×2
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 7 roundsKeletshabile Monnaatsheko led from R4; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.
Co-leaders
18
7
2
1
1
3
1
R5 · LEADER CHANGE30 Nov
Tuombe Maximillian takes the sole lead (4.5/5).
WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers
Keletshabile Monnaatsheko 4 wins (R1–R4)Spencer Masango 3 wins (R5–R7)
R4 · LATE SURGE
Spencer Masango was #11 at R4, climbed to #2 over the final stretch.
Key matchups · top 4
Head-to-head between the four finishers| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Keletshabile Monnaatsheko | * | — | — | 1 |
| 2Spencer Masango | — | * | 0 | — |
| 3Motunge Gaolathe | — | 1 | * | 0 |
| 4Kabaso Bwalya | 0 | — | 1 | * |
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monnaatsheko, Keletshabile | 2050 | BOT | +25N | +7B | +5N | +21B | −4N | +14B | +6N | 6.0 | 27.5 | 30.5 | 25.50 | 2193 | +21.6 |
| 2 | Masango, Spencer | 2143 | ZIM | +13B | =9N | +18B | −3N | +11B | +19N | +4N | 5.5 | 27.0 | 31.0 | 23.25 | 2115 | -3.6 |
| 3 | Motunge Gaolathe | 1905 | BOT | +41N | +45B | =4N | +2B | −6N | +12B | +22B | 5.5 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 17.00 | 2144 | +38.8 |
| 4 | Tuombe Maximillian | 1992 | ZAM | +47B | +35N | =3B | +9N | +1B | =22N | −2B | 5.0 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 17.50 | 2100 | +34.4 |
| 5 | Oratile, Kgotlane | 1983 | BOT | +24B | +29N | −1B | −11N | +9B | +13N | +17B | 5.0 | 25.5 | 28.5 | 18.50 | 2002 | +5.2 |
| 6 | Kabaso Bwalya | 2026 | ZAM | F | +11N | +13B | +24N | +3B | +29N | −1B | 5.0 | 25.5 | 27.5 | 19.50 | 2121 | +13.8 |
| 7 | Simon, Bokamoso | 1876 | BOT | +46B | −1N | +38B | −15N | +28B | +27N | +29B | 5.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 11.00 | 1908 | +9.4 |
| 8 | Mpene ThutoCM | 1961 | BOT | +38N | +37B | =22B | −16N | =10B | +36N | +11B | 5.0 | 20.0 | 22.0 | 14.00 | 1975 | +12.9 |
| 9 | Magowe Thabang | 1873 | BOT | +30N | =2B | +36N | −4B | −5N | +25B | +21N | 4.5 | 25.0 | 27.0 | 14.25 | 1942 | +12.4 |
| 10 | Bayani, Kuda | 1926 | BOT | +26N | =36B | −12N | +42B | =8N | =21B | +23N | 4.5 | 21.0 | 22.0 | 12.75 | 1841 | -8.8 |
| 11 | Mothudi Mogotsi Arnold | 1839 | BOT | +33N | −6B | +31N | +5B | −2N | +15B | −8N | 4.0 | 27.5 | 30.5 | 15.00 | 1934 | +19.2 |
| 12 | Notha, MoakofiCM | 1984 | BOT | +32B | =18N | +10B | =22N | −19B | −3N | +24B | 4.0 | 24.5 | 27.5 | 14.25 | 1909 | -11.6 |
| 13 | Oabile Romeo | 1786 | BOT | −2N | +30B | −6N | +33B | +34N | −5B | +26N | 4.0 | 24.5 | 27.5 | 12.00 | 1777 | -6.4 |
| 14 | Darius Patlo Banda | 1686 | BOT | −15B | +43N | +35B | +20N | +16B | −1N | −19B | 4.0 | 24.5 | 25.5 | 11.50 | 1960 | +78.4 |
| 15 | Machobane, Moemedi | 1983 | BOT | +14N | +17B | −21N | +7B | −29B | −11N | +38B | 4.0 | 23.5 | 25.5 | 15.00 | 1841 | -23.0 |
| 16 | Olebile, ThatoFM | 1990 | BOT | +23N | −21B | +25N | +8B | −14N | −17B | +37N | 4.0 | 23.0 | 25.0 | 13.50 | 1853 | -22.8 |
| 17 | Motshabi, Boikobo | 1847 | BOT | +43B | −15N | +27B | −19N | +24B | +16N | −5N | 4.0 | 23.0 | 24.0 | 11.00 | 1844 | -0.6 |
| 18 | Lesole, Pudungwane | 1850 | BOT | +27N | =12B | −2N | −25B | =26N | +30B | +36B | 4.0 | 21.5 | 23.5 | 11.50 | 1734 | -15.2 |
| 19 | Mosenya, NdawanaCM | 1947 | BOT | F | F | +37N | +17B | +12N | −2B | +14N | 4.0 | 20.5 | 21.5 | 14.00 | 2127 | +22.2 |
| 20 | Kealeboga, Baone | 1926 | BOT | F | +26B | +28N | −14B | −36N | +31B | +25N | 4.0 | 18.0 | 20.0 | 12.00 | 1772 | -18.8 |
| 21 | Kitso Innocent Kgosietsile | 1860 | BOT | +42B | +16N | +15B | −1N | −22B | =10N | −9B | 3.5 | 26.5 | 27.5 | 11.25 | 1909 | +10.6 |
| 22 | Mosutha, ThusoCM | 2013 | BOT | F | +40B | =8N | =12B | +21N | =4B | −3N | 3.5 | 26.0 | 27.5 | 12.00 | 1986 | -3.6 |
| 23 | Ndiweni Sidingilizwe | 1716 | ZIM | −16B | =42N | −24B | +45N | +40N | +35B | −10B | 3.5 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 4.50 | 1753 | +8.8 |
| 24 | Nophaus Sole | 1677 | BOT | −5N | +33B | +23N | −6B | −17N | +34B | −12N | 3.0 | 24.5 | 27.5 | 9.50 | 1722 | +7.2 |
| 25 | Machinya Desire | 1777 | BOT | −1B | +46N | −16B | +18N | +41B | −9N | −20B | 3.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 5.50 | 1768 | -2.0 |
| 26 | Molefe Thapelo | 1570 | BOT | −10B | −20N | +44B | =35N | =18B | +28N | −13B | 3.0 | 22.0 | 23.0 | 7.25 | 1721 | +38.4 |
| 27 | Mabe David | 0 | BOT | −18B | F | −17N | +31B | +37N | −7B | +35N | 3.0 | 21.5 | 23.5 | 7.50 | 1795 | 0.0 |
| 28 | Masaiti, Gideon | 1725 | BOT | F | +39N | −20B | +30B | −7N | −26B | +42N | 3.0 | 20.5 | 21.5 | 6.00 | 1529 | -20.4 |
| 29 | Thokojane, Bagomotsi | 1831 | BOT | F | −5B | +45N | +40B | +15N | −6B | −7N | 3.0 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 5.50 | 1873 | +5.0 |
| 30 | Dambe Lamodimo | 0 | BOT | −9B | −13N | +47B | −28N | +32B | −18N | +39B | 3.0 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 5.00 | 1546 | 0.0 |
| 31 | Pithatho Patrick | 1591 | BOT | −35B | +47N | −11B | −27N | +46B | −20N | +41B | 3.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 1.50 | 1661 | +17.6 |
| 32 | Kutlo Ditlhong | 1694 | BOT | −12N | F | F | +44B | −30N | +40B | +43N | 3.0 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 3.50 | 1928 | +22.8 |
| 33 | Nkoma Otsile Ronaldnho | 1524 | BOT | −11B | −24N | +43B | −13N | F | +47B | +45N | 3.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 1.00 | 968 | -24.8 |
| 34 | Phuthego Leruo | 0 | BOT | F | F | +39B | +38N | −13B | −24N | +46N | 3.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 4.00 | 1643 | 0.0 |
| 35 | Mugibelo Otsile | 1863 | BOT | +31N | −4B | −14N | =26B | +42N | −23N | −27B | 2.5 | 21.5 | 22.5 | 5.50 | 1620 | -73.6 |
| 36 | Magetse Usher | 1556 | BOT | F | =10N | −9B | =41N | +20B | −8B | −18N | 2.0 | 26.0 | 27.5 | 7.00 | 1721 | +36.8 |
| 37 | Ntukwa Israel Tumisang | 1776 | BOT | F | −8N | −19B | +46N | −27B | +39N | −16B | 2.0 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 2.00 | 1655 | -24.0 |
| 38 | Rankwane Cleopatra Keaobaka | 1614 | BOT | −8B | F | −7N | −34B | +47N | +45B | −15N | 2.0 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 0.00 | 1135 | -16.0 |
| 39 | FIDE 11333243 | 0 | — | −40N | −28B | −34N | +43B | +44N | −37B | −30N | 2.0 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 2.00 | 991 | 0.0 |
| 40 | Bontsi, Chazha | 1871 | BOT | +39B | −22N | =41B | −29N | −23B | −32N | F | 1.5 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 2.75 | 1394 | -107.2 |
| 41 | Seeleko Freddie | 1545 | BOT | −3B | F | =40N | =36B | −25N | =42B | −31N | 1.5 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 2.25 | 1508 | -16.4 |
| 42 | Boiketo Keitheng | 0 | BOT | −21N | =23B | F | −10N | −35B | =41N | −28B | 1.0 | 20.0 | 21.5 | 2.50 | 1499 | -12.4 |
| 43 | Maswimbo Onkabetse Betsi | 0 | BOT | −17N | −14B | −33N | −39N | F | +46B | −32B | 1.0 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 0.00 | 1409 | 0.0 |
| 44 | FIDE 11333294 | 0 | — | F | F | −26N | −32N | −39B | F | +47N | 1.0 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 0.00 | 832 | 0.0 |
| 45 | FIDE 11333332 | 0 | — | F | −3N | −29B | −23B | F | −38N | −33B | 0.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 0.00 | 918 | 0.0 |
| 46 | Seisa Onalethate Kevin | 1493 | BOT | −7N | −25B | F | −37B | −31N | −43N | −34B | 0.0 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 0.00 | 946 | -32.8 |
| 47 | FIDE 11333324 | 0 | — | −4N | −31B | −30N | F | −38B | −33N | −44B | 0.0 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 0.00 | 875 | 0.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Darius Patlo BandaBOT+78.44.0 pts · #20
- 2Motunge GaolatheBOT+38.85.5 pts · #6
- 3Molefe ThapeloBOT+38.43.0 pts · #29
Top rating losers
- 1Bontsi, ChazhaBOT-107.21.5 pts · #40
- 2Mugibelo OtsileBOT-73.62.5 pts · #22
- 3Seisa Onalethate KevinBOT-32.80.0 pts · #44
Biggest upsets
- R5+370 Elo gap
- R5+304 Elo gap
- R4+240 Elo gap