2026 BMI Lesotho Open Chess Championship-Open Section

Open SwissStandard

44 players participated in this 6-round tournament, held from 06 Feb 2026 to 08 Feb 2026 in Berea, Lesotho. 1 titled players from 4 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 1545, and top seed was Ngatane Lieketseng (🇱🇸 LES, WFM, 1590).

Katleho Mohale (🇱🇸 LES, 1561) won with 5.0/6, ahead of Tlotlisang Motlhokoa (4.5) and Refuoe Ramakabane (4.5). Mohale broke clear in the final round.

Location

🇱🇸Berea, Lesotho

Dates

06 Feb 2026 → 08 Feb 2026

Time control

Standard: 60 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 6 rounds

Top seed

🇱🇸WFMNgatane Lieketseng1590

Avg top 10

1,545

Participants

Titled players · 1

WFM×1

Federations · 4 represented

🇱🇸Lesotho×26

🇿🇦South Africa×3

🇸🇿Eswatini×1

🇪🇸Spain×1

Top 3

🥇
Katleho Mohale
🇱🇸LES·1561
5.0pts·1749perf+22.8
🥈
Tlotlisang Motlhokoa
🇱🇸LES·1515
4.5pts·1638perf+9.8
🥉
Refuoe Ramakabane
🇱🇸LES·1547
4.5pts·2312perf+27.0

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 6 rounds

Katleho Mohale led from R4; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up.

Co-leaders

Mohale5Liphoto4.5Ramakabane4.5Fako4.5Masaballa4.5Motlhokoa4.5

R4–R6 · LEAD HELD

Katleho Mohale held the sole lead from R4 through R6 without losing it.

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

Katleho Mohale 4 wins (R1–R4)Refuoe Ramakabane 4 wins (R1–R5)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Katleho Mohale	*	—	0	—
2Likopo Liphoto	—	*	—	—
3Refuoe Ramakabane	1	—	*	½
4Letsie Fako	—	—	½	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Katleho Mohale	1561	LES	+27B	+29N	+16B	+2N	−3N	+9B	5.0	18.0	20.0	15.50	1749	+22.8
2	Tlotlisang Motlhokoa	1515	LES	+30N	+19B	+8N	−1B	=4B	+13N	4.5	20.0	22.0	14.75	1638	+9.8
3	Ramakabane, Refuoe	1547	LES	+41N	+15B	+10N	F	+1B	=6N	4.5	20.0	21.0	15.75	2312	+27.0
4	Likopo Liphoto	0	LES	+39N	=9B	+20N	+13B	=2N	=5B	4.5	19.5	21.0	14.50	1609	0.0
5	Lieketseng, NgataneWFM	1590	LES	+37B	=7N	+6B	=9N	+40B	=4N	4.5	19.0	20.0	13.50	1499	-5.0
6	Fako, Letsie	0	LES	+?N	+14B	−5N	+26B	+10N	=3B	4.5	18.5	18.5	11.75	1560	0.0
7	Tsepo Masaballa	1485	LES	+38N	=5B	−13N	+17B	+36N	+8B	4.5	16.5	18.0	12.25	1588	+21.6
8	Bokang, Nthole	1442	LES	+42B	+11N	−2B	+18N	+16B	−7N	4.0	19.0	20.0	11.00	1507	+14.0
9	Tsatsi Tsepo	1513	LES	+44B	=4N	+36B	=5B	+29N	−1N	4.0	17.5	17.5	8.00	1600	+18.4
10	Kutloano Mosebo	1497	LES	+21B	+28N	−3B	+31N	−6B	+40N	4.0	16.0	17.0	8.00	747	-17.2
11	Pontso Makhebesela	1524	LES	+43N	−8B	−26N	+30B	+27N	+29B	4.0	12.0	13.0	7.00	1454	-7.6
12	Masupha Mabatha	0	LES	−13N	−?B	+34N	+28B	+?B	+36N	4.0	9.0	9.0	5.50	1509	0.0
13	Lenyane, Tau	1535	LES	+12B	=36N	+7B	−4N	+19B	−2B	3.5	20.5	22.0	12.25	1468	-11.2
14	Lempe Mokoma	1526	LES	+33B	−6N	−31B	+23N	+18B	=15N	3.5	16.0	18.0	9.75	1477	-2.8
15	Moakhi Neo	1477	LES	+18B	−3N	+33B	F	+32N	=14B	3.5	15.0	16.0	8.75	1344	-13.2
16	mota Tsele	1503	LES	+32N	+26B	−1N	+27B	−8N	F	3.0	16.0	18.0	6.00	702	-40.0
17	FIDE 21306010	0	—	=20B	−24N	+37B	−7N	+41B	=21N	3.0	15.0	16.0	5.50	1341	0.0
18	FIDE 21306044	0	—	−15N	+38B	+41N	−8B	−14N	+26B	3.0	14.5	15.5	4.50	682	0.0
19	Lediga, Tshepo	0	RSA	+40B	−2N	+28B	+?B	−13N	F	3.0	14.0	14.0	3.00	1399	0.0
20	Lintle, Molise	1582	LES	=17N	=39B	−4B	−33N	+42B	+31N	3.0	13.0	14.0	5.25	1560	-0.6
21	Mosiuoa Matata	0	LES	−10N	=41B	−39N	+37N	+31B	=17B	3.0	12.0	13.0	5.50	729	0.0
22	FIDE 21305994	0	—	F	+32B	−?N	+35B	+26N	−?B	3.0	8.0	8.0	6.00	721	0.0
23	Motloheloa, Tseliso	0	LES	F	F	+38N	−14B	+43N	+27B	3.0	8.0	8.0	4.50	726	0.0
24	Paricio Estan, Javier	0	ESP	+?N	+17B	+?N	F	F	F	3.0	7.5	7.5	3.00	1541	0.0
25	FIDE 21305781	0	—	+?N	−?B	−40N	−32B	+34N	+30B	3.0	7.0	7.0	4.00	721	0.0
26	Mabuse, Mahoete	0	LES	+?B	−16N	+11B	−6N	−22B	−18N	2.0	17.5	17.5	4.00	1539	0.0
27	Batlokoa, Lehula	0	LES	−1N	+34B	+?B	−16N	−11B	−23N	2.0	17.0	17.0	2.00	1336	0.0
28	Relebeletse, Tlaitlai	0	LES	F	−10B	−19N	−12N	+37B	+33N	2.0	16.0	17.5	3.50	697	0.0
29	Setipe Tsepo	1465	LES	+34N	−1B	+43N	F	−9B	−11N	2.0	16.0	16.0	3.00	733	-48.8
30	FIDE 21305897	0	—	−2B	−?N	+42B	−11N	+35B	−25N	2.0	14.5	14.5	3.00	723	0.0
31	Masiu, Tshiu	0	RSA	−?N	+?B	+14N	−10B	−21N	−20B	2.0	13.5	13.5	3.50	1339	0.0
32	FIDE 21306095	0	—	−16B	−22N	+?B	+25N	−15B	−?N	2.0	12.5	12.5	3.00	703	0.0
33	Bohlokwa, Machogo	0	LES	−14N	+?B	−15N	+20B	−?N	−28B	2.0	12.0	12.0	3.00	1334	0.0
34	Naidoo, Gerard Ricardo	0	RSA	−29B	−27N	−12B	+?N	−25B	+42N	2.0	12.0	12.0	1.00	665	0.0
35	FIDE 21304211	0	—	−36B	=37N	=?B	−22N	−30N	+43B	2.0	9.0	9.0	1.75	603	0.0
36	Moorosi Thato	1403	LES	+35N	=13B	−9N	F	−7B	−12B	1.5	18.0	19.5	3.75	1238	-22.4
37	Thato Lekhooana	0	LES	−5N	=35B	−17N	−21B	−28N	+?N	1.5	14.5	14.5	1.00	790	0.0
38	FIDE 21304556	0	—	−7B	−18N	−23B	−42N	+?B	=41N	1.5	12.5	12.5	0.50	685	0.0
39	Matsebula, Qiniso	1560	SWZ	−4B	=20N	+21B	F	F	F	1.5	12.0	12.0	4.50	1582	+0.6
40	FIDE 21306109	0	—	−19N	F	+25B	F	−5N	−10B	1.0	18.0	18.0	3.00	744	0.0
41	FIDE 21306001	0	—	−3B	=21N	−18B	F	−17N	=38B	1.0	15.0	15.0	2.25	747	0.0
42	FIDE 21305935	0	—	−8N	−43B	−30N	+38B	−20N	−34B	1.0	12.5	13.5	1.50	712	0.0
43	FIDE 21306028	0	—	−11B	+42N	−29B	−?N	−23B	−35N	1.0	12.0	12.0	1.00	706	0.0
44	FIDE 21306036	0	—	−9N	F	F	F	F	F	0.0	4.0	4.0	0.00	713	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Ramakabane, RefuoeLES
+27.0
4.5 pts · #3
2Katleho MohaleLES
+22.8
5.0 pts · #2
3Tsepo MasaballaLES
+21.6
4.5 pts · #6

Top rating losers

1Setipe TsepoLES
-48.8
2.0 pts · #33
2mota TseleLES
-40.0
3.0 pts · #36
3Moorosi ThatoLES
-22.4
1.5 pts · #22