CChessStats

2026 National Team Trials Final- Open Section

Open SwissStandard

8 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 13 Feb 2026 to 15 Feb 2026 in Gaborone, Botswana. 2 titled players. Top 10 Elo average was 1952, and top seed was Sebetlela Gaasite (🇧🇼 BOT, 2072).

Mothudi Mogotsi Arnold (🇧🇼 BOT, 1904) won with 4.5/7, ahead of Sebetlela Gaasite (4.5) and Mpene Thuto (4.5). Arnold shared the lead from round 6, winning on tie-break.

The biggest upset came in round 7: Blessings Motshabi (1835) beat Kgotlane Oratile (2027), a +192-point gap.

Location
🇧🇼Gaborone, Botswana
Dates
13 Feb 2026 → 15 Feb 2026
Time control
Standard: 75 minutes with 30 seconds increment from move 1
System
Swiss · 7 rounds
Top seed
🇧🇼Sebetlela Gaasite2072
Avg top 10
1,952
Participants
8
Titled players · 2
CM×2
Federations · 1 represented
🇧🇼Botswana×8
Top 3

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Tight race until R7; 3 players tied at 4.5/7, decided on Buchholz.

Co-leaders
3
1
1
1
1
2
3
23.55.57R1R2R3R4R5R6R7
Thuto4.5Arnold4.5Gaasite4.5Motshabi4Mosutha4Simon2.5
R7 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

3 players finish on 4.5/7. Arnold takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (21.5).

R1 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

CM Mpene Thuto lost to Mothudi Mogotsi Arnold (White).

R1–R3 · WIN STREAK

Sebetlela Gaasite won 3 in a row (R1–R3).

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers
Player1234
1CMMpene Thuto*
0
½
½
2Mothudi Mogotsi Arnold
1
*
½
½
3Sebetlela Gaasite
½
½
*
1
4Blessings Motshabi
½
½
0
*

Grille américaine

#PlayerEloFedR1R2R3R4R5R6R7PtsBu C1BuSBPerfΔ
1Mothudi Mogotsi Arnold1904BOT+3N=4B+6N−7N+8B=5N=2B4.521.523.515.252061+29.8
2Sebetlela Gaasite2072BOT+8B+5N+7B=3B=4N−6B=1N4.521.523.514.502037-5.4
3Mpene ThutoCM1964BOT−1B+8N=5B=2N+7B=4B+6N4.521.523.512.752053+35.2
4Mosutha, ThusoCM1999BOT+6B=1N−8B=5N=2B=3N+7B4.022.024.013.251996-0.2
5Blessings Motshabi1835BOT=7B−2B=3N=4B+6N=1B+8N4.022.024.012.002019+34.8
6Simon, Bokamoso1900BOT−4N+7N−1B=8N−5B+2N−3B2.523.525.57.501858-8.6
7Magowe Thabang1916BOT=5N−6B−2N+1B−3N=8B−4N2.024.026.07.501800-22.0
8Oratile, Kgotlane2027BOT−2N−3B+4N=6B−1N=7N−5B2.024.026.06.251784-46.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers
Top rating losers
Biggest upsets