…as Lesotho teams face mixed fortunes in Samarkand
Leemisa Thuseho
Lesotho chess veteran, Tokelo Klaas, remains optimistic that the national Open team can finish strongly at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, despite a difficult start that has left the side with four points after six rounds.
Lesotho is competing in both the Open and Women’s sections of the biennial tournament, organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The competition began on 15 September and ends on 28 September 2026.
In the Open section, Lesotho began its campaign with a 4–0 defeat to Vietnam before recovering to record a 4–0 victory over Greenland in the second round.
The team suffered another 4–0 loss to Yemen in the third round, then drew 2–2 with Malta in the fourth. Lesotho went on to lose 3–1 to Cape Verde in the fifth round before drawing 2–2 with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the sixth.
With five rounds remaining, the team has collected four points.
Klaas, who is making his fifth appearance at the Olympiad, believes the side can at least match – and potentially better – the eight points it earned at the previous edition in Budapest in 2024. Lesotho finished 146th out of 188 countries in the Open section in Budapest.
“It is tough, but we are pushing,” Klaas told the Lesotho Times from Uzbekistan this week.
“Our performance has not been as good as I had hoped, but I am confident that we can at least match the eight points we earned at the previous Olympiad.
“At the moment, we have four points and still have five rounds left. I believe we can collect more points.”
Klaas previously represented Lesotho at the Chess Olympiads in Norway in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016, Georgia in 2018 and India in 2022. He missed the 2024 tournament in Budapest.
He said the current squad had prepared well and was better equipped to compete against stronger opponents after players improved their respective ratings before the tournament.
“Coming into this tournament, we had improved our ratings, which enabled us to compete with stronger nations and stronger opponents. I think we were well prepared.
“One thing that makes me happy is the performance of the young players in the squad.”
The Open team also includes Lesotho’s top-ranked player, Tshephe Lebajoa, Bokang Motsamai, George Mohammed and Karabo Mokete.
Meanwhile, the women’s team has also recorded mixed results in its opening six rounds.
Lesotho began with a 4–0 defeat to Belarus but responded with a 4–0 victory over Bhutan in the second round. The team then lost 4–0 to Sri Lanka in the third round before beating São Tomé and Príncipe 3–1 in the fourth.
In the fifth round, Lesotho drew 2–2 with Panama before losing 4–0 to South Africa in the sixth.
The women’s team comprises Lieketseng Ngatane, Naleli Teeke, Bonolo Ntsielo, Boitumelo Sethabathaba and Pontšo Makhabesela.
