The big duel on Sunday between Mobile and perennial champions Bonyonyo in the penultimate round produced fireworks with giants biting the dust after some heart-stopping chess. One of Botswana's most decorated players, Ignatius Njobvu of Mobile would want to forget the game against fellow giant Baone Kealoboga in a hurry after suffering a mate in 26 moves following a goof. He miscalculated Baone's strategic positioning and attempted to take the Queen by engineering a fire exchange. Instead Baone responded with a killer blow, immediately checkmating with his Queen, ending the game after just 26 moves. Another drama was witnessed in the duel between Tebogo Pitlagano of Bonyonyo and current national champion Providence Oathotse. Pitlagano, a former multiple national champion fell into a trap when Oathotse sacrificed his Queen in a deliberate move to gain the upper hand. But the time he realised what was going on, Oathotse's tricky-passed pawn was unstoppable on its way to promotion as a Queen after gaining a Knight!
Pitlagano miscalculated again while trying to pin his opponent's Queen and lost a valuable Bishop in the exchange that ensued. After this, there was no way back for Pitlagano and he lost. Mobile got two more victories against Bonyonyo when enterprising Cincky Boikanyo checkmated Polite Salani, a former member of the national team with gifted veteran John Hutcheson forcing Ofentse Molale to resign in a game of former national champions. The game between Botswana's top chesswomen, Tshepiso Lopang of Mobile and Bonyonyo's Boikhutso Mudongo did not disappoint either. However, Lopang ran out of time and Mudongo snatched the point. *More drama was to follow in the last round in the fixture between Poisonous Snakes and Delta Pawns. Poisonous Snakes fielded the formidable Phemelo Khetho, veterans Keabetswe Phiri, Mosenya Ndawana, Zimbabwean International Master, Kudzanai Mamombe, and top woman player Keitumetse Mokgacha. Young Gomolemo Rongwane caused a shock in the round when he outwitted Khetho after 34 moves as Mamombe struggled mightily before escaping with a thrilling draw against another youth Puso Mabethu. Mamombe averted looming disaster when he contrived to fork the youngster's only remaining big piece, the Bishop. The Zimbabwean master should have had it easy after this but Mabethu responded with a flurry of pawns from the side, all threatening to crown. This forced Mamombe to trade his only big piece on the board, the Knight for one of the pawns.
