Botswana chess star Phemelo Khetho was one of the only six Fide Masters (FM) in the list of the top performers yesterday at the on going Olympiad in Dresden, Germany after four rounds of play.

The list ranks 100 players according to points accumulated and is dominated by International Masters (IM) and Grand Masters (GM). Khetho is among a group of 52 players tied on three points out of four. He is ranked 59th in the list of 100 and is in line for a medal if he continues with his exploits.

By yesterday, three Africans were in the list of players with 100 percent records. Egyptian star Abdel Khaled, Ugandan Kawama Male and Adebayo Adegboyega of Nigeria have won all their games alongside IM Haznedaroglu Kivanc of Turkey, IM Amanov Mesgen of Turkmenistan, GM Lotov Valentin of Bulgaria and GM Naiditsch Arkadij of Germany. Ugandan, Kawuma Moses is not doing badly after scooping 2.5 points after three games on board four.

One of southern Africa's revered chess masters, Amon Simutowe of Zambia had 2.5 points after three games on board 1, while his feared compatriot Daniel Jere had two from three games on board two. However, another southern African, IM Aderito Pedro is not doing well.

The Angolan maestro is one of the brightest chess brains in the region but so far he has only a point after three games.

However, he can take solace from the fact his losses came against GMs from Tunisia and Russia. South African IM Watu Kobese is struggling and had only 1.5 points after three games. His compatriots Kenny Solomon and Daniel Cawdery had two points and 2.5 points respectively.

The top 10 teams after round four were Germany, Russia, Armenia, Hungary, Norway, Azerbaijan, England, Ukraine, Netherlands and India. The Botswana team had 7.5 points out of a possible 16 after four rounds and was ranked 51st on Sunday. The Botswana men's team was ranked seventh in Africa after South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Nigeria at the end of the fourth round on Sunday.

Botswana held Estonia to a draw after a win by Khetho and draws by Ignatius Njobvu and Barileng Gaealashwe. Njobvu drew with GM Kanep Meelis in board one, while Gaealashwe held IM Volodin Aleksandr in board three with Khetho overcoming IM Liiva Riho.

But against Paraguay, Botswana men could only steal half a point after Tebogo Pitlagano forced FM Kropff Ricardo to a draw. At the time of going to press, the Botswana men were scheduled to play Netherlands Antilles.