# Banele Mhango > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Banele_Mhango > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Banele_Mhango.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banele_Mhango > Source revision: 1340469507 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|South African chess player (born 2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Use South African English|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox chess player |image= |imagesize= |caption=Mhango in 2019 |birthname=Banele Fortune Mhango |country={{RSA}} |birth_date={{Birth date and age|df=yes|2003|05|03}} |birth_place=[Mpumalanga](/source/Mpumalanga), South Africa |title=[FIDE Master](/source/FIDE_Master) (2020) |rating={{URL|ratings.fide.com/profile/14327040|2252}} (November 2025) |peakrating=2289 (October 2025) |FideID = 14327040 |yearsactive=2017{{endash}}present |module= |medaltemplates= {{Medal|Sport|[South African Chess Championship](/source/South_African_Chess_Championship)}} {{Medal|Competition|South African Junior Closed Championship}} {{Medal|Gold|U16 South African Junior Closed Championship|2017}} {{Medal|Sport|[African Chess Championship](/source/African_Chess_Championship)}} {{Medal|Competition|[African Youth Chess Championship](/source/African_Junior_Chess_Championship)}} {{Medal|Bronze|U16 African Youth Chess Championship|2018}} |embedded= }} '''Banele Fortune Mhango''' (born 3 May 2003) is a chess master and coach from South Africa. Mhango was awarded the [FIDE title](/source/FIDE_titles) of [FIDE Master](/source/FIDE_Master) in 2020 (and [Candidate Master](/source/Candidate_Master) in 2018). He was named [sportsman of the year](/source/sportsman_of_the_year) after representing South Africa in competitions in [Egypt](/source/Egypt) and [Kenya](/source/Kenya). ==Early life and career== Born on 3 May 2003 in [Mpumalanga](/source/Mpumalanga), South Africa, Banele Fortune Mhango is a South African chess player also known by his online screen name, Banelevich.{{Cite web |title=African Games (Chess) Athlete Profile : Banele Fortune Mhango |url=https://results.accra2023ag.com/wrs/eng/zb/engzb_chess-athlete-profile-n6521-banele-fortune-mhango.htm |access-date=19 April 2024 |website=African Games ACCRA 2023|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317164148/https://results.accra2023ag.com/wrs/eng/zb/engzb_chess-athlete-profile-n6521-banele-fortune-mhango.htm}}{{Cite web |url=https://lichess.org/coach/Banelevich |title=FM Banele Fortune Mhango |website=[Lichess](/source/Lichess) |access-date=16 November 2024 |publisher=Banele Mhango |archive-date=16 November 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241116231739/https://lichess.org/coach/Banelevich |url-status=live}} In 2017, he won the under 16 open category at The South African Junior Closed Championship.{{Cite web |last=carlikoch |date=15 April 2018 |title=Ehlanzeni Chess boasts with international stars |url=https://lowvelder.co.za/429291/ehlanzeni-chess-boasts-international-stars/ |access-date=13 November 2022 |website=Lowvelder |language=en-US |archive-date=13 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113121536/https://lowvelder.co.za/429291/ehlanzeni-chess-boasts-international-stars/ |url-status=live}} In 2018, Mhango competed in [Kenya](/source/Kenya) where he placed third, won bronze medal and earned the [Candidate Master](/source/Candidate_Master) title.{{cite web |url=https://ratings.fide.com/profile/14327040 |title=Banele Mhango {{!}} FIDE profile|access-date=16 November 2024|website=[FIDE](/source/FIDE)|archive-date=16 November 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241116231913/https://ratings.fide.com/profile/14327040|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Masiya |first=Mfundo |date=16 December 2017 |title=Banele Mhango wins Bronze at the African Youth Chess Championships |url=https://africachess.net/banele-mhango-wins-bronze-at-the-african-youth-chess-championships/ |access-date=20 November 2022 |website=Africa Chess |language=en-GB |archive-date=20 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120142621/https://africachess.net/banele-mhango-wins-bronze-at-the-african-youth-chess-championships/ |url-status=live}} Following the victory in Kenya, he went on to compete in [Egypt](/source/Egypt) where he was awarded the [FIDE Master](/source/FIDE_Master) title in 2020, and earned his spot to compete in [Greece](/source/Greece). However due to financial difficulties he was wasn't able to make it.{{Cite web |first=Mandla |last=Khoza |date=11 August 2018 |title=Chess champ's trip to Greece hangs in doubt |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-08-22-chess-champs-trip-to-greece-hangs-in-doubt/ |access-date=13 November 2022 |website=[The Sowetan](/source/The_Sowetan) |language=en-ZA |archive-date=13 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113121534/https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-08-22-chess-champs-trip-to-greece-hangs-in-doubt/ |url-status=live}} He was named [sportsman of the year](/source/sportsman_of_the_year) after representing the South Africa in competitions in Egypt and Kenya.{{Cite web |title=Teen chess whizz scoops sportsman of the year at inaugural Mpumalanga Sports Awards |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2019-07-30-teen-chess-whizz-scoops-sportsman-of-the-year-at-inaugural-mpumalanga-sports-awards/ |access-date=13 November 2022 |website=[The Sowetan](/source/The_Sowetan) |language=en-ZA |archive-date=13 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113121533/https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2019-07-30-teen-chess-whizz-scoops-sportsman-of-the-year-at-inaugural-mpumalanga-sports-awards/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=5 times South African kids made us proud |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2018-11-12-5-times-south-african-kids-made-us-proud/ |access-date=15 December 2023 |website=[TimesLIVE](/source/TimesLIVE) |first=Ntokozo |last=Miya |date=12 October 2018 |language=en-ZA |archive-date=15 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215013142/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2018-11-12-5-times-south-african-kids-made-us-proud/ |url-status=live }} In 2022 he competed in the [World Team Chess Championship](/source/World_Team_Chess_Championship) where he was partnered with the likes of [Grandmaster](/source/Grandmaster_(chess)) [Kenny Solomon](/source/Kenny_Solomon) and [International Master](/source/International_Master) [Daniel Cawdery](/source/Daniel_Cawdery) going against Grandmasters [Anish Giri](/source/Anish_Giri), [Maxime Vachier-Lagrave](/source/Maxime_Vachier-Lagrave), [Nihal Sarin](/source/Nihal_Sarin) and [Hans Niemann](/source/Hans_Niemann) just to mention a few.{{Cite web |last=Jittenmeier |first=Franz |date=13 November 2022 |title=FIDE World Team Championship: Aufstellungen und Gruppenzusammensetzung |url=https://www.chess-international.com/?p=64552 |access-date=13 November 2022 |website=Schach-Ticker |language=de-DE |archive-date=13 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113084430/https://www.chess-international.com/?p=64552 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=FIDE World Team Championship: Lineups and group composition |url=https://www.fide.com/news/2058 |access-date=13 November 2022 |website=[FIDE](/source/FIDE) |language=en |archive-date=13 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113121534/https://www.fide.com/news/2058 |url-status=live}} ==See also== * [Chess in South Africa](/source/Chess_in_South_Africa) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{FIDE}} * {{Lichess player}} * {{Chess.com member}} * {{Chess.com player|banele-mhango}} * {{2023 African Games profile|chess-athlete-profile-n6521-banele-fortune-mhango|Banele Fortune Mhango}} {{Chess}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mhango, Banale}} Category:2003 births Category:Living people Category:South African chess players Category:Sportspeople from Mpumalanga Category:Chess FIDE Masters Category:Chess Olympiad competitors Category:Competitors at the 2023 African Games Category:21st-century chess players Category:Medalists at the 2023 African Games --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Banele Mhango](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banele_Mhango) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banele_Mhango?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.