10 Aug 2014

Spar intends to popularise chess by staging exhibition games in all its supermarkets in the north.

The regional manager of Spar in the north, Michael Donner together with Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) have partnered in the initiative.

Speaking during the third Spar Chess exhibition in Francistown on August 9, BCF development director, Motlhokomedi Thabano said the objective was to introduce chess to primary school going children as a way of improving their logical thinking and academic performance.

Thabano said the exhibitions also keep children away from the streets and dangerous games. He commended Spar for its involvement in the initiative. The supermarket chain had bought chess sets for various schools in Francistown and it provides refreshments for participants.

The exhibition games are played every first Saturday of the month at the three Spar supermarkets in Francistown. Participants are   children aged 5-14 years. He said since the introduction of the exhibitions games chess has grown at an impressive rate in Francistown.

With the Re Ba Bona Ha Centre at Our Lady of the Desert Primary School, he said most of the primary schools participated. Thabano noted that over 100 children have benefited from the exhibition games.

He, however, said they were faced with the challenge of lack of transport, but said parents have helped by bring children to exhibition games. 

One of the players, Cole Baraedi who is a Standard Six pupil at Our Lady of the Desert Primary School said he has participated in the three exhibition games, and that they have improved his Mathematics and overall academic performance.

He said the exhibition also helps children to meet other children from different schools and backgrounds and also to make friends. ENDS