02 Nov 2014

Baone Kealeboga has lifted his second chess title of the year by winning the Turbo Refrigeration Masters Open on November 1.

The veteran Bonyonyo Chess Club player won five out of seven matches to take the fiercely contested one-day masters competition held in Tlokweng. An initiative of Botswana Chess Federation (BCF), the Turbo Refrigeration Masters Open provided players over the age of 35 with a platform to continue playing chess.

In total, 21 veteran players competed in the event this year, and Kealeboga, who won the blitz rated Roscoe Bonna Tournament two weeks ago, narrowly scooped the trophy ahead of defending champion Jona Chaka who came second.

Just like at the Roscoe Bonna Tournament, Kealeboga benefitted from an impressive start in which he won four consecutive rounds to establish an early lead. He defeated Stanley Sebowe, Ndawana Mosenya, Bright Sinkamba and last year’s champion, Jona Chaka to register a perfect record after four rounds.

However, he dropped two consecutive points when he lost to Cinky Boikanyo and Jobe Mopati in the next two rounds. Kealeboga managed to recover from the defeats to beat Kenneth Boikhutswane in the decisive seventh round to finish at the top of the pile, winning a trophy, gold medal and P1 360 in prize money.

As part of a project by the Masters Open champion to assist in development of chess at grassroots, Kealeboga pledged to donate 10 chess sets to Matsaakgang Primary School in his home village of Kanye.

“It was a lovely tournament  and the competition was very good,” said Kealeboga, who suggested to the organisers to consider rotating the tournament across different places in Botswana rather than holding it around Gaborone all the time.

Chaka, who also accumulated five points, settled for silver and P1 360 second prize. Mopati, who denied Chaka the title by beating him in the last round, won a bronze medal after finishing with five points.

Women International Master, Boikhutso Modongo won the ladies section title. She was the only woman participating at the event. She finished the tournament with three points from seven rounds, winning herself a gold medal and P1 000 first prize.  As part of her contribution to chess development she pledged to organise a girls’ chess tournament.

There was also a Masters sponsored youth tournament in which eight primary school pupils competed. The pupils were given chess boards as prizes in order to encourage them to continue playing the sport.  ENDS