28 Jan 2015

Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) kicks off the 2015 calendar this weekend with the Airfficiency Year Opener tournament at Legae Academy in Gaborone.

The tournament is a massive start to the New Year as it attracts players from outside the country. Last year it attracted highly rated players from Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Open section defending champion, Musatwe Simotuwe of Zambia together with ladies section title holder, Women International Master, Kgalalelo Botlhole, are expected to bring it all to defend their titles.

However, it would not be an easy ride for Botlhole as she battles against her strong country women in the likes of the recently bestowed Women Fide Master (WFM), Onkemetse Francis, another WFM Thapelo Francis.

The category also fields renowned and tough contenders such as Woman International Masters (WIM), Boikhutso Modongo and Tshepiso Lopang.

Batswana players who are tipped to snatch the open section title away from Zambia are International Master (IM), Providence Oatlhotse, and FIDE Master (FM), Ignatious Njobvu and Phemelo Khetho.

In an interview, BCF public relations director, Keenese Katisenge, said the tournament would be played in three sections, being the open section, which is open to all players regardless of gender and rating, the Ladies Section, strictly reserved for ladies and the youth section, open to players from primary, junior and senior secondary schools.

She said BCF continued to rate the event with the World Chess Federation (FIDE) on an annual basis in order to afford participants an opportunity to gain FIDE ratings.

Katisenge stated that this time around they expected over 200 playerscompared to 240 last year. “Players usually attend tournaments in large numbers following an Olympiad year in order to up their game and even those who didn’t compete at the Olympiad to prove themselves.”

The tournament is sponsored at P15 000 by Airfficiency (Pty) Ltd, a company that trades in laboratory and medical equipment. The open section winner walks away with P2 000 cash prize while the ladies section winner pockets P1 000. ENDS