20 Apr 2015

Unavailability of two players has forced Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) to make last minute changes to the Zone 4.3 Chess Championships team.

The team left for Malawi on April 17. Initially, the federation had selected four players, Thato Olebile, Clifford Masole, Thapelo Francis and Koziba Mokhuzeni, to represent the country at the championships that commenced in Blantyre on Saturday. 

However, after Francis and Mokhuzeni failed to travel due to academic commitments and travel document issues, BCF scaled the team down to three players, with Olebile and Masole being joined by Boikhutso Modongo. 

BCF spokesperson, Keenese Katisenge said players were picked based on their performance this year and the previous one, as well as their discipline and commitment.

Olebile, 23, achieved a lot over the past two years and was last year awarded a Fide Master (FM) title by the World Chess Federation (WCF) at the World Chess Olympiad.  He won the Blitz Tournament last year and also reached the finals of two competitions, the Metropolitan National Championships and Botswana International Open. 

He also won the Aifficiency Chess Championships early this year.  Black Bishops Chess Club’s 21-year-old Masole, has on the other hand won the Tertiary Schools Individual Chess Championships.

Besides representing Botswana in board one at the World Chess Olympiad last year, Modongo, 35, won the Maun International Open Ladies Section as well as the Francistown International Open. ENDS