09 May 2013

Thapelo Francis and Thato Olebile have been bestowed with new chess titles from the World Chess Body following their excellent performance at the just ended FIDE Chess Individual Championships in Tlokweng’s Oasis Motel.

The former women’s national champion, Women Candidate Master (WCM), Thapelo was awarded the Women Fide Master (WFM), a title above WCM.  This was after she played against South Africa’s strongest chess player, Charlize Van Zyl, who was later crowned Women International Master (WIM), a title which is next to the highest ranking given to women.

She crushed Van Zyl in the last round and deserved her place in the list of top players in the tournament. Since beginning of the tournament, Thapelo, together with other Batswana women chess players in the likes of WIM Boikhutso Mudongo, WIM Tshepiso Lopang were considered candidates for winning the tournament.

Most players cited her as a major influence in their playing style in a tournament that attracted the strongest chess players from Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Thapelo walked away with P1 000 and a bronze medal after occupying position three. Mudongo came second and she also won P1 000 and a silver medal whilst 13-year-old Van Zyl went away with P1 750, a trophy and a gold medal.

Thato was bestowed the Candidate Master (CM) title because of his good performance, time at the top and brilliance throughout the tournament.

Zambia’s Fide Master (FM), Gillian Bwalya was the overall winner in the men’s open section, earning himself the title of International Master (IM). He is to participate in the World Cup while the spot was Zimbabwean Rodwell Makoto who was also crowned IM from nothing. ENDS