27 Feb 2017

Former Metropolitan National Chess Championships winners, International Master (IM) Providence Oatlhotse and Fide Master (FM) Phemelo Khetho have safely progressed to the competition’s second qualifying stage after sterling performances over the weekend.  

The first qualifiers of the 2017 edition were held at Legae Academy over the weekend with 154 players participating in the open section.

After two days of tough competition, 23 players on February 26 advanced to the next round, which will be held in March.

Oatlhotse, the five-time winner of the competition, finished top of the list in the open section with eight points from nine rounds to confirm his return to form after a forgettable 2016 season.

Khetho, the competition winner in 2014, was second with 7.5 points, while FM Abhiram Sasitharan was third.

Other top names that sailed through included Kenneth Boikhutshwane, Candidate Masters Clifford Masole and Thabo Gumpo, as well as Baone Kealeboga and Moakofhi Notha.

Rising stars, Candidate Master Thuso Mosutha and Otsile Mapini, also progressed with the tournament recording no major casualties.  

Perhaps the only surprises were eliminations of promising youngster, Goabaone Tangane and FM Thabo Elias.

More than 50 players participated in the ladies section with 17 advancing to the next stage.

Former champion, Woman International Master, Boikhutso Modongo topped the list with 6.5 points followed by two other Woman International Masters, Kgalalelo Botlhole and Tshepiso Lopang.

Keitumetse Mokgacha, Gorata Leso, Besa Masaiti, Thapelo Francis and Boitshepo Rebatenne were the other big name players also advanced.

Youngster Naledi Marape also made it through, but Mabedi Mbo and Malebogo Sokisi fell by the way-side.  

Defending champions, Barileng Gaealafshwe (open section) and Onkemetse Francis (ladies section) will enter the competition during the second qualifiers.

Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) public relations director, Keenese Katisenge said everything went according to plan in the first qualifiers.

“We had a total of 208 players participating in this event and what made us happy is that we also had players from the Botswana Association for the Blind and Partially Sighted competing in this event,” she said.

Katisenge said the presence of players with visual challenges shows that the federation was succeeding in taking chess into markets. ENDS