20 Mar 2017

Defending champions, Barileng Gaealafshwe and Onkemetse Francis sealed their places in the finals of the Metropolitan National Chess Championships on March 20.

They entered the competition during the two-day second qualifying stage held in Gaborone over the weekend after getting byes from the first qualifiers.

Candidate master Barileng Gaealafshwe finished in position five with 4.5 points from seven rounds to remain on course to defend the open section title he won last year.

Record winner of the competition international master Providence Oatlhotse, also advanced after topping the open section qualifiers with six points.

Ten players including candidate masters Tebogo Pitlagano, Thuso Mosutha and Thabo Gumpo booked their places in the open section finals.

Others were Gomolemo Rongwane, Moakofi Notha, Puso Mabetu, Keletshabile Monnaatsheko and Kuda Buyani.

Woman international master Onkemetse Francis also remained on course to defend her ladies section title.

She finished in second position behind woman international master Kgalalelo Botlhole in the qualifiers with the two ladies garnering five points each.

Others who qualified in the ladies section were woman international masters Boikhutso Modongo and Tshepiso Lopang, woman candidate masters Keitumetse Nkwe and Koziba Mokuzeni, woman fide master Besa Masaiti, Ndachipiwa Kgomotso, Susan Sethebe and Gorata Leso.

Masaiti, a 15-year-old sensation and the youngest among the finalists, was delighted to have reached the finals.

“When I started the competition I expected to win most of my matches. But the first two rounds against Kgalalelo Botlhole and Boikhutso Modongo were tough and I lost both matches. My parents told me not to be demoralised, now that I have qualified I am very happy and I will do my best in the finals,” she said.

The young girl who credited his father Charles and development coach Mothokomedi Thabano for horning her chess talent won four and lost three matches to finish with four points.

She said she would push to finish among the top seven in the finals which will be held next month in Gaborone.

A total of 24 players participated in the open section qualifiers while 18 were in the ladies section. ENDS