04 Jul 2013

 A nine-member national chess team is in South Africa to compete in the Commonwealth Chess Championships which start on Friday (July 5).

The annual championship, which is open to all Commonwealth member nations, would be in its 19th edition. The last time the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) sent a team was in 2011 in South Africa which subsequently saw Botswana’s Candidate Master Moakofi Notha attaining third position in the open section.

Representing the country in the ladies section is Women Grand Master Tuduetso Sabure, who is the highest rated woman player in the country and one of the few Women Grandmasters in Africa. Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Ontiretse Sabure would also compete in the ladies flanked by youngsters WCM duo of Lame Kolaatamo and Thapelo Francis joined by Malebogo Keleapere.

In the open section, there would be International Master Providence Oatlhotse, Candidate Masters Barileng Gaealafshwe and Moakofi Notha together with youthful Otsile Mapini.

A substantial number of the world’s top rated GMs, WGMs, and IMs, WIMs are expected to compete in this showpiece and hence giving Botswana players a chance to increase their ratings worldwide and also earn new titles for the country.

BCF public relations director, Keenese Katisenge explained in an interview that the competition was categorised into two; the prestige for players with a rating above 1800 and the B-section for those with a rating below 1800 running over 11 rounds.

Katisenge said individual and team titles would be awarded in various age group categories being U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18 as well as open categories.

She also indicated that players would win lucrative prizes amounting to P250 000 as the overall winner would receive P40 000 in cash while the second and third positions attract P33 000 and P24 000 prizes respectively.

The federation president, Tshenolo Maruatona and the African Zone 4.3 chess president Tshepo Sitale would join the team for the zonal meeting that would be held during the championships on July 13.

The meeting is expected to discuss various issues regional federations are faced with as well as develop an action plan for developing chess in the region. ENDS