10 May 2018

Four top local chess players are in Livingstone, Zambia, to represent the country at the 2018 Africa Individual Chess Championships which starts today until May 19.

International Master Providence Oatlhotse and Fide Master Phemelo Kheto will compete in the open section while International Masters Onkemetse Francis and Kgalalelo Botlhole will battle it out in the ladies section of the continental showpiece.

The four experienced players have been in impressive form this year, and Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) is confident that they will perform well.

Kheto and Francis last month tasted international success when they respectively bagged silver and bronze medals in the open and ladies section at the regional Zone 4.3 Chess Championships in Mozambique. 

Francis also won the year opening Airfficiency Chess Championships in January and secured a silver medal from the

Metropolitan National Chess Championships last month. Oatlhotse has also shown a return to his dominant self by capturing the Metropolitan National Chess Championships open section while Botlhole won the ladies section.

BCF public relations director, Kutlwano Tatolo said the association was confident that the team would do well in Zambia.

She added that the competition would also afford the players the opportunity to prepare for the Olympiad, which will be held in September.  

Meanwhile, Tatolo said the association would hold the final selection of the national team this weekend, and that three players would be added to both the current number of men’s and ladies’ teams.

She said Thabo Gumpo, Barileng Gaealafshwe, Moakofi Notha, Gomolemo Rongwane, Thuso Mosutha, Keletshabile Monnaatsheko and Ndawana Mosenya would battle for slots in the men’s team while Ndachipiwa Kgomotso, Boitshepo Rebatenne, Keitumetse Nkwe, Ruth Otisitswe, Naledi Marape, Londani Tamuhla and Boitumelo Radikoro would fight for positions in the ladies team. ENDS