17 Apr 2019

Francistown School of Chess will on Easter holidays host a chess tournament dubbed First Capital Bank Easter Showdown.

In an interview, one of the organisers, Jeremiah Dikgang said the tournament, which would be held at Tati River Lodge from April 19-21 will afford young chess prodigies a chance to play and rub shoulders with local and international chess greats.

Expected internationals are from eSwatini, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Botswana.

“The tournament will be the first of its kind in Francistown and will immensely contribute to the development of chess in Francistown, Botswana, and Southern Africa,” he added.

The most notable participants expected at the tournament include Botswana’s rising star, Candidate Master Otsile Mapini, who at his young age, has forced himself into Botswana top 10 rating bracket, eSwatini’s finest, Mbongeni Mabuza and Candidate Master Sikhanyiso Sihlongonyane.

Zimbabwe’s Elisha Chimbamu rated 2000 and eight-year-old Zimbabwean dynamite from Young Chess Masters Chess Academy, Mukundi Madzikwa will also be in attendance. 

He said they had expected 150 players but only 80 already confirmed.

Dikgang explained that the tournament would be divided into five categories namely development section (Under 11), under 16, under 20, open section and ladies section.

First Capital Bank of Botswana has sponsored the tournament to the tune of P22 000.

Francistown School of Chess is an academy that exists to develop chess at the grassroots level and is co-owned by national instructor Dikgang and Thapelo Molefhe.

The academy has over time unearthed young talent and its products are doing well and some of its players have represented Botswana at national youth teams. ENDS