25 Nov 2019

Mochudi chess club player, Stanley Sebowe, defended the Collins Chilisa Consultants Legends Chess Championship in Francistown on November 23.

He  won P3 500, a gold medal and trophy in a tournament that attracted players from all over the country.

Held under the auspices of the Botswana Chess Federation, the tournament was open to players aged 35 and above.

Moakofi Notha, who won the second position, went away with a silver medal and P2 500, while Dragon Kesiilwe got third position winning himself a bronze medal and P2 000.

In the women’s section, competition was tough and the two participants, women grandmaster, Tuduetso Sabure and International master Boikhutso Mudongo ended in a tie.

First position went to Sabure while Mudongo got second with both players getting an equal share of P1 250 each.

Botswana Chess Federation president, Mothokomedi Thabano, explained in an interview that this was the second edition of the tournament this year and the total sponsorship amounted to P55 000.

He noted that the first tournament in Gaborone in July was bankrolled to the tune of P30 000 while the Francistown tourney was P20 000.

The tournament, he highlighted, was meant to give game time to senior players who were no longer competitive to play in a relaxed atmosphere without the pressures of competiveness normally associated with upcoming youngsters.

Some of these players, he noted, were coaches and used the tournament to catch up with their peers and share knowledge and skills.

The winner of the Collins Chilisa Consultants tourney, he explained, had an obligation to contribute towards chess development by donating to a local school as a way of ploughing back to the community. 

He also mentioned that BCF would next weekend host the Francistown Open championship.

For his part, Botswana Chess Federation development director, Michael Mbaiwa, noted that the tournament went well, despite the low attendance. 

He also stated that it was competitive and achieved the objectives.

He also thanked the sponsors for continuing to bankroll the development of chess. Ends