CM Notha grabs BCF Blitz Chess title
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday September 3, 2025 09:27
A blitz chess tournament is a chess competition using fast time controls, where each player has 10 minutes or less for the entire game, often with a small time increment added per move. The second position was claimed by CM Thuso Mosutha with 9 ½ points, also pocketing P2, 000 and Sebetlela Gaasite finished in the third spot with nine points, and his take-home was P1,000. Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Natalie Banda continued her good run on the board, emerging as the best lady of the tournament, followed by Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Maya Otimile.
The Under 18 category was won by Darious Banda, while the Under 18 girls' category was claimed by WCM Laone Moshoboro. BCF public relations director, Goitsemodimo Makgatle, told Sport Monitor that the tournament attracted 90 players, which included 15 girls, and most of the players were youth. She also said some of the veterans who played in the tournament included Mboki Chilisa, Walter Matekane, CM Barileng Gaealafshwe, who finished in position four. The women’s section also had the likes of Eesha Reddy Nalamalpu, Saishanvi Reddye Nalamalpu, a bronze medalist from the 2024 Africa Youth championship. “It was the first tournament we hosted as the new executive committee, and it was sponsored by BCF with P10,000. We have to keep our activities flowing, with sponsorship or not. At the moment, sponsorship is a challenge, but that will not deter us from pushing our mandate. We are happy about the attendance and the performance of all the players. Our next tournament is the FIDE-rated Africa Youth qualifiers that will be held on September 13-14.
The tournament will be meant to select a youth team that will represent Botswana in December at the Africa Youth Championship in Zimbabwe, and the previous one was in South Africa,” Makgatle said.