Francis vows to defend chess title
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday September 23, 2015 16:16
The player has had a quiet year, failing to win any major competition.
Francis told Mmegi Sport yesterday that she has been concentrating on her schoolwork hence being off the radar. She said her plan was to compete in the Open Section but that would not be possible as she did not get enough preparation. She said her aim is to defend the title she won last year. Francis said playing against opponents from outside the country is always a motivation.
“As a host you play under pressure but I have played against some of them during international competitions and I know their style of play. I just have to be calm and play my normal game,” she said. Zambian player, International Master Chitumbo Mwali, is the defending champion in the Open Section.
The Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) spokesperson, Keenese Katisenge said the Independence tournament brings together the best players from Southern Africa. Katisenge said BCF has extended invitations to other reputable players from other countries and have so far received registrations from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa.
“We have successfully held the tournament over a number of years. We have been supported profoundly by Kalahari Associates Botswana and Debswana Diamond Company and this has gone a long way in enhancing the reputation of the event and making it the biggest in the Botswana Chess Federation calendar,” she said.
Katisenge said the championship is one of the most anticipated events in the Botswana chess calendar and is the only major chess event in Botswana where many players from the SADC region compete fiercely for the coveted prize. She added that the championship presents opportunities for younger players to test their strength against Africa’s toughest players. Katisenge said the sponsorship for the championship would be unveiled on Thursday at the National Stadium. The competition runs from September 30 to October 4 at Legae Academy in Gaborone.