Strong field for Botswana Open
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday October 30, 2020 14:19
There are handsome cash prizes to be won with the Open champion going home with P5,000. There would be prize money up to the 15th placed player.
The winner in the women’s section walks away with P3,500 and players finishing in the top eight receive a cash prize.
Some of the players expected to cause an upset in the Open section are FIDE Master (FM) Thato Olebile, Candidate Master (CM) Thuso Mosutha and FIDE Master Phemelo Kheto. Decorated International Master (IM) Providence Oatlhotse would not be part of the competition.
The battle for the women’s section is expected between Woman FIDE Master (WFM), Onkemetse Francis, Woman International Master (WIM) Kgalalelo Botlhole, WFM Besa Masaiti and the young WCM Refilwe Gabatshwarwe.
National champion, Mosutha said he was ready for the championship.
“I am always active on online events, but this time I prepared for the strongest opponents that I think would give me problems. There are more than five players who I expect tough opposition from,” he said.
Five-time national champion, FM Kheto said he has not played much chess this year hence he pulled out of the national teams that played the Olympiad and Zonal championship. “So going to the Botswana Open would be to flex the mind and enjoy the game of chess. No pressure. No big ambition,” Kheto said.
Moroka Motlogelwa of Moroka Chess Academy that trains WCM Gabatshwarwe said the entire academy is ready for the championship. He said they want to prove that Gabatshwarwe is not the only strong player from the academy.
“We have a lot of players in our academy who we expect to step up tomorrow. We want to work hard and make sure that we finish in the top 15. We would be having around 50 players in the women’s section. Most of the players who have registered to play the Botswana Open are the best players in the country,” he said.
Motlogelwa said the idea is to work hard in order to improve rankings. He said the most important issue before a medal is to improve rankings.
He said it would not be a surprise if they win the championship, but it is a tough one.
Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) spokesperson, Kutlwano Tatolo said Debswana sponsors the championship.
She said due to the restrictions on the number of people per gathering, the championship would be conducted from two different regions.
“Hundred players would register for the tournament which would be played in Palapye at Sahara Hotel and 200 players would be playing at the University of Botswana in Gaborone,” she said.