BCF adopts new selection criteria for Olympiad

Calistus Kolantsho | Monday January 11, 2016 11:28

CHECKMATE: Chess players face a testing period as they bid to qualify for the Olympiad

BCF spokesperson, Keenese Katisenge said the criterion is different from the one used last year. Players would be selected based on rating and player activity. She said the federation has adopted an open, transparent and objective approach that gives all deserving players, based on their strength, an opportunity to contest for a position in the national team.

Katisenge warned that BCF has the right to remove any player whose conduct has potential of bringing the game into disrepute. Five player will represent Botswana in Azerbaijain. Players who have made it to the provisional list have been divided into two groups and will compete in a Swiss Individual chess tournament.

Group A is for males rated in the top 21 locally with a FIDE rating of 1 926 and above. The other men’s Group B is for 22 players with a FIDE ranking of between 1 925 and 1 788.

In the women’s section, the first group is for players rated 1 576 and above. Women’s Group B consists of players ranked between 1 542 to 1 239.

The first qualifying games will be played in Gaborone on February 6. The top 20 from the male section and top 10 from the women’s side will progress to the second round of the qualifiers in March.

“Men will be merged into one group (top 10 from group A and top 10 from group B) and compete in a Swiss Individual tournament.

Similarly the women will be merged into one group (five from group A and five from group B) and will compete in a Round Robin tournament where the top five best performers will make it into the final team,” she said.

Katisenge said the top 10 male players from the second stage will compete in the final stage of the qualifications. She said the final stage would be played in a Round Robin format where the winners players would make it into the final squad in April.