Chess Arbiter, Lopang Leaves For Greece
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday April 18, 2016 15:53
The championships run concurrently in Halkidiki, Greece from today to April 28, 2016. Lopang left the country yesterday.
The World Amateur Chess Championship is a tournament organised by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). Speaking to Monitor Sport on Saturday, Lopang said the championships are of a top standard and she is excited to be part of them. She said the organisers of the tournament have high expectations of her because she is still learning the ropes as an arbiter.
“As an arbiter I have to understand the rules of the game. There is pressure, but it is all about the outcome from the games that I would be officiating,” she said.
Lopang said at the end of the championships she would get the second norm. She would then be left with a single norm to become an international arbiter.
According to the current FIDE regulations, the winner of the championships is awarded the title of FIDE Master (FM), while the runner-up and the bronze medallist receive the Candidate Master (CM) title. Meanwhile, the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) spokesperson, Keenese Katisenge said Lopang’s appointment has come in handy in facilitating and complementing the BCF’s efforts to develop women officials.
She said BCF trains both men and women arbiters on an annual basis for the development of the game.
“The federation sent Lopang to Tromso, Norway in 2014 where she attended a FIDE Arbiters Seminar and passed the examination and earned herself a FIDE Arbiter qualification. She is a passionate, knowledgeable and energetic arbiter and this appointment brings her closer to achieving her dream of becoming Botswana’s first Woman International Arbiter,” Katisenge said. Currently, Botswana has only one International Arbiter, Kelapile Kelatlhilwe.