Botlhole clinches chess title after lengthy lay-off

Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday November 28, 2017 15:11

WIM Botlhole collected six out of a possible seven points to pocket P1,800.

WIM Onkemetse Francis finished second with 5.5 points to take home P1,300. Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Koziba Mokhuzeni and WIM Boikhotso Modongo finished joint-third and shared P1,500 after scoring five points out of a possible seven. Botlhole told Mmegi Sport that she did not plan to take part in the tournament. She said it was a last minute decision to travel to Francistown and in the end she clinched the title. Botlhole said that does not mean she did not face stiff competition from her opponents.

“I started playing this year and it has been a tough few months after a two-year break. I decided to stay off the board for sometime and focus on my studies,” she said.

When asked why foreign players dominate local events, Botlhole said it is unfortunate that locally, they only have four main events while foreign players travel around SADC countries for tournaments, which give them exposure. She said only when more FIDE-rated tournaments are held in Botswana, will local players improve and end foreign players’ domination. Zimbabwean, Spencer Masango won the men’s section with FIDE Master Thato Olebile second while Candidate Master Otsile Mapini was third. The three players attained six out of a possible seven points to win themselves P2,230 each. FIDE Master Olebile said he had an amazing game against Masango. “It is just that when you are in the lead, you just want to hold on. You just hope there won’t be too many difficult moments but at a tournament of this level, you cannot escape some tests,” he said. Olebile said he did not play well in the first round against Masango who decided to go for complications, sacrificing his queen for two rooks. Olebile said after the queen sacrifice, he felt he had an edge over Masango, and that saw him emerge victorious against Masango. “This year I was not active, playing only three tournaments. The important thing is to prepare for next year. I have some ideas which can see us stop foreign players’ domination,” he said. Gofamodimo Tahla won the girls’ youth section with Thandi Bonno taking silver and Lefika Mathapa, bronze. In the boys’ section, Keabetswe Makwaeba emerged victorious ahead of Thuto Mpene and Oaitse Sebetela, in second and third positions respectively.  The Francistown Open was sponsored by Malike Mmohe, Spar Botswana, Fountain of Gems Chess Academy, Dr Nkosi Majama, Dr George, Cally Clothing, BMS and Botho.