Sabure shows her class

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Friday October 29, 2010 00:00

 

Sabure had missed the last event in 2008 due to unresolved issues with the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) but this time both parties smoked the peace pipe.

For the first time, the Botswana women's team looked formidable with four titled players in Fide Master Boikhutso Mudongo (1876), Candidate Master, Tshepiso Lopang (1932) and Women Candidate Master, Ontiretse Sabure(1729).

However, it took some heavy beatings from lesser opponents, four defeats to be exact, before the Botswana Grand Master regained her composure and put on a four-match winning streak, managing a 57 percent score, although the glory belonged to untitled reserve player, Keitumetse Mokgacha who managed an impressive 64 percent.

Sabure's first test was the Netherlands' International Master (IM)  Lanchava Tea (23420) and Sabure made an uncharacteristic blunder, losing a knight for free in the middle game (move 23). In the subsequent match, against Mein Bernadette of the Seychelles, Sabure trapped a Bishop with a pawn by the 14th move and won in 25 moves.

But against Ecuador's IM Fierro, Baquero Martha (2368), in Round three, Sabure was simply outplayed. The next test was against China's Chen I-Chen (1699), where Sabure's experience was expected to count.

However, Sabure lost a rook for a bishop early in the middle game after missing an easy move.

Though she also pinned a knight in move 22, she lost yet another rook to a pin in the subsequent move while another bishop fell in move 28 as her form continued to decline.

Unrated Olatunji Oluwatobiloba of Nigeria was to be the next opponent to generate more misery for Sabure after she failed to build despite opening with the treasured white pieces.

After this uninspiring display, the Grand Master was rested in Rounds six and seven, returning in Round eight. For the match against Iraq where she faced WIM Ibrahim Delbak Ismael(1954), Sabure won her first point as she managed a draw. It was to mark the Grand Master's late resurgence as she defeated her next opponent, WFM Al-Khelaifi, Salama (1736) of Qatar in Round nine.

She registered another victory over Panama's unrated Munoz Alba, whom she outwitted. The last match against lowly-ranked Angola would also present Sabure and her team-mates with the golden opportunity to end the tournament on a high note. For Sabure, a rocky start to the Olympiad saw her going four games in a row unbeaten, scoring 4.5 points in eight games, and achieving a 56 percent score.

Her younger sister, Candidate Master, Ontiretse scored 57 percent, winning four games out of the seven she played on Board Four.

But the highest score in the women's team came from untitled reserve player, Keitumetse Mokgacha, who has won the national championships in the past. She scored 64 percent, as she lost only two of her seven games, managing 4.5 points.

Meanwhile, Lopang did well in six of her 11 games, drawing three and winning three. She was expected to do better nonetheless.

Decorated Mudongo's 44 percent score would also be considered dismal taking into account the fact that she is a Chess Master.