Mudongo, Njobvu are Metropolitan chess champs

SYLVIAH DISELE
Correspondent | Thursday April 4, 2013 00:00

 

The competition attracted participants who had made it through from qualifiers held earlier on. Mudongo won P4, 000, a medal and trophy. She said that the competition was extremely tough, as the pairing did not favour her, as she had to play the strongest players in the last rounds. 'I was under pressure. I am only 0.5 ahead of the silver medallist Kgalalelo Botlhole,' she said.The 34 year old said that she is targeting the World Cup, as she has never qualified for it. Mudongo was disqualified in 2007 in the last round of the World Cup as her cellphone rang, which meant she had breached one of the rules.

On the other hand, Njobvu said it was the first time to experience such stiff competition as the winner had to be decided in the last round unlike previous years where the winner would be known by round eight. Njobvu last won the title in 2003.The Fide Master was leading the pack until round 6 where another Fide Master Phemelo Kheto beat him. He added that he was using the tournament as practice for the upcoming Zone 4.3 Championships scheduled for April 30-May 9 which Botswana is to host. Further, the zonal competitions give one a chance of getting an IM title and they are also the gateway to the World Cup.

Njobvu's fifth title earned him P7, 000, a medal and a trophy. Position two of the open section went to 20-year-old Thato Olebile. He is one of the youngest players to reach the finals in the history of chess after Njobvu who was crowned the champion as a teenager. Olebile got P4, 750. Botlhale got P2, 350 for scooping the second place in the women's category. All the top 10 were given prize money and the top three got a medal and a trophy.Meanwhile, the winners will play at the Africa Individual Chess Championship in Tunisia on May 17-18.  

Providence Oatlhotse   and Tuduetso Sabure will compete in the zonal competitions, as they are currently the top rated players in the country despite their poor performance in the national championships.Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) chairperson Solly Reikeletseng hailed chess chiefs for maintaining a six-year relationship with the sponsor. He said this was due to sound administration. Metropolitan sponsored the event to the tune of P80, 000.