Speaking to Mmegi Sport this week, the tournament organiser Tshepo Sitale said he was happy that they now have a committed sponsor. "I'm happy that FSG found it fitting to sponsor this event. They have indicated that they will sponsor it annually and this will go a long way in popularising the tournament," said Sitale. He revealed long term plans to make the event international. The tournament is held in the memory of Sitale's mother Joyce, who passed away in 1997 while he was away on national team duty in South Africa. In a press release, FSG noted that they are happy to give back to the society in which they do business. "As a corporate citizen, one of our major responsibilities is to give back to the societies within which we operate. Through these virtues, there are the implied responsibilities of sustaining the communities in which we live and operate. The chess community is one such community we wish to establish long lasting ties with. FSG hopes that this gesture will mobilise sponsors to realise that other sporting codes are in need of their assistance," reads the press release.
This year's event promises to be a more interesting affair than the inaugural one in 2006 where top players were sluggish and made school-boy errors. Providence Oatlhotse triumphed but commented that he was surprised at the ease with which he had won. The P1,500 first prize for tomorrow's event is the highest in the country for a one-day chess tournament. Perhaps because of this, all top players have confirmed their participation. They include FIDE Master (FM) Phemelo Khetho, Ignatius Njobvu, Oatlhotse, Barileng Gaealafshwe and Moakofi Notha.
