The first round of the qualifiers ended on Sunday in Palapye. After seven thrilling rounds of strategic battles, top 20 players in the Open Section and top 18 in the Women’s Section made it through the first stage of the 2026 national team trials. Their determination, fighting spirit and love for the game shone on the board. The players will now move to the second knockout stage, where only the top eight from each section will qualify for the final national team trials, the last step towards representing Botswana on the international stage.
Speaking to Mmegi Online, Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) public relations director, Goitsemodimo Makgatle said the performance of the players was commendable and competitive, showing a promising depth of talent across various age groups. “Top-seeded players and veteran players such as Candidate Master (CM) Moakofhi Notha, Ndawana Mosenya largely held their grounds, but we also saw a few upsets, which is healthy for competition and a sign of rising challengers,” she said.
