The second qualifiers are always brutal, one has to earn their right to play in the final. Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) secretary general, Mokwadi Tingwane said generally the tournament was a very good one. “Maybe one can say with the exception of Olebile and Otisitswe, who is a national team player, the best performer at the 2022 Chess Olympiad.
It was a serious upset, because at any given day you could not count them out of a final,” he said. The stage is now set for the final, which is scheduled for April 28, 2023. The defending champion in the Open Section is Moakofi Notha and Women’s Section is Woman Candidate Master (WCM), Refilwe Gabatshwarwe. “Indeed the we have a strong final in our hands because we now have International Master Providence Oatlhotse, Candidate Master (CM) Barileng Gaealafshwe, defending champ Moakofi Notha, former national champion CM Thuso Mosutha, former national team player CM Otsile Mapini, current national team player Keletshabile Monnaatsheko, newly crowned FM Gomolemo Rongwane & national team member and the youthful Sebetlela Gaasite,” Tingwana said.
