Chess players checkmate each other this weekend
CHESS
The long wait for the Debswana Botswana Open Chess Championships is over as Botswana Chess Federation ( BCF) will be hosting the event this weekend. The tournament which could have been held back during independence holidays in September was put on hold following a surge in local Covid- 19 infections and restricted travel between zones which meant players couldn’t transverse Botswana to attend the tourney in Gaborone.
However, the tournament which is powered by Debswana at an amount of P127 000.00 comes with many changes this time around. Due to travel restrictions, the competition will be held over two venues, Palapye and Gaborone. In addition, the prize money has been set at P5000 and P3500 for open and ladies sections respectively. Tradition
ally,the open section and ladies section champions attract a prize of P10000 and P7000 respectively, but this time around the sum has been halved.
In the absence of the 2019 champion IM Providence Oatlhotse, new champions are expected to emerge in the open section. IM Oatlhotse who is the most rated player locally is currently residing in South Africa and with borders currently closed he won’t be available to defend his title. The fight will now be amongst the likes of FMs Phemelo Khetho, Thato Olebile, CMs Barileng Gaealafshwe, and Thuso Mosutha. According to CM Mosutha, he is looking forward to the tourney though he is disappointed with the new changes.
“The tournament comes with huge changes and it is very disappointing because as players we go into the tournaments eyeing prize money but suddenly we hear that it has been reduced so it’s a bit disappointing arrangement. But I will still play because I am a player and whether an event is unfavorable or favorable, I always play,” said the reigning national champion.
In the ladies’ section it will be a tough contest since junior players have been giving experienced players a run for their money. The past major BCF tournaments had junior players running away with titles at the expense of senior players. In 2019 and 2020 national championships which were won by WCM Refilwe Gabatshwarwe and WFM Besa Masaiti.
Top rated player WIM Kgalalelo Botlhole will be looking forward to defend her title as well as WIM Onkemetse Francis and rejuvenated WGM Tuduetso Sabureand WIM Boikhutso Modongo. However, junior players like Ruth Otisitswe, WFMs, Naledi Marape, Londani Tamuhla and WCMs Arona Moshoboro, Atlang Mosweu cannot be ruled out considering their previous good exploits over the board.
The tournament will be played in two venues and this could affect the level of competition more so that most of the top rated players are based in Gaborone. According to the BCF public relations Director, Kutlwano Tatolo, this is a predicament they can’t run away from. “The level of competition is obviously going to decline depending on where players register to play in the two venues because ratings are not going to be the same. Currently, low scoring players are trying to strategize and register where top rated players will be few and this lowers the quality of the competition,” said Tatolo.