Botswana finished second at the four nations chess cup tournament last week. Competitors at the online tournament included Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Gold medal was scooped by South Africa, silver by Botswana whilst Zimbabwe got bronze medal and Zambia lagged behind in position 4. The team Prizes were as follows; first position $1000, $800, $600 and $400 respectively.
According to Botswana Chess Association (BCA) secretary general Mokwaledi Tingwane, the team did well. He however said in the previous tournament they got bronze and were hoping for a gold medal. He said ” a silver medal is not bad, atleast it shows we have elevated from our previous position.
Board 1 IM Providence Oatlhotse got position 3, Board 2 Gomolemo Rongwane position 1, Board 3 CM Thuso Mosutha position 3, Board 4 WIM Onkemetse Francis position 1, Board 5 WIM Kgalalelo Botlhole position 3, Board 6 WFM Besa Masaiti position 2, Board 7 Selogelo Othata position 4, Board 8 Gaasite Sebetlela position 2, Board 9 WCM Refilwe Gabatshwarwe position 1 and Board 10 WFM Naledi Marape position 1.
Tingwane further noted that four players got individual prizes. He said “we have 4 players who bagged $75 each. These include Rongwane, Francis, Gabatshwarwe and Marape.” Tingwane opined that the $75 was for every board, and was determined by the Zone 4.5 Chess Association.
However, Tingwane noted that they went through certain challenges. He said “As always when it comes to online chess, we have to rely on players playing from home, right now we are not able to accommodate them in lodges/hotels because of funds, on top of that internet connectivity problems when mother nature strikes, we are powerless.”
