By Oratile Otsetswe
It’s a game of strategy and patience that has been played for centuries, and now local and international players from different African countries are set to do battle with chess players from all over the country.
Limitless Minds Chess Academy will host the 7th annual 2018 Botswana International Junior Open Chess Championships at Botho University in Gaborone from the 30th November until the 2nd of December.
According to Limitless Minds Chess Academy spokesperson Keenese Katisenge, the championships will be open to both local and international players from different African countries. She added that players from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia have already registered to compete in the three day tournament.
Katisenge said the objectives of the tournament is to give the children an opportunity to have FIDE ratings, for local youth players to gauge their strengths by playing with their age mates from other countries and then informing their training forms after weighing their potential.
To ensure a smooth running of the event, Katisenge said they have joined hands with Roll Chess Master Botswana and Chess Motifs to help with organisation.
On the issue of sponsorships, she said that they are finalising agreements with sponsors, one of which is Mamlathn and Associates.
The tournament will be first of its kind as it will feature the brail section which will also be the opening section for the event.
“There is a good response from the players because 100 players have already registered for the competition but there is not any international player who has registered to participate in the brail chess section”
She explained that her academy is all about social inclusion that is they we are working on including those who are visually impaired to compete in the sport.Katisenge added that there is a hiccup in brail chess because it is not common in many countries as it turns out to be more demanding and expensive.However if the participants from other countries do not show up the local players will be drawn and play against each other.
Under 21 players are eligible to register to play at a registration fee of P200 to contend for the title. The categories for both female and male competitors are Under Seven, Under nine, Under 11, Under 15, Under 17, Under 19 and Under 21 age categories.
