09 Sep 2024

Botswana Chess Federation (BCF/) has sent a team of 10 players to represent the country at the 45^th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, which will run from September 11 until 22.

The team left Sir Seretse Khama International Airport on Monday and is expected back home on September 24.

Speaking in an interview, BCF Technical and Ratings Director, Thompson Modisane indicated that they are expecting a lot from the team as it was selected on merit.

“We ran some qualifiers for the Olympiad at the beginning of this year where we selected a total of eight players, while two players were given a wildcard because of their current performance,” he said.

One of the players given a wildcard is Providence Oatlhotse due to the fact that he is currently the highest rated player in the county.

“He has been the highest rated players in the country for close to eight years. 

Oatlhotse is also exposed to a lot of tournaments in South Africa where he is based, so we found it proper not to subject him to qualifiers,” Modisane explained.

He also said that the other player given a wildcard is Natalie Banda due to her status as the current Africa Youth Champion as well as the national champion. 

This year, the 17-year old Banda also won the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) Young Sportswoman of the Year Award.

He said that during the last Chess Olympiad in India in 2022, Team Botswana fared well as they only missed a category medal by just a point.

“We also managed to come back from that Olympiad with a Fide Master title through Gomolemo Rongwane, a Candidate Master through Bojosi Sabure as well as a woman Candidate Master through Ruth Otisitswe, which indicated a very good performance,” he said.

The team is expected to play 11 rounds at the Olympiad. 

The team comprises of five females in woman Fide Master Naledi Marape, three women Candidate Masters in Banda, Refilwe Gabatshwane and Atang Mosweu as well as veteran player, Boitshepo Rebatenne.

Male players are International Master, Oatlhotse, Moakofi Notha, Keletshabile Monnaatsheko, Oratile Kgotlane and Kuda Bayani. Ends