Botswana qualified for the 2023 FIDE World Cup after their performance at this year's Olympiad, which was held in Chennai, India.
The country is in the Open Section together with Egypt, Tunisia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Madagascar, Libya, Uganda, Zambia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Namibia, and Algeria.
Africa Chess Confederation (ACC) president, Tshepiso Lopang told Mmegi Sport that BCF would decide who to send next year from the players who were part of the 2022 Olympiad team.
BCF secretary-general, Mokwadi Mokwaledi Tingwane said they are yet to decide who will play at the World Cup as the issue is still on the table. Meanwhile, the September FIDE rating list is out with International Master (IM) Providence Oatlhotse the only Botswana player ranked above 2200. Oatlhotse gained about five Elos from the Chennai Chess Olympiad and his current 2209 is way below his rating peak of 2339 back in 2016.
Gomolemo Rongwane is the biggest climber this month having gained about 68 Elos from the Olympiad alone. Woman International Master (WIM) Onkemetse Francis is now the highest-rated women’s player. She is also below her peak rating of 1847 attained in 2017.
The latest gain of her Elos is from the Debswana National Chess League where she gained about seven Elos. An opportunity lies at the Botho Tertiary and Brigades Chess Championship to further hunt for more Elos.
The BCF has received sponsorship worth P135,000 over three years for the local tournament. The championship will start tomorrow and end on Sunday. Tingwane said the event is open to all tertiary and brigades chess players.
The winner in the Open Section pockets P3,000 and the runner-up receives P2,500. The third-placed player gets P2,000 while P1,500 is reserved for the fourth-ranked player. The winner of the women’s section gets P2,500 while the beaten finalist receives P2,000. The third-placed player gets P1,500, and finishing fourth guarantees P1,000.
