BCF LAUNCHES ONLINE CHESS OLYMPIAD TEAM

The team comprises of two senior males and females and two under 20s of male and female.

Under the tutelage of coach Ivon Makabe,the online chess Olympiad team is made up of IM Providence Oatlhotse,Gomolemo Rongwane,WGM Tuduetso Sabure,WIM Onkemetse Francis,WCM Refilwe Gabatshwarwe and CM Thabo Elias.

Speaking at the online chess Olympiad team launch,Botswana`s International Chess administrator Tshepiso Lopang lamented that it is significant for competitors to avoid cheating as there a tools such as cameras to detect cheating.

The ACC Vice President further lamented that this is a milestone achievement by Botswana to partake at the much talked about global competition.

She also thanked the government of Botswana for helping in facilitating for the team to compete at the chess Olympiad.

Botswana online Chess Olympiad team coach Ivon Makabe is hoping and optimistic that his team will compete for a medal at the tournament.

“My goal is to have a category medal,it is my wish and my hope that i have a team of strength that fights for a category medal,said Makabe.”

Makabe echoed that he is happy to have a diverse team of experience and youth in his online chess Olympiad squad.He noted that his strong team was selected by a committee using the chess community criteria.

1. FM Thato Olebile

2. Keletshabile Monnaatsheko

3.WIM Boikhutso Modongo

4. WFM Besa Masaiti

5. WFM Naledi Marape

6. Othata Selogelo

The online chess Olympiad comes after the interference of the coval covid-19 forced FIDE to postpone main 2020 Chess Olympiad to 2021 in August.