LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) has handed over the rights to host the Botswana International Junior Open Chess Championships to local academy Limitless Minds. The tournament, which has over the years been organized by the BCF is aimed to develop young chess players and is played by kids below the ages of 21.
The BCF continues to be one of the few local sporting codes with rigid and solid development structures, which has been evident over the years with the emerging of players such as Providence Oatlhotse, Boikhutso Mudongo, Onkemetse Francis and recently Naledi Marape, who is currently the youngest Women International Master (WIM) in Africa. Limitless Minds, owned by former BCF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Keenese Katisenge, over the weekend held an activation for the tournament, and revealed in a statement that the BCF had granted them the rights to host this year’s edition.
“Limitless Minds Chess Academy and its organizing partners Rock and Roll Chess Master Botswana and Chess Motifs will be hosting the 2018 Botswana International Junior Open Chess Championships from the 30th of November to the 2nd of December 2018 at Botho University in Gaborone, Botswana. The event is hosted under the auspices of the Botswana Chess Federation and targets players aged 21 and below. It is hosted in age category format from the age category on under 7- under 21 boys and girls and is open to players from all over Africa,” reads the opening statement.
“The activation was meant formally introduce the team that is working behind the scenes to prepare for the final event . we also wanted to Hype up the momentum for the event through a team of young chess players who took part in a mini mixed teams chess event. We also wanted to announce organisations that have partnered with the event so far, we further announced and shared information with different stakeholders on what we have achieved so far in relation to attracting players from different African Countries for the event (registration for the event is on-going and countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia have started preparations,” further states the release.
The tournament will also for the first time include players with physical disabilities. “Botswana Chess Federation has been organizing the event for over 6 years and this year Limitless Minds Chess Academy requested for permission to organize and run it and it was granted. The event will for the first time in history feature physically challenged chess players from other African countries under the chess for the visually impaired section.
The plan it is to broaden the section in future to include other disabilities from the on-going programs.We are driven by our commitment to having a role to play in the development of chess in Botswana and in the inclusion of the marginalized and disadvantaged groups,” ends Katisenge’s remarks.