Leemisa Thuseho
LESOTHO’s top chess players will lock horns with international rivals in Berea next month with M40 000 at stake in the Blue Mountain Inn (BMI) Open Chess Championship, the biggest annual event on Lesotho’s chess calendar.
The event is set to run from 6 to 8 February at BMI’s premises in Teyateyaneng.
The championship will feature three categories: the prestige category, which is the main event for players with an International Chess Federation (FIDE) rating below 2200; the open category for players rated below 1600; and a development section for Under-14, Under-12 and Under-10 players.
The Chess Federation of Lesotho (CFL) public relations officer, Lieketseng Makhalemele, who also serves as vice secretary-general, said previous editions of the tournament have attracted players from South Africa, eSwatini and Mozambique.
However, she said Botswana and Zambia have also expressed interest in participating this year.
“The aim is to have over 100 players, both local and international,” Makhalemele told the Lesotho Times this week.
She said the BMI Open Chess Championship is one of the federation’s flagship events and players are encouraged to take it seriously as part of their preparations for upcoming international competitions, including the 46th World Chess Olympiad to be held in Uzbekistan in September this year.
Makhalemele said BMI has injected M40 000, which will go towards prize money across the various categories.
The winner of the prestige category will pocket M10 000, while the runner-up and third-placed players will receive M6500 and M4500 respectively.
In the open section, the winner will receive M2500, with second and third place earning M2000 and M1000 respectively.
There will also be prizes for best local, best female, and best junior players in all categories.
Last year, the tournament was dominated by South African players, who swept both the main and prestige sections, with the top prizes ultimately crossing the border.
South African grandmaster, Chettiar Evason, claimed victory in the prestige section after scoring five points out of six rounds, taking home the trophy, a gold medal, and a M4000 cash prize.
His compatriot, Teeke Karabo, finished second with 4.5 points, earning a silver medal and M3000.
This year, Lesotho’s top-ranked chess player, Lebajoa Tshephe, has urged local players to rise to the challenge and keep the prizes at home.
“I call on every local player to be prepared and make sure that no prize crosses the border,” Tshephe said.
