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Botswana: Poisonous Snakes Dominate NDB Chess
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
24 July 2008
Posted to the web 24 July 2008
Poisonous Snakes are the kings of club chess in the country after a spirited display over the long holidays at Ya Rona Country Lodge.
The club registered its first win in the National Development Bank (NDB) sponsored Teams Chess Championships by scooping 29.5 points out of 42.
The Broadhurst-based club was one and a half points ahead of second placed Kombined Forces. In third place was Delta Pawns of Maun with 25.5 points. Poisonous Snakes won a P3,000, floating shield and playing equipment while Kombined Forces got P2,500. Mochudi Chess Club got P2,000 in the 20-club event.
Poisonous Snakes fielded a strong line-up comprising Kenneth Boikhutswane at board one, International Master (IM) Kudzanai Mamombe at board two, Dion Moyo and Keabetswe Phiri at boards three and four respectively. Young Alan Dikoko and national team player Keitumetse Mokgacha completed the team.
The line-up proved formidable as Mamombe, Moyo and Mokgacha scooped prizes for best players on their boards. The team started with modest wins over minnows Maun Secondary and Mobile Chess Academy.
But a dominant display against title challengers ensured Poisonous Snakes were all but champions with a round to spare. At round five the clash of titans between Posionous Snakes and Kings failed to produce a winner as the duel ended in a 3-3 draw.
The games between Boikhutswane-Jona Chaka, Tunde Akande-Mamombe, Moyo-Doyin Fasakin and Muhammed Makwati-Phiri produced draws. With the top four boards in draws, it was left to the last two players to decide the fate of the duel. Kings won on board five while Poisonous Snakes equalised with a win at board six. The draw meant that Poisonous Snakes kept their two points lead over Kings with two rounds to go.
The tournament was then decided in the penultimate sixth round as Poisonous Snakes defeated another title rival Kombined Forces with a 4.5-1.5 score as Kings fell 4-2 to Naledi Secondary School (NSS). The result meant that Poisonous Snakes went into the last round with a healthy three points cushion. A win over NSS in the last round wrapped up the title. Poisonous Snakes team manager Gofaone Sponza Baleseng said they worked hard to win their maiden title after faltering in the final round in the last few years.
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"This time we had a strategy that we should not lose by a big margin to any team. We were also strong on all boards as can be seen by the fact that three of our players won individual prizes. It is an important moment for my club and the victory has wiped away all these long years of suffering at the hands of our rivals," a delighted Baleseng told Mmegi Sport.
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