CHESS QUEENS OF MAUN.

 

TODAY'S CHESS PIC OF THE DAY.

Who ever thought that the first Woman Grand Master (WGM) in Africa would hail from a small town of less than 100,000 inhabitants? 

Well you have to accept the fact that the continent's first WGM did not grow up in the streets of Cairo or Alexandria, the two cities of of a Federation (Egypt), which is regarded as the foremost guiding light of African chess. Neither has the South African 'Mother City' of Cape Town, renowned for its breath taking scenery and reputation as one of the most beautiful cities in Africa, achieved this feat. Still, none of the vast cities of Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria hold such a distinction.

Maun! Yes, that is the name of the town that would put itself on the chess map when it produced the continent's very first WGM in Tuduetso Sabure in the last quarter of 2005. 

Located in Northern Botswana, this fifth largest town in the country which houses the vast inland Okavango Delta, which becomes a lush wildlife habitat during the seasonal floods, was little known on the world chess purview prior to 2005. But that all changed in a brink of an eye when Tuduetso Sabure was awarded the coveted WGM title by the world chess organizing body FIDE after a superb and unrivaled run at the 2005 African Chess Championships that were held in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

Tuduetso Sabure did not effectively prepare for this jumbo event which is viewed by many as the continent's biggest chess event. This, coupled with some logistical hiccups, plus having to cover at least 1500 kilometers by road placed the soft spoken Tuduetso at a great disadvantage in the tournament, and was by far in the pool of favorites according to the judgement of many chess pundits that followed the tournament with keen ears.

But Alas! Against all odds, Tuduetso Sabure would engrave the history books of African chess with her name by emerging victorious. On her way to the triumphant ladder, she had to pass through some of the continent's superlative female chess gladiators.

But none of such opponents would match the South African trio and tournament favourites Denise Frick, Sandra Van Vender and Anzel Laubscher. Sabure unleashed a barrage of ferocious attacks on each of these South African heavyweights, disintegrating their armory into pieces and thus swung the pendulum from the South African favourites to a Botswana one.

A well respected player on the international scene,Tuduetso started representing Bostwana in international tournaments at quite a tender age in 1998. The former African champion,fondly known as 'Studu' in the Bostwana chess cycles has likewise worn the crown of Botswana chess queen before;needless to say,being a female champion in Bostwana is not an easy achievement as the country boasts of the best and talented female players on the continent!

Her young sister,Ontiretse equally gained notoriety in the Bostwana chess cycles at a young age. She started representing Bostwana at the Olympiads in 2006;in 2010 she actually played alongside her sister at the this same world chess spectacle. 

The Bronze medalist at the 2011 All Africa games in Maputo,started snatching international medals more than 18 years ago when in 2005 she was the African junior silver medalist!!! She has also proved that even in her own very stronger playing field, Bostwana,she is equally a formidable player as she won the 2010 ladies champion!

In the photos attached, Tuduetso is on the top picture whilst her young sister, Ontiretse is on the bottom. The female chess stars have other siblings who have equally been indoctrinated in the chess world making the family a definition of a Botswana chess family.