The Botswana Chess Federation is the organization that aims to promote the practice of chess in Botswana. It organizes the Botswana Chess Championship.
The Botswana Chess Federation has been affiliated with the International Chess Federation since 1982.
In 1976, the first open tournament in Botswana was held at the Holiday Inn. The victor was Mr. Nis Lauritsen, a man who would later represent Uganda in the Olympiad. This inaugural event was a small yet significant step for chess in Botswana.
The Gaborone Chess Club, under the leadership of Mr. Graham Blackburne, stepped up to become the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) and affiliated with FIDE, the global chess governing body. This paved the way for Botswana's debut at the 1982 Chess Olympiad in Lucerne, Switzerland. Blackburne resigned his job to play for Botswana but decided never to return afterward. On their return, Mr. Gotilwe Madikwe took over as BCF President. BotswanaâÂÂs team scored 13 points out of 56, sharing last place with Zambia.
Botswana entered the 4th World Youth U26 Team Chess Championship in Chicago, USA. The team, led by manager Oscar Mayisela and featuring players like Mr. Stephen Kgatshe and Mr. Moses Matjola, scored 2 points.
Mr. Dabilani Buthali, a university student, sought to start a chess column in a local newspaper. The editorâÂÂs responseâÂÂâÂÂWhat is chess?âÂÂâÂÂhighlighted the challenges ahead. However, the breakthrough came in 1985 when Horace Somanje, editor of The Gazette, agreed to host a chess column, giving the sport much-needed visibility.
Meanwhile, the University of Botswana opened its doors to chess enthusiasts, allowing them to use a lecture room (Room 118) for evening practice.
The mid-1980s brought an influx of US Peace Corps volunteers who, with their passion for chess, seeded clubs across the nation. Rupert Jones, a British teacher at Marang, became a key figure in expanding chess in schools. The same year, Standard Chartered Bank sponsored a tournament with a modest prize of P300, hosted at Gaborone Sun.
Botswana sent a team to the 27th Chess Olympiad in Dubai, marking another milestone. The BCF held its first AGM in December, ushering in a new leadership team: Mr. Eddie Basa as President, Mr. Rupert Jones as Secretary General, and Mr. Dabilani Buthali as Treasurer. This administration would lay the foundation for the sportâÂÂs growth in Botswana.
The first-ever Botswana Schools Team Chess Championship was held, attracting 13 schools, including Marang and Mahalapye, with sponsorship from the Gaborone Lions Club. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered Bank hosted an Independence Tournament at the National Stadium, won by Mr. John Hutcheson and Mr. Simon Le Blanc.
De Beers (later Debswana) began sponsoring schoolsâ chess tournaments, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Waterson. This sponsorship lasted two decades, shaping the future of chess in Botswana. Barclays Bank and Broadhurst Motors also joined as sponsors. That year, Botswana sent a team to the Olympiad, marking steady progress.
The previous yearâÂÂs chess successes earned BCF the runner-up spot in the Sefalana National Sport Council Awards under the Sports Code of the Year. BCF hosted the 1990 African Junior Chess Championship, sponsored by De Beers and Barclays Bank, at Gaborone Sun in July.
For the first time, both menâÂÂs and womenâÂÂs teams represented Botswana at the 29th Chess Olympiad in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia.