MBABANE – The dates for the Eswatini International Chess Open have been confirmed, with a prize pool of over E35 000 (US$2.1) courtesy of International Chess Federation (FIDE) Open Aid.
The Eswatini Chess Federation announced that the tournament, which was absent from last year’s calendar, will return in September. It will be a three-day event running from Friday to Sunday. It is set to feature four sections which are the Open, Ladies, Youth and Corporate.
The Tournament Director Vuyo Nxumalo said finer details such as the registration platform and venue are still being finalised. Nxumalo added that registration will open very soon.
He also explained that the dates were deliberately chosen to help Team Eswatini prepare for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad. Uzbekistan will host the global showpiece from September 15 to 27.
“We expect this tournament to reinforce our preparations and give us a final assessment before we step onto the global stage. We are also looking forward to welcoming national teams from the region, including Mozambique, South Africa and Lesotho, among other countries,” the TD said.
The Eswatini Chess Open was last staged in December 2024. That edition carried a E10 000 first prize in the Open section and E5 000 in the Ladies category.
Worth noting is that FIDE Open Aid is a financial support programme originally launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to help open chess tournaments survive financially and to support chess professionals who rely on these events. It has since become a regular annual initiative.
Leave a comment