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Checkers Around the WorldWorld Draughts/Checkers FederationsAs the popularity of Checkers/Draughts increased worldwide over time, so did the need for regulations or a standard system of play that extended beyond the rules of the traditional game and each variant derived from the original version.So it was that 1947 saw the creation of Fédération Mondiale du Jeu de Dames (FMJD) or also called, the World Draughts Federation. This organized body of sports federations was founded by France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland with a central mandate to regulate the competition on world championship tournaments. Since 1897, world champions have been declared between France and the Netherlands and the federation has seen an increasing number of countries join the FMJD so that this desire for a more regular level of competition has eventually led to an international checkers/draughts organization. From its early conception, the World Draughts Federation has grown to include at least fifty participating national federations from all over the world. These national sports bodies are conjoined to create regional confederations: European Draughts Confederation, Asian Draughts Confederation, African Draughts Confederation and the Pan American Draughts Confederation. The federation’s website states the following: “FMJD (World Draughts Federation) is the international sport body uniting national draughts federations. FMJD is a member of GAISF and strives to the Olympic recognition. Our strength is in the unity of draughts.” With reference to the GAISF, the FMJD also states that recently it “has become a member of the GAISF, the General Association of International Sport Federations, the umbrella organization for all internationally recognized sports, Olympic and ~ in the case of draughts ~ non-Olympic. As such, the FMJD membership…is part of a more general movement towards integration of mind sports in the regular sports arenas, a development that in the vision of the FMJD is to be lauded.” For numerous decades, the world title competition has been part of the mind sports arena with a succession of world champions remaining unbroken since the early founding days. Where once there was a more bilateral struggle between the competitors of France and the Netherlands, 1956 saw two other nations emerge to produce champions from other corners of the world when Canada and the still existing Soviet Union joined the competition to form a multilateral championship struggle. Then in 1963, a Senegalese checkers challenger, the late Baba Sy, joined the scene to bid for the world title, which he indeed did win. However, the Netherlands continued to challenge for the highest title of world champion and soon the contenders would come from the Netherlands and the Soviet Union during the following decades. Russia emerged to dominate the champion scene after the fall of the Soviet regime. African Draughts Confederation:
Asian Draughts Confederation:
European Draughts Confederation:
Pan-American Draughts Confederation:
Oceania Federation:
The World of Checkers/Draughts is not limited to the far reaching hand of the world wide confederations as numerous other federations and associations are part of this mind sport phenomenon. Associated Federations:
Within the US, the game of Pool Checkers has become exceedingly popular and the following list shows the associations and clubs across the country. CALIFORNIA DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA GEORGIA Augusta Pool Checker Club Macon Pool Checkers Club Savannah Checker Club ILLINOIS MICHIGAN Detroit American Pool Checker Club Flint Pool Checkers Club MISSOURI St. Louis Pool Checker Club NEW YORK West Harlem Salvation Army Center NORTH CAROLINA Piedmont Pool Checkers Association OHIO Midwest Ohio Pool Checker Association Toledo Club 15 Checker Association PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE TEXAS
From the time the World Draughts (Checkers) Federation was founded, the priority was to ensure that championship checkers games followed a quality standard and rule set that guaranteed a high level of competition and challenge. Over time, the federation widened its scope of activities so that the focus was not only on male champions and their world titles, but eventually, in 1973, championships for women were incorporated into the mandate of the sport body. This was followed by championships for juniors in 1977, cadets in 1988 and girls in 1989. During the early years of the Federation, since 1965, the organizing committee arranged championship tournaments and these were based in continental Europe. In 1967, the FMJD began ‘Olympiads’, which were team championships for senior players and then these were followed in 1987 for junior players. It quickly became apparent that Checkers/Draughts games and master players were not confined to Europe and gradually the game activities in other parts of the world were recognized by the World Draughts (Checkers) Federation as they, too, were given greater importance in this mind sport. As a result, a more developed system of tournament play was created and continental tournaments were born. Today, these championships are held in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. From this new system of tournaments sprang the need for conjoined continental confederations that would carry the authority and the mandate to oversee all competitions at each individual continent level. Europe recently took the individual championships one step further for senior and youth game play by complementing the continental tournaments with international club competitions. The world confederations that govern all checkers tournament play in today’s society are: the European Draughts Confederation, the Asian Confederation, the African Confederation and the Pan-American Confederation that covers North, South and Central America as well as the West Indies. This does not mean that the FMJD or World Draughts (Checkers) Federation has lost its inherent power over the tournaments, but simply that it has now delegated this power amongst other sport federations. Different competitions still remain under the aegis of the Federation. Arbitration and problem solving through its own CPI Commission and special performances such as simultaneous games, exhibitions and blind simultaneous play fall under the Federation’s umbrella. It is still the head governing body for championship tournament play in Checkers and Draughts throughout the world. As can be readily seen, the internet plays an extremely important part in relaying current tournament information, results of championships and even the general data written about all the federations and associations that exist. Many federations and associations have their own sites, written in native languages for the avid checkers/draughts fan. Information that is readily available centres around running events, past events and upcoming tournaments in a variety of championships that will be discussed later. To ensure that the quality of these activities follow the Federation’s mandate, the organizational structure of the FMJD has recently been renewed to incorporate three main sections that represent all facets of checkers/draughts play. International checkers/draughts on a 100 square checkerboard has the primary focus as this version is played in and by all participating federations. Then there are two older versions of the mind sport played on 64 square checkerboards: the Russian/Brazilian style is the folk variant played in most of the former Soviet countries and Brazil, while the checkers version is mainly played in North America, England and former English colonies throughout the world. These game styles are now governed by their own divisions within the Federation. The head office for the FMJD is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and successfully reigns over all Federation matters including three committees that guarantee the maximum quality in this sport: arbitration, problem solving and technical support. Through the development of world sport federations that govern the integrity of checkers and draughts, this mind sport has risen from a level of simplicity into the complex and challenging game that is inherent in every game play. However, despite the serious nature that has evolved within the more mature competitive levels, Checkers can still be viewed with a sense of humour that depicts how the popularity of the game has indeed grown within our society, as seen by the following cartoon.
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Federation Burkinabe du Jeu de Dames
Côte d'Ivoire Federation Ivoirienne du Jeu de Dames
Cameroon Federation Camerounaise de Jeu de Dames
Congo Federation Congolaise du Jeu de Dames FNDA
Gambia Gambian Draughts Federation
Guinee Federation Guinéenne du Jeu de Dames et des Echecs
LebanonFederation Libanaise du Jeu de Dames (expatriot)
MaliFederation Malienne du Jeu de Dames
Mauritania Federation Mauritanienne du Jeu de Dames
Senegal Federation Senegalaise du Jeu de Dames
Somali Somali Draughts Sport Association
South Africa South African Wargames Union
Uganda Uganda Amateur Draughts Association
India Draughts Federation of India
Kazachstan Draughts Federation of Kazachstan
Mongolia Mongolian Federation of Draughts
Turkmenistan Draughts Federation of Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Draughts Federation
Armenia Armenian Draughts Federation
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Draughts Federation
Belarus Belarus Draughts Federation
Belgium Koninklijke Belgische Dambond
Croatia Croatian Draughts Federation
Czech Republic Ceska Federace Damy
Danmark Danish Draughts Federation
England English Draughts Association
EstoniaEstonian Draughts Federation
France Féd. francaise du jeu de dames
Georgia Georgian Draughts Federation
Germany Interessengemeinschaft Damespiel in Deutschland
Israel Israeli Draughts Federation
Italy Federazione Italiana Dama
Latvia Latvian Draughts Federation Union
Lithuania Lithuanian Draughts Federation
Moldavia Draughts Federation of Moldavia
Netherlands Koninklijke Nederlandse Dambond
Poland Polish Draughts Federation
Russia All-Russian Federation of Draughts
Slovenia Slovenian Draughts Federation
Switzerland Federation Suisse du Jeu de Dames
Ukraine Ukrainian Draughts Federation
WalesCymdeithas Draffts Cymru
Barbados Barbados Draughts Association
Brazil Confederacao Brasileira de Jogo de Damas
Canada Federation Canadienne du jeu de Dames
Costa Rica Asociacion Costarricense del Juego de Damas
Curaçao Curaçaose Dambond
Dominican Republic Federacion Dominicana de Juego de Damas
Grenada Grenada Draughts Association
Haiti Federation Haitienne du Jeu de Dames
Jamaica Jamaica Board Games Foundation
Panama Asociacion Panamena de Juego de Damas
Suriname Surinaamse Dambond
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Draughts Association
USA American Checker Federation
USA American Pool Checkers Association
USA American International Checkers Society
Australia Australian Draughts Federation
California Checker Association CALCA
Canadian Checker Association CCA
Czech Union Of Draughts CUD
Illinois State Checkers Association ICA
Lancashire Draughts Association LDA
Missouri Checker Association MCA
New Zealand Draughts Association NZDA
North Carolina Checker Association NCCA
Northwest Draughts Federation NDF (Ireland)
Portuguese Draughts Federation FPD
Quebec Checker Association QCA
Scottish Draughts Association SDA
Welsh Draughts Association WDA
