|
|
Checkers In The News
Elbert Lowder
Reigning Three-Move checkers World Champion,
Alex "The
Mad Russian" Moiseyev, sitting
to the right, concentrates on his next move
against Elbert Lowder during the National
Checkers, Tournament in Medina, Ohio.
Chuck Bowen wrote the following checkers news account
of his impressions on the National 3-Move
Checkers Championship held in Medina, Ohio.
This tournament was to be Elbert Lane Lowder’s
last checkers competition:
“There are no
giant screens streaming instant replays.
There are no banners or face paint. There
are no television cameras. And there certainly
are no screaming fans.
A weeklong national checkers tournament started
Monday in this small town about 30 miles southwest
of Cleveland, Ohio. Packed into a dimly lit conference
room at a hotel sandwiched between a fast food restaurant
and a gas station, more than 40 players from 17 states and
two foreign countries vied for their part of a $6,000 purse
and a chance to claim the title of US Checkers Champion...”
This 3-Move tournament was organized by
the ACF and in the 3-Move Restriction style
the first three moves in each game are dictated
by a randomly drawn card so that this method
evens the playing field during the course
of the tournament's 32 games, giving each
player a fair chance at opening moves.
Forty-one competitors such as Alex Moiseyev
and Ron King came to the small town of Medina
from Barbados, Canada, and across the United
States. This was to become Elbert Lowder’s
final checkers tournament in the news.
For more than 50 years in checker news, he dominated the
North Carolina checkers scene. “He’s
done about all you could do in the world
of checkers,” said J.R. Smith, secretary
of the N.C. Checker Association. “He’s
probably played more games than anyone alive.”
Smith also said that Elbert Lowder never really received the respect
he deserved as a Grandmaster player of the checkers game because
“He always seemed to be in the shadow
of Marion Tinsley (who is widely considered the greatest player of
all time. He always played right beside Tinsley and the greats, but
never could quite beat them.” Nonetheless, Lowder became
somewhat of a pioneer in the game, dominating the 11-Man Ballot, which
Smith said was hard to master because it took so many moves.
Lowder’s partner, Tim Laverty, said that the pair worked well in
tandem and encouraged each other to become stronger players.
“Elbert Lowder would
always have his board,” Laverty
said. “He
would come up with an idea, his own little
innovation and I would try to knock it out.
Two great players together can really help
each other. It was give and take.” Laverty
remembered Elbert an easy going fellow who
was a genius at the checkers game. Smith
said that world-class players like Elbert
Lowder “certainly
have a brilliant mind,” and
an average checker player wouldn't
stand a chance against him. “There’s
no way an average player could play with
Elbert,” he said. “Elbert Lowder had so
many patterns memorized; he could immediately
recognize what they did wrong.”
Elbert Lane Lowder passed away on December
14, 2006, and left an amazing checkers legacy
to both young and old game enthusiasts as well
as to novice players and Grandmaster checkerboard
champions. He will remain as a living memory
in the hearts of many nationally and internationally
in the checkers arena.
Photo News Gallery
Elbert Lowder in Checkers Tournaments
1975 North Carolina State Tournament
Elbert Lowder vs Angus Simpson with Harry Anderson vs Ed Scheidt next to them.
“Elbert
was an unpretentious, non-materialistic
man, our friend and our own North Carolina
Grandmaster. With painful sadness we express
our love and friendship for him as he passed
on to a higher life. We will miss him unfathomably
but as long as we play checkers, Elbert
will be with us in our hearts and thoughts
whenever we unfold a
checkerboard!”
Elbert Lowder in Checkers News Tournaments 1 |
Elbert Lowder in Checkers News Tournaments 2 |
Elbert Lowder in Checkers News Tournaments 3 |
Elbert Lowder in Checkers News Tournaments 4 |
Elbert Lowder in Checkers News Tournaments 5 |
Elbert Lowder in Checkers News Tournaments 6 |
2003
Tennessee Checkers Tourney Nationals |
2003
Tennessee Checkers Ty |
2004
3-Move Checkers |
Las Vegas
2005
NC Checker Champion |
Las Vegas
1st Round Masters
2006
Alex Moiseyev vs Elbert Lowder |
Las Vegas
3rd Round Masters
2006
Jim Morrison vs Elbert Lowder |
6th Round Masters
2006
Larry Keen vs Elbert Lowder |
7th Round Masters
2006
Elbert L vs Michael Holmes |
8th Round Masters
2006
Elbert Lowder vs Clayton |
This Tournament
was dedicated to the memory and in honor
of Checkers Grandmaster Elbert L. Lowder.
Return to Checkers
News page 1, Click Here
|
|
