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Champions of the
20th Century
Don Morgan Lafferty
Edwin Hunt
Willie Ryan
Asa Long
Walter Hellman
William Edwards
Sam Levy
Sam Gonotsky
Dr. Marion Tinsley
Derek Oldbury
Elbert Lowder
Leo Levitt
Richard Hallett
African
Checker Champions
1st International Match
In Barbados
Checkers in The
West Indies
The International
Checkers Stage
“Men Only”
Checkers in The News
Checkers Pool
Checkers Champions
Of The Netherlands
Jannes van der Wal
Ton ‘Teunis’ Sijbrands
Checkers Champion
Harm Wiersma
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Checkers in Africa
The International checkers arena was once dominated by the Russians and Dutch masters in national and World competitions; however, since the arrival of Baba Sy on the scene, African players have been offering skilled challenges in numerous tournaments as evidenced by the Masters and Grandmasters from West Africa, in particular.
The games roster now repeatedly depicts Cameroun, Sénégal, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire as the African countries that are represented by experienced GMI and MI checkers players. The African masters have placed well in the Tournoi de Douai (Douai Open), Cannes International Open, European Confederation Cup, the Delft Checkers Festival, Open International Tournament at Brunssum, the Hiltex Zeeland Tournament at Goes, Netherlands, and the International Bijlmer Checkers Tournament in Amsterdam.
These exuberant African checkerists have also been contenders in the World Championship Match in Yakutsk, Siberia. Other tournament arenas that appeal to the skills and competitive spirit are national competitions such as the Championnat de France (Championship of France). Numerous checkers titles have been won in the Blitz de Wattrelos, France, the Coupe de France, Normandy Open, and the Grand Prix de Montrouge.
The International game of checkers has grown tremendously with the advent of new talent on the European circuit and the African players have certainly added a new flair to this mind sport. They possess the same dedication and commitment to checkers as many seasoned checkers champions and they now reign side by side. These Masters and Grandmasters are respected at the checkerboard and many lifelong friendships have developed over the years through tournament play after tournament play.
MI Fidele Nimbi, Congo, and GMI Flaubert Ndonzi, Cameroun, now reside and play in France; however, they also participate in the Championnat d’Afrique (African Championship), which has recently been hostedby Dakar, Sénégal, and Yaounde, Cameroun.
The checkers legacy left behind upon the death of Baba Sy, has not stagnated but blossomed tenfold as a result of the tactical skills and great game play displayed by the current African players on the International checkers scene. Furthermore, it won’t stop here because many of the African countries are witnessing a surge of interest in the mind sport at the local village level, at the regional level, and also at the national level. From here, hopefully new talent will emerge and gain a stronghold, just as their predecessors have managed to accomplish.
Checkerboards Across the African Continent
Ivory Coast 1991 |
Dakar, Senegal, 1999 |
Angola 2000 Checkers game |
Beyin, Ghana Checkers 2002 |
Quarter Final, Dakar 2007 Tournament |
Ghanese checkers players in
Den Haag (The Hague) |
Africa Checkers Championship |
Africa Checkers Championship 2 |
Moors Playing Checkers in Algiers |
Village children involved in a game of
checkers in Kenya |
Locals play checkers in Mauritania |
A friendly village game of checkers
(draughts) in Mozambique |
Checker players in Louga, Senegal |
Street checkers in Stonetown, Zanzibar
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Sierra Leone teens enjoy a quiet, private game of checkers
From the quiet game between two friends to the village square where the checkers assemblage gathers, the atmosphere is usually one of contemplation, daring, and analysis. The checker pieces move slowly across the checkerboard to welcome a winner or to sympathize with the gamer’s sad defeat. This simple, or rather, not so simple mind sport has gained popularity across the wastelands, through the jungles, and over the seas to touch the interest of a multitude of new checker faces. Moreover, this great ancient game has grown new roots, and touched deep in the hearts and spirits of young and old alike, whether novice or master, and the coloured disks will continue to move across the checkerboard for generations to come.
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Two Player
