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

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

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.

See More African Checkers Below

More From the Checkers Chest

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