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Dutch House Representative
Wiersma
In 2001, Wiersma participated in his 8th National
checkers championship of the Netherlands at
Zwartsluis. However, a little controversy surrounded
this checkers game competition.
After the regular play between opponents at the checkerboard,
the tournament in Zwartsluis remained unresolved.
The games had not led to a decisive win for
one checkers player; in fact, three competitors
finished in first place: Harm Wiersma, Hans
Jansen and Hein Meijer.
After the initial match, Hein Meijer was eliminated.
Then the second match was played in rapid checkers
with an accelerated pace between Jansen and Wiersma,
yet the standing remained the same after the competition
across the checkerboard. Finally, in the third match,
which now included speed plus ten seconds per move
limitation ended with ten turns that were equal and
again Jansen and Wiersma were tied for first place.
The KNDB organizers decided not to try a fourth match,
but rejected Wierma’s suggestion to award the
win to both checkers Grandmasters as a joint first
place win. Instead they elected to chose the National
winner of the Netherlands by drawing lots! What a
way to win the Champion’s title. It’s
like the ending to a top notch soccer game between
two champion teams when the first place finish is
decided by the fate of ‘shoot outs’. It
doesn't test the skills of the players except how
well each player can withstand the pressure and for
the keeper, the luck of his/her reflexes. In this
checkers game, a reasonable outcome would have been
to give the title to both checker masters as a joint
first place. This was indeed an unsatisfactory way
to win the Championship title of the Netherlands.
However, the final outcome was that Harm Wiersma won
the lot and won his eighth National Championship title.
Not an easy end to explain to the outside checkers
world.
Wiersma also contested the field of checkers masters
in the 2001 Orap Open held in Den Haag or The Hague.
Once again he faced the opposition of such players
as defending tournament champion, Alexander Baljakin,
Alexei Tsjizjov, Hans Jansen, Kees Thijssen, N’Diaga
Samb, Mustafa Durdyev and Leopold Sekongo, as well
as a roster of other checkerists. Based on the Dutch
national rating system of 2000, Wiersma ranked second
in the Netherlands, just behind Alexander Baljakin.
During the tournament competition, the most eye-catching
checker players were Harm Wiersma and Alexei Tsjizjov.
The top contenders maintained a close positioning throughout
the various challenges at the checkerboard and by Round
9, the winners had claimed their place. Harm Wiersma,
Kees Thijssen and Alexander Baljakin tied with a total
of 19 points each, but Wiersma won the championship
title with a total of 135.
Shortly after the opening in a game against
Fennema, Alexei Tsjizjov missed an opportunity
to make a great play, but he didn't see the
move and then later in a draw position he
made a mistake and lost the game. This cost
him the one point that would have kept him
in the top contention with the other five
players who scored the 19 points.
Alexei Tsjizjov vs Harm Wiersma
Orap Open
Den Haag 2001
Harm Wiersma Tournament Champion
Another Change for Harm Wiersma in 2001
During the past twenty years or so, the Royal
Dutch ‘Dambond’ or
checkers federation of the Netherlands had
sponsored Harm Wiersma as coach and trainer.
However, over the years, there had evolved
some differences of opinion between Wiersma
and the KNDB concerning the role of a trainer/coach
within the field of checkers. There was also
the issue of funding for the coaching position
within the KNDB and monies paid out for this
job came under scrutiny more frequently. As
with everything in the 21st century, the organization
was trying to find ways to economize on expenses
and so the focus turned to the position Harm
held within the auspices of the Dutch federation.
Ultimately, Wiersma and the KNDB decided that to part
ways, though whether this will be a permanent arrangement
only time will tell. Firstly, all parties must come
to a consensus on the new structure for a modern training
program that will lead to the creation of top level
Dutch House of Representatives Harm
Wiersma in Politics.
During the summer of 2001, Harm Wiersma discovered
a new interest outside of the checkers arena. This
became an involvement in local politics. Several new
parties had formed in surrounding towns and soon the
Leefbaar Leeuwarden party had been created from the
group Dolstra, mother of dammer Erwin Heslinga. Leefbaar
Nederland established Pim Fortuyn as foreman and Wiersma
became chairman of LL. Soon Fortuyn’s ideals
were recognized as somewhat apart from LL and Pim Fortuyn
broke with Leefbaar Nederland, and created the LPF
(List Pim Fortuyn) political party. Wiersma ran for
a political post for Leefbaar Netherlands as an LPF
and tried for the kamerlidmaatschap, wherein the sport
portfolio appealed to him with his background in mind
sports. This became more than just an expression of
one’s casual political beliefs; this was a serious
endeavor on Wiersma’s part.
His new interest was so strong and sincere that he
consulted with the heads of the party about running
as a candidate in the election for the sport portfolio
in the Dutch House of Representatives. Harm consulted
with the board from the Boerenpartij or
literally translated, Common Party, about becoming
a candidate for the election. The current head stated
that “Checker players
are thinkers and he fits with us. Wiersma is not in
the first ten candidates on the list, since he was
nominated by our members, but has made himself a candidate,"commented
BP Group Koekoek. Wiersma said that the philosophy
of the Boerenpartij appealed to his own beliefs because
it comes for the middle class.
In May 2002 Harm Wiersma was a Frisian who was elected
as one of the 26 members of the LPF to the Lower House
in the Dutch House of Representatives. Wiersma held
office in Foreign Affairs dealing with the Third World
and Eastern Europe, in Sports and in Social Affairs
and Expenditures. Harm’s son, Joeri Wiersma,
who studied government management and public administration
at the Thorbecke Academy, worked as his personal assistant
during Harm’s tenure in office.
As a result of Representative Wiersma position
in elected office, Harm Wiersma acknowledged that he
would not be participating in forthcoming Netherland
or European checkers championships because of the time
commitment and busy schedule involved with his position
as a member of parliament in the Dutch House of Representatives.
Representative Wiersma did still take the opportunity
to be a guest speaker at different functions on different
topics such as the nature of the mind sport called checkers.
Harm Wiersma Speaker
in Politics |
Huizum Jeugdamclub
(Checkers Youth Club)
2002
Guest Speaker on Checkers |
However, despite his desire for public service, Representative Wiersma’s
political career was troubled and short-lived. He
was strongly impressed with and influenced by the
views of Pim Fortuyn. As an elected member of the
List Pim Fortuyn party, his main concerns were the
development of Eastern Europe and sports. His knowledge
and experience suited his political position because
the former checkers player had worked with East European
companies. In fact, Representative Wiersma had
business involvement with the Eastern block of countries
resulted in his marriage to a Russian woman with whom
he later had two daughters.
Representative Harm Wiersma interviewed
with son, Joeri
Member of the House of Representatives,
LPF
2002
Unfortunately, 2003 resulted in Wiersma’s
departure from the House of Representatives
because of difficulties within his municipality
of Leeuwarden and the fact that the LPF lost
some of its popularity. His past position
within government politics, combined with
the fact that he was a checkers player, led
to the pun that Wiersma was a “Dutch
politician with a checkered past.”
Since Harm was no longer in a working relationship
with the KNDB, he joined the board of the FMJD ~ the
World Checkers/Draughts Federation and will use his
skills within that organizing body for the benefit
of the International checkers arena. However, former
Representative Wiersma also moved back into
the checkers circuit and participated in various competitions,
simultaneous displays and demonstrations within the
checkers arena.
Harm Wiersma & Alexander Georgiev
Singing a song at Ufa.
2004 |
Harm Wiersma at Valkenburg
2004
Simultaneous Play |
Harm Wiersma in Varazze, Italy
World Team Championship
Teammates: Rob Clerc, Kees Thijssen
& Alexander Baljakin for Netherlands
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Daniel Bof vs Harm Wiersma
5th in checkers tournament |
Alexander Georgiev vs Harm Wiersma
Russia vs Netherlands,
Varazze, Italy |
Harm Wiersma, Rob Clerc,
& Ron Heusdens
Blindfold Checkers Championship
Schiedam, NL |
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