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Pool Checkers Player
Iser Koeperman
Pool Checkers Player Iser Koeperman
left behind many friends and checkers associates
in favor of this new beginning. However,
at this stage in his life, although such
a move could not have been easy, one thing
Iser Koeperman did not leave behind was his
inherent love of the game of checkers.
Although checkers player Iser Koeperman,
whose name appears to have become Iser
Kuperman once
he moved to the States and became a US citizen,
was the distance of the Atlantic Ocean away
from the European checkers scene, he still
maintained contact and played in several
tournaments in his old stomping grounds.
In fact, after his immigration to the US,
Koeperman became more active in the Dutch
draughts club competitions and in 1979 Iser
became a member of the Dutch Lent checkers
club. Koeperman became the Champion of
the club and attracted such notable master
players as Harm Wiersma, Hans Jansen and
Frank Drost.
In 1980, checkers player Iser Koeperman was
scheduled to challenge Harm Wiersma in the
European World Championship match, but a
month before the competition, Iser withdrew
from the match. Though the reasons for his
withdrawal were not completely clear, Ton
Sijbrands has noted in his discourse on the
Grandmaster player there was an agreement
between Koeperman and the organizers of
the match to pay Iser 20,000 guiders for
his part in the competition, which was perhaps
to offset the cost of travel. Something certainly
went amiss and player Iser Koeperman withdrew
as challenger.
Iser continued to play the mind sport in
the International draughts scene of 100 square
checkers, but he also discovered a new form
of the board game, to which he was immediately
drawn. Iser Koeperman turned his attention
to the world of American Pool Checkers,
which was (and still is) played on the 8
x 8 164-square checkerboard, as in regular
American checkers or English draughts. His
affiliation with the APCA, or American
Pool Checkers Association, created
a venue for a new development in his checkerboard
skills.
Between 1984 and 1991, pool checkers player
Iser Koeperman amassed an incredible record
by playing in over 300 games across the southeastern
United States. At that time, he was preceded
by his Grandmaster reputation as a strong,
innovative checkers player. Carl ‘Buster’ Smith
had met and played against Iser during his
competitive play in European tournaments
during the 1960’s and had commented
that Koeperman was the greatest checkers
player from the Soviet Union. Needless to
say, the arena of American Pool Checkers
players were not surprised at his high caliber
of play and expertise across the checkerboard,
even if Iser now faced his opponents over
a 64 square board instead of a 100 square
checkerboard.
However, the Pool checkers circuit was not
prepared for player Iser Koeperman’s
dominance in the mind sport. With time, Koeperman
would readily defeat his checkers opponents
almost before they sat down across from him
at the checkerboard. The regularity of his
wins almost became a routine for Iser and
after a while, a certain apprehension developed
within the hearts of Pool players because
no checkers player really knew if he actually
stood a chance against the the decisive cross
board skills and strategies of the Grandmaster
player.
Still, because of Iser’s domination
of the Pool checkerboard in the APCA tournaments,
some private matches were arranged, wherein
Koeperman came to the board, defeated the
opponent with mastery and finesse and then
moved on.
Iser Koeperman won first place and the championship
title in the Top
Master Division of the APCA in the
following National Tournaments:
- 1984 ~ Nassau, Bahamas ~ defeated champion,
Carl ‘Buster’ Smith
- 1985 ~ Dayton, Ohio
- 1986 ~ St. Louis, Missouri
- 1987 ~ Memphis, Tennessee
- 1988 ~ Detroit, Michigan
- 1989 ~ Columbus, Ohio
- 1990 ~ Atlanta, Georgia
- 1991 ~ Koeperman was defeated by former
champion, Carl ‘Buster’ Smith
in Los Angeles, California.
Even pool checkers player Iser Koeperman’s
attempt to defend his championship title against
Carl Smith in 1991 did not record a loss. Consequently,
when the report came from Los Angeles, that "Buster" had
dethroned the Grandmaster, Iser Koeperman,
there was a lot of rejoicing, not only in Chicago,
but also, at the Los Angeles tournament as
well. Of course, much of this celebration had
as much to do with "Buster’s" popularity
as Koeperman’s previous dominance in
the American Pool Checkers arena.
A prevalent view within the Pool checkers circle
had soon developed that recounted the belief
that no American Pool checkers player could
successfully compete against the former champion
from the Soviet Union and win. It was indeed
unfortunate that such a perception or misconception
had been created because player Iser Koeperman
could easily have become an excellent source
of checkers expertise from whom even the most
novice of players could have learned some solid
techniques.
However, by all accounts, there was little
doubt that Koeperman played the game of American
Pool Checkers better than it had ever been
played before or since. In his tribute to Iser
Koeperman, Charles ‘Pecan’ Thompson
wrote, “And
a remarkable characteristic about his play
was ‘how’ he played ‘the
Game.’ What I mean is, as I studied
the games he played, there were no restricted
openings. All openings were on the table and
were to be used. While other great players
usually restricted themselves to a few choice
openings, he shrewdly demonstrated that every
possible opening had meaning; it and could
and should be a part of one’s arsenal
and was to be used whenever and wherever most
appropriate. For that, I think the, bar was
raised. The Game,itself has profited. And for
that, we all have benefited. That was his contribution!”
Although Koeperman still participated in the
European checkers circuit, the former five
time national champion of the Soviet Union,
now also turned his attention to the Pan-American
competitions. Koeperman participated in the
first Pan-American International Championship
hosted by Paramaribo, Suriname. Checkers player
Iser Koeperman placed 3rd in a field of new
opponents and this new checkers arena offered
him the opportunity to promote the game of
checkers and to train novice players in the
strategies of the game.
This checkers circuit also afforded him the
motivation to contest for the first place title
over the next few years. Iser Koeperman represented
the US in the Pan-American Championships held
every other year in the West Indies or South
America, and won the tournament title in the
next three consecutive Pan-American matches
following the first checkers championship in
1980.
- 1983 ~ hosted by US in city of Philadelphia
- 1985 ~ Ituiutaba, Brazil
- 1987 ~ Amparo, Brazil
- 1995 ~ Aquas de Lindoia, Brazil
During the 10th Pan-American Championships
of 1999 hosted in Willemstad, Curacao, champion
Iser Koeperman placed 2nd just behind Johan
Koster from Curacao. Iser did not participate
in the 2001 or 2003 Panam tournament, but instead
journeyed to Montreal in 2004 for the 2nd Marcel
Deslauriers Memorial checkers competition,
wherein the Grandmaster checker player participated
in a field of sixteen checkerists. He did not
want to miss this opportunity to play in the
home city of his first World Championship
opponent, Marcel Deslauriers.
Iser Koeperman next to Raoul Alias, Curacao
at the Marcel Deslauriers Opening Ceremony 2004
Gilles Carisse
vs
Iser Koeperman
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Koeperman displaying his checkers skill
“Just
Play”Festival
simultaneous games. |
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