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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 Champion Jannes van der Wal
    
1956 ~ 1996
"A man is born and he dies.
There exists between the ability to play checkers.”
Jannes van der Wal was born in the Netherlands in the village of Driesum, the province of Friesland. He grew up in Tjalleberd and became interested in the mind sport of checkers at an early age of 12 through the teachings of his father. At the time, Jannes soon became convinced that he would become a World Champion in the game, but nobody took the young checkerist seriously. However, he was strong in spirit and commitment and other people’s opinions did not phaze him one iota.
Later Jannes commented, “…at least I knew what I had to do here on earth and that is to make sure that I become the World Champion.”
Jannes was a bright student and passed the Dutch ‘gymsnasium exam’ easily and began studies in the field of mathematics. Soon after high school this deep passion for checkers began to interfere with his study of mathematics because he was in pursuit of that dream to become World Champion in draughts/checkers. Eventually, Jannes became so involved in the art of checkers that he discontinued his studies to completely focus on the development of his game strategies at the checkerboard.
Early in his pursuit of checkers, Jannes had made up his mind that he was going to become a World Champion and this determination was clearly seen in his approach to the checkers game. In fact, the young Jannes chose to become a professional draughts or checkers player and in that day, no one could make a living at playing the game so as he didn’t earn much income from his checkers endeavours, Jannes appeared on many television programs that would pay him for his appearance.
Although the checkers career of van der Wal was short lived due to an early demise resultant of leukemia, the young checkers master left behind a noteworthy legacy within the checkers arena from the club level to the competitive world stage of International checkers. Jannes became a renowned opponent at the checkerboard and reigned as a world class Dutch player from 1978 until 1996.
Jannes van der Wal displayed his innate checkers skill and innovative techniques in the many games he played against his checkers opponents at the club level in individual matches, at the team level, and at the medal level in National and World competition in the checkers International arena.
Jannes van der Wal ~ International Draughts/Checkers Record
- Dutch Champion of individual matches: Utrecht, 1978; Amersfoort, 1980; Soest, 1981, 1983.
- Dutch Champion in Team World Cup competitions within the Checkers Groningen Club in 1976 and Fivelgo Club in 1982.
- Gronings Club Champion in 1979, 1982 and 1983.
- National Dutch Champion, Netherlands, 1981, 1984, 1985 and 1987.
- World Champion in International Checkers, São Paulo, Brazil 1982 at age 24; no Russian Grandmasters participated as no visas were issued at that time.
- World Record in Simultaneous checkers play in 1987 against 225 opponents, where he won 207 games, lost 4 and 14 draws, which gave him a 92% win record.
- Nijmegen Open Champion, 1990; 4th place in 1991.
In July 1983, Jannes defended his World Championship title in a “dubbelrondige achtkamp” or Round Robin qualifier against Grandmaster checkers players Alexander Baljakin, Anatoli Gantwarg, Vadim Virny and Harm Wiersma. Harm Wiersma won the qualifier with a right to challenge for the World title later that year. In the World Championship match between van der Wal and Wiersma, the senior Dutch champion, Harm Wiersma, defeated the defending World Champion with a final score of 21 to 19.
Aside from his World and Dutch national checkers championships, Jannes van der Wal participated in various European tournaments such as the Suiker, Brinta, and Alukontoernooi, as well as club team competitions and simultaneous checkers play, always searching for the ultimate title win of the tournament championship.
A Photographic Glimpse of Jannes van der Wal
Checkers Champion & Personality Extraordinaire
1978
Cool down after the heat
of a checkers game? |
Iser Koeprman
vs
Jannes van der Wal
Abcoude, Netherlands
Championship
1979 |
Checkers Champion Jannes van der Wal |
World Championship Match, Sao Paolo Brazil
1982
Jannes played against a roster of experienced checkers players including Harm Wiersma, Rob Clerc, Johan Bastiaannet, Vladimir Kaplan and Mamina N’Diaye.
  
Jannes & Harm at the World championship, Brazil
  
Jannes van der Wal, World Champion 1982
After the World Cup trophy presentation, Jannes got up on stage with the musicians and sang a song about winning the world title.
 
1982 World Champion & Compatriots Rob Clerc, Johan Bastiaannet, & Harm Wiersma
at Schizphol For Jannes van der Wal, this championship win was a dream come true.
To become the World Checkers Champion was something he had
worked towards since he was a boy of 12.
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CHECKERS CHEST
Two Player