Checkers Clubs

They call Checkers the “Grand Old Game”, and there are Checkers clubs all over the world to promote the continuance of Checkers as a competition and pastime. Checkers, or as it is known in Europe, Draughts, has been a favorite game to millions of people over the generations. By some archaeological methods of figuring such things, Checkers is the oldest game in the world, with a checkers-like games, possibly named "alquerque" or "patteia", being played by the ancient Egyptians at least as far back as 1,400 B.C.

History of Checkers

Beyond that, there is a depiction from the ancient city of Ur in modern Iraq dating back as far as 3,000 B.C. that appears to depict people playing Draughts. The Ancient Romans played a version called latrunculi, while the medieval Arabs played a draughts game variously named "Qirkat", "al-qirq" or the aforementioned alquerque. No wonder then that checkers is still alive and well today, with Checkers' long history beside the human race. In the modern world, Draughts is played at varying levels of competition all over the world.

Most people probably only play checkers every once in a while, usually as a children’s board game. Some people have a greater passion for the game, however, and make it into a lifelong hobby in its own right. Checkers clubs give a whole host of opportunities for these players: a chance to meet new competitors, learn more about their favorite game, and teach the game to a new generation of avid players.

Checkers clubs provide the following services for their members:

Cash Tournaments
Open Play Nights
Player Ratings
Strategy Lessons
History and Education
Community
Practice Opportunities

Checkers Tournaments

The biggest services that a checkers club provide include community, the organization of tournaments, and the opportunity to play during open play nights. Tournaments frequently have prize funds attached to them, so winners have the opportunity to take home some rewards for their play.

Many tournaments have several different player “classes,” based on the player’s experience and talent with the game. For example, some clubs have Master, Moderate and Minor brackets. This keeps tournaments fun and fair, since new players probably would not enjoy being defeated again and again by the local masters.

Along with tournament organization, a checkers club provides its players with ratings based on their performance that helps calculate what level they should play on.

Checkers State Championships

Checkers Clubs Some of the biggest tournaments are state championships, which are usually sponsored by the American Checker Federation (www.usacheckers.com). Some of these tournaments require membership in the ACF; the tournament information usually says whether it is needed or not.

Education and History

Teaching strategy is, of course, a natural part of any games club. For checkers, this consists of showing players famous moves and how to solve board situations. The commitment to bettering one’s play is a natural part of being involved in a checkers club. Checkers clubs also teach their members about the history of the game, along with some of its famous players.

Checkers has a number of famous openings, some of which are barred. The barred openings often have colorful names like “the Inferno” or “the Cheetah.” Learning these moves is imperative for any would-be checkers master, and checkers clubs provide some of the best places to learn about them.

While many books have been written on famous checkers openings, none of them compare to playing out these moves against real opponents.

Famous Checkers Players

Checkers clubs also pass on the history of the game with stories of famous players, like Marion Tinsley, the acknowledged greatest player in history. Tinsley was the world champion for decades, and is known to have only lost seven total games in his whole career. Marion Tinsley also had a much-publicized victory over the computer program Chinook.

Join in the fun

It is easy to play checkers today through online services. Many websites feature versions of the game that can set you up with other players at any time. However, there is a strong difference between these online games and checkers clubs: what the Internet gives us in convenience, we lose in camaraderie. If you are interested checkers, or games in general, find your local club and pay them a visit.

With Checkers and a local Checkers club, you may find a wonderful new hobby waiting for you.

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