http://fmjd.org/downloads/WorldMindGames.pdf

[Woodypusher]

Not bad prize money! How do we get get in on the act? lol

[Danny_Alvarez]

I am adding a link here as i had to go to the trouble of copying and pasting to get there.
http://fmjd.org/downloads/WorldMindGames.pdf


great link Woodypusher..... from what i heard i think they are exlcuding us from the action...
but maybe somebody else here knows more .... Maybe somebody from the WCDF can enlighten us on the situation, Mr Devlin or Mr Beckwith.
regards
Danny Alvarez

[rich beckwith]

This topic appeared on this ACF site a few months ago and has been a focus of WCDF recently. I can assure you that Hugh Devlin has been in contact with FMJD and has put in much personal time writing lengthy letters about this. As it stands, Sport Accord is severely restricting the number of entrants for this year's event, which means the "draughts" section will only be represented by a limited number of 100-square folks. FMJD would grant checkers only a very minimal "demonstration level" event without prizes for a handful of players, which is not real practical. I also point out that the 64-section of International draughts is in the same boat. Since we just received this latest letter a few days ago as well, it's not yet clear to us what happens next year (and in the future) with the World Mind Sports Games and checkers, especially in terms of these proposed World Cup events and fees, or if we will even be invited at all. WCDF does attend FMJD meetings when these matters need discussion and clarification.

[George Hay]

Thank you for the update, Dr. B. To me this shows the importance of the WCDF. Sometimes I think Checkers, a.k.a. Anglo-American Checkers, could be referred to as World Checkers. It is good for checker federations to be members of the FMJD. But to preserve the Grand Old Game, it is essential for checker federations to belong to and support the World Checkers Draughts Federation....Who is the WCDF? It is made up of checkers/draughts federations that our friends at the ACF forum belong to! --George Hay

[rich beckwith]

WCDF (http://wcdf.wz.cz/) overseas world qualifier checker tournaments and world title matches, once these qualified challengers are determined. The various checker federations pay annual dues to WCDF to nominate players for the qualifiers. WCDF is an organization at a level in between, say, ACF and FMJD. I sit on WCDF board along with Hugh Devlin, John Reade, and others. WCDF does other things too, such as putting out ratings and harmonized checker rules internationally. The FMJD does recognize sections of checkers and 64-square, but primarily promotes 10x10 draughts.

[rich beckwith]

As a follow-up to these Sport Accord events…the concept of World Cup events applies only to 100-square draughts. The Checkers section is expected to have our own autonomy on how we choose participants.

While it seems checkers will be excluded from this year’s Beijing games and its limited field, the prospects look much brighter for the World Mind Sports Games in August 2012 in England, where it is estimated that 300 draughts participants (total for all sections) will be permitted. The difference, I suppose, is that we will likely be playing for prestigious medals rather than lucrative prize money.

[Danny_Alvarez]

That sounds like a great development Dr Beckwith ... And im sure for most people London is more accessible.

Dr Beckwith i am not sure that i have asked this before and I am not sure if you have the information at WCDF but ... would it be possible for someone to email me approximate details of membership numbers for the member federations of WCDF ?

cheers
Danny

[rich beckwith]

Danny, Actually, the Mind Games will likely be in Manchester, England, while athletic Olympic games are in London.

Regarding your other question, I'm not sure if you asking about WCDF membership numbers, or membership numbers within each of these affiliated organizations. John Reade as secretary would have the most accurate WCDF membership list, assuming there is nothing confidential here. However, since we are dealing with affiliations here rather than individual members, you can probably logically figure out who joined by looking at the 2010 qualifier attendees and seeing what association sent them there (ACF, EDA, etc.). I'm not sure that anyone has, in one convenient place, membership numbers for all of these separate checker organizations from each country. ACF has around 300 members. There are also small associations (like International Checker Hall of Fame) affiliated to WCDF as well.

[Danny_Alvarez]

I am looking for number of members each of the organizations within WCDF have....
ACF = 300 members
EDA = ???
NZDA= ???
SDA=
NWDF=
etc etc etc .
I understand you might not have this information but doesn't the WCDF poll these organizations on these matters upon registration or at a much later date?

Regards
Danny

[tommyc]

Danny the WCDF do absolutely nothing except scrounge around every year to find SOME idiot mad enough to put on a Qualifier Ty for them and do all the work asssociated with that and take all the crap,while they sit back do nothing [maybe feeling self important im sure] cant supply anything to do with running a Ty except write another loony rule that no one wants .They dont promote draughts in any way as far as i know so you might ask what is their purpose,what DO they do?? and i ask the same question too??

[Danny_Alvarez]

Tommy i will not argue with you on this , i am sure you know more about it than i do.... and i would be a liar if i said you are the first person to express this opinion to me. But i believe that despite its flaws (every organization has flaws) the WCDF plays an important role as far as checkers is concerned. Obviously perhaps they could improve (i am sure they are open to suggestions) but i think if we are to gain recognition in the FMJD we need to keep supporting the WCDF. To be honest i neither envy, nor covet the positions of Mr Devlin, Mr Beckwith, Mr Reade, Mr Zachos or anybody else involved.

Sometimes it is hard to take a step back and focus on the future, but i feel that is what we need to do in regards to this.

Cheers
Danny

[rich beckwith]

I see a disconnect here, in light of the first two sentences of my first post on this topic. I‘m sure any organization composed of unpaid volunteers can use constructive comments on how to improve. At same time, when was last time (if ever) a NON-WCDF representative:

--organized a world title match

--established international ratings and titles

--flew overseas to attend FMJD meetings to make sure checkers was represented in inaugural 2008 Beijing WMSG, as well as fighting for more checker participant spots in those games

--established harmonized checker rules in response to the previous point

--actively sought election for WCDF position to lend help

Of course, we already have many good “local” volunteers and/or checker authors (like J. R. Smith, Kim Willis, Jim Loy, and many more) within each checker organization who already have their hands full.

[Danny_Alvarez]

Mr Beckwith ... despite my status as non-member of an association yet... I wish to thank you and the people that form part of the WCDF for all your hard work. I think sometimes passions run high and we tend to 'have a go' at organizations and their constituents. The truth is without organizations there wouldn't be much at all. I understand that there are probably many pecuniary constrictions and difficulties in the WCDF (that has to do with the low numbers in our game obviously) and i am aware that you guys do it voluntarily. That is admirable.

While i dont like inciting unrest.... i think that if we are unhappy with things that is a good sign... i forget the exact quote but someone wiser than me said that being unhappy/uneasy/uncomfortable is the first step towards progress... unless we dont get truly uncomfortable with where things are now with checkers... things cannot get better.

Once again i thank you and your colleagues at WCDF for all your efforts.
Cheers
Danny Alvarez

[liam stephens]

Hi Danny,

The WCDF is comprised of officials and affiliated organisations rather than members (as in the other associations listed).

You are unlikely to see membership numbers of associations quoted very often for the simple reason that they are so low. The USA with a population of over 300 million, and around 300 ACF members. Britain and Ireland are not much better, in that respect. It is, indeed, unfortunate that David Levy’s jibe about
“an association of Retired Elderly Gentlemen”
appears to be becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
That is probably why organisations such as GAISF, MSO, FMJD etc treat Checkers with such contempt.

So far as the Beijing event is concerned there is “no room at the inn” for Checkers and it is in my view questionable whether the WCDF should be affiliating to the FMJD, in view of its lack of support or interest in checkers.

The officials of the various Checkers/Draughts associations are virtually all voluntary and unpaid.
For that reason alone, I do not think they should be criticised. If it were not for the dedicated work of the magazine, journal, bulletin and web-site editors and officials there would be no publicity and no organised activities. However, that does not mean that Associations per se, should not be taken to task for their perceived failures.

Regards - Liam.

[Danny_Alvarez]

Hi Danny,

The WCDF is comprised of officials and affiliated organisations rather than members (as in the other associations listed).

You are unlikely to see membership numbers of associations quoted very often for the simple reason that they are so low. The USA with a population of over 300 million, and around 300 ACF members. Britain and Ireland are not much better, in that respect. It is, indeed, unfortunate that David Levy’s jibe about
“an association of Retired Elderly Gentlemen”
appears to be becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
That is probably why organisations such as GAISF, MSO, FMJD etc treat Checkers with such contempt.

So far as the Beijing event is concerned there is “no room at the inn” for Checkers and it is in my view questionable whether the WCDF should be affiliating to the FMJD, in view of its lack of support or interest in checkers.

The officials of the various Checkers/Draughts associations are virtually all voluntary and unpaid.
For that reason alone, I do not think they should be criticised. If it were not for the dedicated work of the magazine, journal, bulletin and web-site editors and officials there would be no publicity and no organised activities. However, that does not mean that Associations per se, should not be taken to task for their perceived failures.

Regards - Liam.

Hi Liam, I understand your points totally. I asked Mr Beckwith about numbers not to wallow in pity or to be mean spirited about our current situation. Sometimes we need to know where things are in order to compare it to future 'supposed' progress that may or may not eventuate. I live in a country with a rich tradition of checkers and it is heartbreaking to know that there is no association and no people involved at all in checkers in an organized manner. I see Australia as an alternative universe, as a warning to us all of where we could end up, we still have choices... instead of screaming
"You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!" (i forget the name of Mr Heston's character ) maybe we should set up a brain's trust and attempt to turn the tide.
Nothing is easy ... but we should try.
I agree totally that associations and organizations should be taken to task over their failures (perceived or otherwise). But a lot of the time what i hear is this cry of "off with their heads". Surely we can appreciate that these people in the associations have a very difficult task (turning half a century of failure around). We can always do better, and the true success of an association lies in listening to its people so i am sure they would all be happy to listen to people that are interested in the well-being of the game. I think a lot of the time here we are all saying the same thing in different ways and we dont even realize it.

We need to start uniting and we need to do this soon. Forget barriers and differences and unite to save this wonderful game of ours. BTW Liam if they ever set up a "brains trust" i nominate you to be a member of it .

cheers
Danny