Canada open

[champion374]

hi guys i am kent layne from barbados i wanted to know if checkers in canada is over? i am not seeing any tourdaments for canada please let me know whats going on.
my last overseas tourdament was ireland 2005 i i came 4th in the intermediate section.i came 2nd to clayton nash in the world juniour open in barbados in 2004 also.
i came 5th in irish open 2004 under the Senior section.

please get back to me about the canada open.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Hi, Kent !

Last Canada Open was played in 2007 where I participated. There were only 7 (or 8 ?) players here and about half of them came from USA - me, Richard Beckwith and Alan Millhone. We played it close to East Coast near Niagara Falls. Leroy Adams, Earl Morrison played here and it was last time when I saw Leroy. He is relatively inactive in the last several years. They said that next year, 2008, they will try to make Canada Open in the West Coast, Winnipeg, but it was never materialized.

I don't say that future of checkers in Canada is jeopardise, but it is definetely on decline.

None of Canada top players attended QT tournaments since WCDF started running them in 2004.

In your particular case I would recommend you to visit USA Open. Next year it should be GAYP National. Base on your record and performance, it seems like your level is matching to Major Division or little bit above. You can try indeed Master Division but it maybe a bit challenging Hope see you some day face-to-face at checkers event.

Regards,

Alex Moiseyev

[champion374]

i played in the usa open back in 1999 came 7th in the seniour section.
leroy adams is from barbados live in canada for years.i am so disapointed to hear that i truely am.

is there no plans at all? they have to be checker players around in canadai would have to work on geting back my visa again the time has run out.

some great players has come from canada dr frazier ,richard hallet ,some more that not coming to mind.

i hope they plan one for next year hope it attracts some english irish and usa players would really like to go.

[tommyc]

Hi Kent,were missing you coming to Ireland with Ron[King] what have you been doing since Cookstown 2005,have yu and him fell out /?Happy Xmas Tommy Canning.

[champion374]

na tommy me and king good friends.i was all pack ready to go but i got a big disapointment when at last min my sponsor could not fit the bills.jack could not make it nother
hopefully i will make it to ireland next year.i was askin about the Canadian open cause i dont hear them holding no events.i have never been to canada but would like to go.
tommy i am working on a sponsorship program for next year.alot of people dont even know i came 2nd to nash in the world juniours in 2004 in barbados i had him beaten in the first game but made a blinder in the end game.he put it back and showed me.

i had some friendly games with shane mckusker of ireland he never had betten me in go as u please barbados is working on more 3 move tourdaments.but i am going to make a bold statement barbados has the best go as u please players in the world.ronald king jack francis rawle williams .i am trying to improve my rateings.

[Bernard Coll]

but i am going to make a bold statement barbados has the best go as u please players in the world.ronald king jack francis rawle williams .i am trying to improve my rateings.[/quote]
Hi Kent, I have no wish to dampen your enthusiasm about travelling to test your skills against the best known players universally. But as you say yourself, you have Ron King and Jack Francis nearby to practice with. In my opinion, you should hone your game until you can match these 2 great players before considering an overseas challenge. Maybe sponsorhip would be more accessible to you if you could attain this standard.

[champion374]

i been overseas 3 times new york and ireland twice.i draw games with suki and jack in the past.

i had beaten miles hanigan in friendly go as u please games on my last visit to ireland.i have no problems going overseas but in these hard times companys holding back there moneys.jack was unable to attend the wcdf in ireland cause of this to.

[Bernard Coll]

Aha, But beating Suki and Jack, and beating them consistently would possibly open sponsorship doors for you?

[Alex_Moiseyev]

i played in the usa open back in 1999 came 7th in the seniour section.

I also played in 1999 USA National GAYP in Niagara Falls. it was my first ever GAYP tournament event and I was lucky to win it.

I remember - we had a very good desant from Barbados. In Master Division - Ron King, Jack Francis, John Walcott, M. Grimes (3rd place), N. Grossvenor. I also remmeber that it was a big group of Barbados players in Major and even Minor (not sure) Division.

It seems like sponsors on Barbados in 1999 were more friendly and loyal to checkers. It is pity that Jack Francis was unable to play in Dublin WCDF QT this year.

Kent. I wish you good luck in your journey with sponsors and hope to see you soon at USA National.

Your predictions about best GAYP Barbados players in the world is quite over optimistic We played International GAYP match USA vs Barbados in 2004 and we won this match narrowly. 2 out of three players you mentioned were there - R. King and R. Williams. I really hope that we'll re-play this match some day in the nearest future.

some great players has come from canada dr frazier ,richard hallet ,some more that not coming to mind.

Morrison brothers and recently - Clint Olsen. Based on information which I have (may be not 100% accurate up to day) Clint, first webmaster of this website, quit (?) checkers completely several years ago and joined gambling business. Today you can find him often in Las Vegas.

Respectfully,

Alex Moiseyev

[tommyc]

Well Kent we rooting for yu man to come back soon................cmon superman!! ya we legend.

[champion374]

alex with all due respect u guys beat us by 1 point yes usa won but not by much.

i think the team got a surprise how many good players barbados has.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

u guys beat us by 1 point .

3 points I missed 2 wins and my oppponents also missed two wins against me. Match was very interesting and bloody - there were alot of interesting games and missing opportunities from both sides.

I am very confident that next match also will be in close contest and I am also confidetn that USA will team will be ahead, but ... there is only one way to prove pudding - eat it !

[rich beckwith]

Mr. Layne,

Alex already addressed situation in Canada pretty well. But of the four active Canadian players I know:
Charles McIntyre played in our US National last year. Bruce Morrison played a match with John Herberger (of New York) a couple months ago. Bruce's brother Earl has been active in US Nationals, but has missed the last two due to personal situation at home (even canceling his flight to Springfield, IL last year). I haven't seen Ken Shoesmith since the last Canadian Open, but he keeps in touch and is still studying checkers -- he bought a Beckwith-King 2010 GAYP Match booklet from me recently.