Lubabalo Kondlo

[Jay H]

"Jay, me and my long time friend Mr. Checkers have this dialogue for years - what is the best way to promote checkers. His position is very respectable: if you don't have anything positive to say - say nothing !"

Indeed,
Consider my contributions to this thread, and these forum boards, closed......

Wishing you the best in your future endeavors,....

I am,

Jay H i n n e r s h i t z

[Mr. Checkers]

More to Come Folks!! "Inky"

[Mr. Checkers]

This article appeared in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper on July 28th--written by Rob Miech. Hopefully it will give us more positive insights into the life of Lubabalo Kondlo--the winner of this years National GAYP Checker Tournament. "Mr. Checkers"
There's a new king of checkers, crowned in downtown Vegas
By Rob Miech <rob.miech@lasvegassun.com>
Las Vegas Sun


American Checker Federation championships
1. Lubabalo Kondlo, South Africa, $2,400
2. John Webster, Stone Mountain, N.C., $1,830
3. Shane McCosker, Northern Ireland, $1,350
4. Gene Lindsay, Morristown, Tenn., $915
5. Richard Beckwith, Willoughby, Ohio, $545




The rising challenger always sleeps with his son, Odwa, and two other relatives in the same bed. More than 20 family members cram into the small home in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Some of those aunts and uncles sleep on the concrete kitchen floor. They share an outhouse with neighbors.

When his richer pupils can afford it, Lubabalo Kondlo earns the equivalent of $3 per checkers lesson.

Ron "Suki" King earns $40,000 a year by teaching the game in university classrooms in Barbados and $15,000 by tutoring prison inmates. A statue of him stands in front of the grade school he attended.

The former world champion was given 12,000 square feet of land, on which he will build a checkers-themed house, by Barbados government officials.

Sponsorship deals enable him and his wife to drive Suzuki and Mitsubishi vehicles.

In many ways, the two checkers players clashed late Thursday afternoon when they met in Round 11 of the American Checker Federation (ACF) championships in the Plaza showroom.

The challenger

Kondlo, 35, writes four postcards during a Thursday break.

Two are addressed to siblings, one to his girlfriend and a big one, with the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign on the front, will go to Victor Niederhoffer in New York.

Niederhoffer, son of the late philanthropist Arthur Niederhoffer, sponsored Kondlo's first trip outside South Africa.

ACF President Alan Millhone's letters to the South African government were instrumental in allowing Kondlo to receive a visa to play in his first major international checkers tournament.

"The government couldn't believe someone wanted to leave to play checkers," Millhone says. "I explained it, and I think they saw that our Web site was legitimate."

Kondlo honed his game in grade school, by spending his lunch money on a pack of cigarettes , which he exchanged for lessons from teacher Lulama Gweshu.

Jimboys Mqotsi, the president of the Vulindlela Draughts Club - draughts is the British version of checkers - took over when Kondlo was 9 by bringing the lad to the club.

"He saw something," Kondlo says.

Kondlo displays patience, discipline and foresight in earning a victory and draw in his two games against Dr. Richard Beckwith, who says , "Oh, no!" the moment after making a mistake in the defeat.

"God is on my side today," Kondlo says.

"I had him, too, and he slipped right out of it!" says 20-year-old Paul Bryan, a victim of Kondlo's earlier Thursday. "I had the most brilliant win."

Kondlo often wipes his brow with a dark handkerchief. He can tell many opponents, such as Beckwith, are computer-savvy, able to store and replay infinite games, at various speeds, on systems at home.

Kondlo relies on a library of books. He says he used a strategy from 1847 to defeat Beckwith.

A 60-year-old man with a Southern drawl happens to hear Kondlo describe his living conditions in Port Elizabeth.

"I have a 4,000 - square-foot home with three full bathrooms," the older man says. "Makes me feel for you. I'm sorry."

Kondlo doesn't react.

He savors all the exotic dishes at the Plaza buffet, where he dines nightly. Ice cream, available to him and his family in Port Elizabeth only on Christmas, is a delicacy.

He can't believe he can leave dirty towels in his room in the morning, then find clean ones on his return.

"And there's a TV in there ... total luxury," Kondlo says, laughing. "I wish I could take that room back home with me. 'Hey, where's Room 20? That guy must have taken it home with him!' "

The king

King, 49, is weary. He misses three flights from Barbados, which delays his arrival at the tournament until Round 5. He can't make up those lost games but nearly catches the leaders.

He looks like Caribbean royalty , from his white sandals to gold-trimmed white pants, long-sleeve shirt and kofia, or cap, to impress potential sponsors.

"When I talk to business people, I tell them I am King Suki, not Ron King," he says. "I portray that I am a king. When you have a king, you have to give him what he wants. Right? Works all the time."

King, the reigning Go As You Please , or standard checkers , world champion, is the only man to play in 11 world title matches, and he was awarded the Barbados Service Star, his country's highest civilian national honor, in 1992.

In 1998 he defeated 385 opponents in Houston simultaneously, earning him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. He hasn't lost a game in Barbados in 26 years.

He gets much pleasure from his work in prisons.

"It helps them think and calculate," King says, "look at life differently."

Because he likes to trash-talk, some call him the Muhammad Ali of checkers. But his weariness kept that to a minimum at the Plaza.

Against one foe, however, he left to survey games around the whole red-draped and red-carpeted showroom.

Against Kondlo, he shows up 13 minutes late with a bottle of cranberry juice in a white plastic bag.

The match

Kondlo seethes as he walks around the Plaza, looking for King. Kondlo returns to his board, vowing to get up and walk around if King follows his usual pattern.

"I don't like that," Kondlo says of King's penchant for standing up and wandering.

King never leaves his seat. After drawing both games in the round, King does not shake Kondlo's hand. Kondlo says he wasn't about to offer his hand to King.

Kondlo finishes Round 11 in the top three in the tournament. With his strong debut, he hopes Niederhoffer will continue to sponsor him. A world qualifying tournament is in Las Vegas in September.

On Friday he makes $2,400 for winning the tournament at the Plaza, but he won't buy a computer. The home in Port Elizabeth needs a ceiling (it has a roof) and carpet, and Kondlo missed his son's fourth birthday a few days ago.

"Odwa," he says, "will get a bicycle."

1. Lubabalo Kondlo South Africa $2,400

2. John Webster Stone Mountain, N.C. $1,830

3. Shane McCosker Northern Ireland $1,350

4. Gene Lindsay Morristown, Tenn. $915

5. Richard Beckwith Willoughby, Ohio $545

Rob Miech can be reached at 259-4087 or at miech@lasvegassun.com.

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[Mr. Checkers]

So stay tuned!! "Inky"

[tommyc]

MMMMMM..........Mr Checkers........The room was actually 2001 .!!

[kiwinurse]

Well ive been reading with interest about this very promising young man.To me its not about whether hes aligned with the south african checker federation,but the fact that hes come to america and beaten all the masters.The fact also that he doesnt have the prosperity that the western world has,speaks heaps to me also,and im full of admiration for him.As far as playing in the qualifier goes,New Zealand i am sure would be happy to have him play for us,now that John Guetta can no longer play as hes getting married. If that sponsor wants to sponsor him for the world qualifier,we would be priviledged to have him play under the new zealand banner

[Alan Millhone]

Hello Jan:

I really appreciate your posting after the complaints (very few) that I have received for finding Mr. Kondlo a sponsor and then I spent months and three failed Visa attempts to get him 12,500 miles from Post Elizabeth to Las Vegas to compete. I always look at the positives of any situation. Lubabalo would love to attend the World Qualiofier, but word I hear is that it is now 'closed' for other entries. In past years how many players from South Africa ever got to travel to the USA to compete in any tournament ? Mr. Ron 'Suki' King complimented me for getting Lubabalo to Vegas and told me his visit now opens up another International area of our globe . I make no apologies to anyone for getting Mr. Kondlo into the USA . My goal as ACF President is to spread the word for our wonderful game and to " LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND ".

Sincerely:
Alan Millhone, President
American Checker Federation

[kiwinurse]

Alan, Johns place is still vacant for the qualifier. He had applied to come, so his place is still there.Why cant lubalalo just replace him?

[Mr. Checkers]

It is to bad that others were not more considerate and had the foresight that Alan showed in dealing with this matter!! "Mr. Checkers"

[kiwinurse]

I remember when i was in a sim iliar position and played in the American nationals,i was treated with much respect and encouraged to go further,which i did by playing in the qualifiers. At the time i was not a member of any checker federation,as it was nonexistent in New Zealand then.Since ive played it has been instrumental in getting New Zealand going and forming a federation. Im sure you never had a New Zealander play in your nationals before either.When i won the womens, i wasnt instantly discouraged and told well you cant play in a qualifier because you dont belong in a federation, sure you have to abide by wcdf rules, im not saying that,but does it matter which federation you belong too?I played under the auspices of charles walkers organization, twice.Now im inviting this young man to play under the auspices of the New Zealand Checker federation as we are allowed two people too attend.I think its pretty petty minded to discourage this man from playing specially after hes won the nationals.

[tommyc]

Thanks to Alan and Kim and the Exec committee of the Acf .Job well done with no-one left behind.Shane enjoyed the experience of the "big" occasion which will stand to him in his checker career.It would be good to see Lubabalo at the Irish too and fair dues to Alan for getting him to Vega.

The Inishowen Draughts club and the NWDF are holding a meeeting tomorrow night in Buncrana Donegal in preparation for the Irish Open 3mv.and i will have more detail after on thatfdsz.

Again thanks to all the good people we met in Vega especially Gene who is a really nice guy(not at all like what he comes across online ggrrr) and i must say i enjoyed the big man himself "Im Bond James Bond" lol......MR Blackheather??..........Im off now for a few days to the holiday home cyaa soon.........Tommy

[tommyc]

Thanks to Alan and Kim and the Exec committee of the Acf .Job well done with no-one left behind.Shane enjoyed the experience of the "big" occasion which will stand to him in his checker career.It would be good to see Lubabalo at the Irish too and fair dues to Alan for getting him to Vega.

The Inishowen Draughts club and the NWDF are holding a meeeting tomorrow night in Buncrana Donegal in preparation for the Irish Open 3mv.and i will have more detail after on thatfdsz.

Again thanks to all the good people we met in Vega especially Gene who is a really nice guy(not at all like what he comes across online ggrrr) and i must say i enjoyed the big man himself "Im Bond James Bond" lol......MR Blackheather??..........Im off now for a few days to the holiday home cyaa soon.........Tommy

[Ingo_Zachos]

...As far as playing in the qualifier goes,New Zealand i am sure would be happy to have him play for us,now that John Guetta can no longer play as hes getting married. If that sponsor wants to sponsor him for the world qualifier,we would be priviledged to have him play under the new zealand banner

Good idea, Jan, but the WCDF has ruled in 2006 that a federation can only nominate players of their own nationality...

This was done to prevent that one nation could dominate the Qualifier, but as the USA and other countries have two federations affiliated to the WCDF (look at the 2007 event!) I wonder if the rule is really making sense.

But, as I think, the WCDF could still invite Mr. Kondlo and others from countries that have never played in any event (A player from Usbekistan also aked for a late entry as far as I know) or that would be obviously an improvement of the level of the event, even under existing rules.
As the dead line for nominations is over, one could argue that it is impossible to have a new name on the list, but I dont know the byelaws that exactly.
Anyway, it would make sense if a player of that calibre is willing to enter, and he is a possible contender for the World Championship, to allow him to play, as otherwise the reputation of a "Qualifier" will suffer, if the strongest players willing to play r not allowed to play.

But ,as I also think, the economical factor might "solve" this problem anyway, if Mr. Kondlo finds no sponsor.

Maybe the South African federation could also benefit from the echo of Mr. Kondlo's success, at least if I were an official I would try to establish new relations to the player that has now proven to be the frontrunner and could be a checker idol to his country, if both cooperate.

Greetinx from sunny Dortmund, Germany

Ingo Zachos

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Jan / Ingo,

it''s not a deal with endorsement, but deadline. Everything was locked after April - May. I heard that Ron King recently wanted to bring some Barbados woman to QT, but it was rejected because of deadline.

Concerning Dolores Walker private organisation ICHF it's simple and quite obvious - it's membership must be removed from WCDF.

FMJD has a straight policy - one organisation from one country.

Lubabalo cannot be endorse from ACF, but WCDF can do this on their own if they want - WCDF Constituion allows "wild cards" and direct invitation of strong players.

Alex

[Ingo_Zachos]

Jan / Ingo,

... I heard that Ron King recently wanted to bring some Barbados woman to QT, but it was rejected because of deadline.

...
Alex

If that's true, it is regretable and does not promote checkers/draughts for women.

Especially the youth and women event need players badly.
So there should be a diplomatic solution to that problem either.
Maybe another "Wild Card" ?

Greetinx from sunny Dortmund,

Ingo