Bernini-Nonyukela GAP title match, June 23-28, 2024

[rich beckwith]

Kim 's link for the Bernini-Nonyukela GAYP match (June 23-28) is on her public youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlSYGJjuGEg

[George Hay]

The Go-As-You-Please Checkers World Championship Match 2024 is taking place at The International Checkers Hall Of Fame in Petal, Mississippi, USA. The contestants are Champion Matteo Bernini of Italy vs Melikaya Nonyukela of South Africa. This is a best of 24 games match with 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. The first contestant to win 25 points wins the match. In case of a tie match, 24 to 24 points, the Champion retains the Title.

After the 1st day, Matteo Bernini takes the lead with 1 win, 0 losses, and 3 draws.
There is still plenty of Checkers left to play!

--George Hay

[George Hay]

With 4 draws on the 2nd day, Matteo Bernini leads with 1 win, 0 losses, and 7 draws.
Matteo Bernini has 9 points, and Melikaya Nonyukela has 7 points.

--George Hay

[jimloy]

There are several of the games at https://www.youtube.com/@kimwillis1997

I'll post the game in pdn (portable draughts notation, which is text) format at viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4565

[George Hay]

Thank You, Jim Loy!

With 4 draws on the 3rd day, Matteo Bernini leads with 1 win, 0 losses, and 11 draws.
Matteo Bernini has 13 points, and Melikaya Nonyukela has 11 points.
The match is half way over.

--George Hay

[George Hay]

With 4 draws on the 4th day, Matteo Bernini leads with 1 win, 0 losses, and 15 draws.
Matteo Bernini has 17 points, and Melikaya Nonyukela has 15 points.

I found the update on the FID Federazione Italiana Dama website.

https://www.federdama.org

The numbers needed no translation, but just to be sure I copied and pasted to Google Translate. The word Azzurro needed further research on Google, and "Azzurro" means "Blue" or 'Light Blue." It (Azzurro) evidently refers to Matteo as a member of the Italian Draughts (Checkers) Team....The Italian Football (Soccer) Team is known as the "Azzurri" or the "Blues." This is an historical reference to the Savoy Blue color of the House of Savoy that united the Kingdom of Italy in 1870.

--George Hay

[George Hay]

On the 5th Day, Matteo scores 1 win and 3 draws.

With one day to go, Matteo Bernini leads with 2 wins, 0 losses, and 18 draws.
Matteo Bernini has 22 points, and Melikaya Nonyukela has 18 points.

--George Hay

[George Hay]

With 2 draws on the 6th day, Matteo Bernini wins the GAYP Checkers World Championship Match with 2 wins, 0 losses, and 20 draws.
The final score is Matteo Bernini 24 and Melikaya Nonyukela 20. Evidently the last two games were not played, as Matteo would retain his Title even if he lost both games....Although depending on the contract, in the past the money would be spit 50-50 in a tie match even with the Champion retaining the Crown.

Congratulations to Matteo Bernini of Italy for a successful defense of his GAYP Checkers World Championship....And congratulations to Melikaya Nonyukela of South Africa for fighting the good fight right down to the last day of competition.

--George Hay

[George Hay]

Just to follow up, Rich Beckwith from the ACF Store sent me the transcripts (moves) of the GAYP WCM (along with the 3-Move WCM) for being a small donor. There was a Game 23 played, and it was indeed "the money game" to determine how the prize money is divided. Game 23 was a Draw, and at the end of the game it states "determined prize money." That revises the final score to Matteo Bernini 25 and Melikaya Nonyukela 21. Matteo defends his Title with 2 wins, 0 losses, and 21 draws....The ACF Store may be accessed from a tab on the ACF main web page on the upper right corner, or this link:

https://www.usacheckers.com/store/

The ACF Store is a pretty good resource for all things Checkers!

--George Hay