Who is ACF Grandmaster ?

[neilwenberg]

When do you think I will be qualifying for Grandmaster?? How many more years??

[Alex_Moiseyev]

When do you think I will be qualifying for Grandmaster?? How many more years??

Well .. I just checked ACF rating list. It seems like your rating today is 1774. We have cutoff barrier for EXPERT title 1900-1950. You need improvement. I really have no idea - how long it may take. But if you study publish play and practice in Internet - you definitely can achieve EXPERT title !

Regarding grandmaster title ... I always thought that grandmasters - top 2%-3% of players. If we take 250 active ACF members - can you confirm that only 6-10 (no more) players are dong better than you ?

AM

[George Hay]

Mr. Alex, I have found two more great players for the retrospective Grandmaster list. What do you think?

E. Fuller (1908-1991) beat M. Tinsley in two games, at Newark in 1946, and at Florida in 1975. In 1948 E. Fuller finished 3rd in the ACF National behind M. Tinsley and M. Chamblee. In 1968 E. Fuller won the ACF 3-Move National and the 11-Man National!

H. Freyer (1919-1995) was awarded Junior U.S. Champion based on a 6th place finish at the 1937 ACA National Tournament. In the 1939 ACA National Tournament H. Freyer placed 3rd behind A. Long and K. Grover. In 1958 M. Tinsley prepared for the upcoming WCM by playing a "hard practice" match with H. Freyer resulting in 0-0-10 (ten draws). In 1960 H. Freyer won the New York Masters. In 1962 H. Freyer won the 11-Man U.S. Open. H. Freyer was for many years the dominant player from the state of New York.

Some information comes from The 1939 10th ACA National Tournament. I claim H. Freyer's third place at that tournament based on the knock-out rounds, page 10.

--George Hay

[George Hay]

OK, I was able to confirm H. Freyer's 3rd place at the 1939 10th ACA Tournament in Flint, Michigan.
From Let's Play Checkers (1940) by T. Wiswell and K. Grover, page 162:

Mr. Freyer is the former American Junior Champion and was 3rd prize winner at Flint...Freyer’s record in the Flint tourney was very impressive. He lost only to one man (Long) and succeeded in defeating the runner-up (Grover) by the score of 1-0 and 11 draws.

For the ACA 10th it was A. Long first, K. Grover 2nd, and H. Freyer third.


--George Hay

[tgf]

I played Dr. Levitt many time - he is a Grandmaster! How he sees all those pitches and cutting moves is unbelievable!
When he played for the USA team he was the major score.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I played Dr. Levitt many time - he is a Grandmaster!

Yes, he definitely is ! But thanks God he belongs to another list of live Grandmasters. He will be awarded title and GM id.

George, I added K. Grover and E. Fuller to list of GM's.

About H. Freyer ... thanks alot for your research, very impressive. But I doubt about awarding him, because he doesn't meet technically GM criteria which we are using - someone should get two GM norms: place twice in top 3 in National Master Division or play World Title Match etc.

He was only one time third. But I may address his name to ACF Exec Committee and get their attention. Maybe we can make exception ?

AM

[Bill Salot]

Ed Atkinson recommends adding Yates, Freeman, Heffner, Ginsberg, and Lowe to the GM list.
Ed can read this Forum on his tablet, but hasn't been able to respond.

[tgf]

Ed Marcusic was by far best California player, levels up above us. Maybe someone could tell about his national achievements?

[champion374]

cant wait to see for the modern day list

[Alex_Moiseyev]

cant wait to see for the modern list

Here is list of living grandmasters, who will get id's (we are still working on master and expert lists)

01. A. Moiseyev
02. R. King
03. R. Hallett
04. L. Kondlo
05. J. Francis
06. J. Morrison
07. R. Beckwith
08. P. Davis ... inactive
09. L. Levitt ... inactive
10. H. Burton . inactive

We also may probably award with ACF GM titles post mail outstanding players such as RLF, J. Childer, M. Banks, T. Canning. Tommy was a winner of ACF National ladders twice.

In addition, some players may have "1 GM norm".

[champion374]

what about International master list and Canidate list?

[Alex_Moiseyev]

what about International master list and Canidate list?

ACF titles have nothing to do with International masters and candidates - these are WCDF titles

[champion374]

ok im learning more on it

[George Hay]

Ed Atkinson recommends adding Yates, Freeman, Heffner, Ginsberg, and Lowe to the GM list.
Ed can read this Forum on his tablet, but hasn't been able to respond.

Hi Bill and Ed, I guess it depends on how far back Mr. Alex wants to go with his retrospective titles. If he goes back to 1876, America's Centennial Year, then R. Yates, C. Freeman, and A. Heffner would all be Grandmasters. R. Yates beat J. Wyllie in 1876 to become World Champion. In 1877 R. Yates beat R. Martins to defend his World Title. C. Freeman and A. Heffner ( and C. Barker) were all American Match Champions. C. Freeman handed J. Wyllie his worst defeat ever 4-1-15 in a non-title match in 1884. A. Heffner took 2nd place in the first ACA National Tournamant in 1907, with C. Barker taking first place.

In Principles Of Strategy by L Ginsberg the intro, The Great Ginsberg, is by W. Ryan. L. Ginsburg's playing career is chronicled by W. Ryan. Some of the highlights include ACA National Tournaments. In the 2nd ACA in 1912, L. Ginsberg made his first appearance placing 7th. In the 3rd ACA in 1915, L. Ginsberg "split 3rd and 4th prize money with" N. Banks, behind H. Henderson and A. Jordan. (L. Ginsberg missed the 4th ACA in 1920 due to Military Service.) In the 5th ACA in 1922, L Ginsberg placed 3rd behind A. Long and A. Jordan. In the 6th ACA in 1924, L Ginsberg tied for 3rd with J. Horr behind S. Gonotsky and A. Jordan. In the 7th ACA in 1929, L. Ginsberg made his last appearance, and placed 2nd behind A. Long. That should be enough Grandmaster "norms."

M. Lowe (or spelled Loew?) won the ACF National Tournament in 1960. I do not know if he has any 2nd or 3rd places in other ACF Tournaments as I have not been able to find a comprehensive top 3 of national tournaments list!

--George Hay

[George Hay]

Jake, I do not have any info on E. Markusic in the ACF Nationals, but you might find this line from the OMOCH Timeline 1990 interesting. I did!

5/26-27 ACF DISTRICT 9 TOURNAMENT at LOS ANGELES.
ED MARKUSIC AND LEO LEVITT CO-CHAMPIONS.

http://www.online-museum-of-checkers-hi ... index.html