Pro checkers game

[m stewart]

The way game companys are always trying to take old games and update
them with different formats like monopoly etc.
I f we could pitch a new checker game called Pro Checkers
that would come with 3 move cards and a numbered board and red and
white plastic pieces.
I think it would be a big seller and maybe the company
would sponser the ACF.
I know it was done with the game Pente and that game turned out
to be flawed.
Of course Pro Checkers would just be another name for 3 move
checkers,but it would be new to the general public and its
a catchy name.

[Mr. Checkers]

Michael over the past few years I have seen several checker games (with slight variations from regular checkers) arrive on the market. Most of these can presently be purchased on "Ebay" for little or nothing--"Ebay" is saturatred with checker sets of all kinds. Their manufacturers intent was the very same as your fine proposal, but all fell short of being successful. It would be a very hard sell for a very limited market and it would require more of a monetary outlay than one can foresee being available to the ACF at the present time. Perhaps the best way to approach this would be to conduct an across the board survey to see if there would be enough interest in this to peruse it further. Mr. Checkers

[Bernard Coll]

Maybe if Checkers/draughts were an outdoor recreation during summer months the general public could become aware such a pastime exists. Behind closed doors it is bound to fail.

[Ingo_Zachos]

...
If we could pitch a new checker game called Pro Checkers
that would come with 3 move cards and a numbered board and red and
white plastic pieces.
...
.

It would work better without the 3 move deck, much better...


Believe me, if I tell interested players here in Germany about 3 move all they do is shake their heads or laugh.
This sounds ridiculous to most and looks "like a lottery or game of chance" as one of them put it to me.

But it is true that everybody is interested in those "cool" "colourful" boards.
But here in Germany you can only get them as imported boards.
Would be nice if a regular toy company could sell them worldwide.

I also think that indoor sports can be fun, Bernard!

Look at Poker or Soduko.

The problem is:

Checkers is seen as "a child's game", not as a mind sport.

If you could only change this image, it could get as popular as chess or Go or Darts.

BTW: It once was as popular, at least in the USA and Great Britain.
To offer a toy company regular boards is a good idea.
It should also have a good reference book which is fun to read, with new and sparkling master games and problems in it.
I had great success in my former chess club when I went there with the easy, but sparkling problems from the MSO competion and numbered boards in regulation colours...

Greetinx from Dortmund, Germany

Ingo Zachos

[Bob Murr]

In the 1940's, Parker Bros. sold red and white checkers called Club Checkers and also a green and buff board called the Lees' Standard numbered checkerboard. The label on the board said "The official system of notation adopted by all American Checkerboard clubs" and "The squares are numbered, so that players may follow games in newspapers and books and record their own games for study."
I have no idea why they discontinued these checkers boards probably because they did not sell near as well as the red and black sets.

[john reade]

It might help to call it checkers (in Europe) and use algebraic notation for recording. These ideas were floated back in 1992 when Tinsley was playing Chinook in London. But they didn't catch on at that time.

[Mr. Checkers]

This whole thing revolves around is there a viable "market" for such a game and unfortunately the answer is "no". Bob that Parker Brothers checkerboard and checkers (which goes back much earlier than the 1940's) was one of the nicest to be found anywhere--and the art work on the box was very beautiful. But in todays world checkers is used basically as a promotional item for everything from soup to nuts--just spend a few days on "Ebay" and you will find this to be true. These hundreds of different kinds of checker sets are not intended to promote checkers as a game--and I seriously doubt if the manufacturers of them are even aware that there is such a thing as the American Checker Federation. Marketability is the key here--and that market is primarily directed at children, sports fans, movie buffs, etc. today. Years ago I bought the Checker Challenger 4 computer. I wrote to the company and asked then why they did not make the program in their checker computer harder. Their answer was a simple one--"there would not be a market for them". The Whitman Co. has sold tens of thousands of red and black checkerboards and checkers over the years. When asked about putting out green and buff checkerboards with red and white checkers their answer was the same--"we don't feel that there would be that great of market for them". The production of a new checker game is not going to bring any new members or monies into the ACF. Currently of the thousands of checkerboards and checkers that are sold each year by such stores as K-Mart, Target, Walmart and others--"the period" at the end of this sentence would not be small enough to represent their interest in the game of checkers (profit below the line is their only concern). "Mr. Checkers"

[john reade]

The point of changing to algebraic notation is that you might get the chess players interested.

[kiwinurse]

What really needs to happen in checkers to get people interested is to hold outside matches with challenges in public squares or in pubs, because people are genuinely interested in the game,but dont have the opportunity to be challenged to play.
If a challenge board was set up beside one or two checker players,playing for a small amount of money for a win,im sure there would be many people interested to give it a go,as most people have played the game when they were kids and would remember how to play enough to challenge in a match.
Ive often seen on the news chess matches with time clocks in public squares or parks,why cant checkers be given the same chance?

[Mr. Checkers]

Jan checkers has been played in barbershops, general stores, public squares, parks, taverns. etc. etc. throughout the U.S. for many years (going back into the 1800's). Many of the parks had built-in checkerboards. Thirty years ago we had checkerboards and checkers in every tavern in our city (that way we did not have to carry them with us). Many games were played for a small sum on the side or for a beer (or both). As the old woodpushers died off there was no one to take their place--and in time these places of checkerdom faded away with them. I always carried a red and black checkerboard and checkers in my car just in case I got up a game with a youngster at the laundermat--and then I would give them the checker equipment as a gift. With our present high tech society people are living such a fast pace lifestyle that they don't even have time to enjoy a hotdog at dinner time--let alone a game of checkers. Plus there are many other entertainment options for them that were not available to our earlier generations. Game sites abound on the internet today that have a much greater appeal to our young people--and their addiction to them has become one of our societies major concerns. Checkers is much cheaper to play than the cost of these video games, but the video games are much more exciting--mentally challenging and have more interaction in them than does checkers. One hundred years ago horse shoes was a very popular game, but it is seldom seen today. On the other hand checkers is played a lot on the internet and in other forums, so it has only changed venues and is not dying off by any means of the imagination. So in conclusion--statistics have shown us that "it is much more enjoyable to steal your girls heart in the park than it is to steal a checker". Mr. Checkers

[Jay H]

Greetings all,

On the subject on promoting checkers, I posted two image files in the "Checker Sharing" forum.....Articles from my local newspaper.
If anyone is interested, please take a look and offer me your comments...


m stewart, please be assured that I am not attempting to de-rail your thread, as, after reading your post here,one of the things I was thinking of doing was getting a regulation set, and a set of three move cards, and presenting this to them......comments, suggestions,etc. are welcomed...
Regards,
Jay

[m stewart]

When I posted the comment about the Pro Checkers game I was thinking about the US market. I still feel it would be a good seller for a game company. I know that all companys want the products to sell or they wont invest in it. I felt like it would be different and might draw from
a different crowd. In order for it to work a game company would have to put it out as the ACF wouldnt reach a big enough crowd.It would need to be in Wal Mart,Chess Cafe, Target, etc. As far as 3 move cards and notation on the board,part of the charm is the 3 move cards, and the notation goes along with that. I can understand trying to set it up to attract chess players. Thats where I came from and Ive worked hard to learn the number system,since all the books are that way. As far as playing in parks and bars ,I am all for it!!! Good Idea Jan!!! Its up to all of us to take ours sets and get our games going!!!

[Patrick Parker]

.............

[john reade]

Patrick,

You might be interested to know that the Russians have always used algebraic notation right back since 1827 when Petrov wrote the first book on Russian draughts.

John.

[Mr. Checkers]

Michael my suggestion to you would be if Pro Checkers is your dream then go for it--and make it happen for you. There are plenty of untapped resources out there if one only wants to seek them out. Write to the Crisloid Co., Hasbro, etc. and run you ideas by them. If they are not interested then get yourself an SBA loan and put Pro Checkers on the checker map on your own--for you, because it is your dream. Please have a most wonderful day "Mr. Checkers"