World Draughts-64 Championship 2015 in St. Petersburg

Official logo of the 2015 IDF World Championships

World Draughts-64 Championships 2015 among men and women (Russian and Brazilian version) will be held in St. Petersburg (Russia) from 02 of October (day of arrival) to 11 of October, 2015 (departure day). Organizes of Championship are International Draughts Federation IDF with the support of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sports of St. Petersburg and the Ministry of Sports of Russia.

Strongest players of the world from forty-seven countries representing 4 continents: Europe, Asia, Africa and America will take part in the competition.

For the victory in the championship will fight Russian players - the current world champion Nikolay Struchkov and 7-time world champion Gavril Kolesov (both from Yakutia), winner of the World Mind Sports Games 2008 Oleg Dashkov from Samara, multiple world champion, the first world ranking - Sergey Belosheyev (Evpatoriya) and other strongest players. Among them are champions and winners of the world championships in different years Andrey Valyuk (Belarus), Ion Dosca (Moldova), Gennady Shapiro (Germany), Arno Uutma (Estonia), Eugene Kondrachenko (Belarus), as well as young, but already declared themselves players - European champion 2014 Igor Mikhalchenko (Belarus) and 3^rd place of the previous World Championship Vladimir Yegorov (Russia, Tula).

Surprise of the championship can become talented African players - 18-year-old nugget Enock Makoka Banda (Malawi) and experienced Mvaaza Sakala (Zambia), as well as the first number of Jamaica, 26-year-old Andre Thomas. We look forward to the confident game of the multiple champion of Brazil, the winner of World Youth Championships Marcelo Francisco.

In women, the favorite of the tournament is the current World Champion Zhanna Sarshaeva from Russia, Astrakhan. The competition for she will make the world champions in different years Elena Skovitina from Moldova and Julia Makarenkova from Ukraine, European champion 2014 in blitz Sofya Morozova from Russia, Kaluga, rapidly progressing young players - Daria Fedorovich and Vera Hvaschinskaya from Belarus, Nika Leopoldova from St.Petersburg.

Geography of participants in female championships expanding rapidly. In the upcoming championships for the first time try their hand a representative of the South African Andrea Bosch. We hope that the participation of African players in major Draughts-64 competitions will cause a large surge of interest in the draughts sport in Africa and new stars will soon shine on the Draughts horizon!

St. Petersburg has a long Draughts tradition and great experience of the Draughts competitions of the highest level, including the European and World Championships. World Championship 2013 and European Championship 2014, which was held in St. Petersburg, served as a great impetus to the development and promotion of the Draughts on the traditional 64-cell board in the world.

Fans from more than 170 countries around the world watched the events in Draughts-64. We are confident that the time will come when the representatives of all these countries will meet at the largest draughts forum for the Draughts games!

Andrea is off to invade Russia!

Andrea Bosch receiving Western Cape Provincial Colours

In a previous article, I posted that the MSSA stated that they would be sending a player to participate in the

2015 edition of the Russian and Brazilian World Championships for the Brazilian and Russian variations of Draughts to be held in St Petersburg, Russia from 2 to 11 October 2015.

I too noted that the championship carries prize money of 3,600,000.00 roubles (approximately US$64,000.00).

Such article can be found here: http://esportscommentator.blogspot.com/2015/08/brazilian-and-russian-draughts.html

Well, the MSSA Management Board (ManCom) has sat and has decided on its candidate for such World Championships.

The candidate is, wait for it, wait for it (drum-roll)

The candidate is none other than the vivacious Fairmont High Educator, Ms Andrea Bosch.

Andrea already has Senior Western Cape Provincial Colours having won both the eSports game of Tekken Tag Tournament II, as well as for Brazilian Draughts without losing a game at the 20th edition of the MWEB Western Cape Championships.

Andrea is too the first women that will officially represent South Africa in Draughts, and will be the first draughts player to represent South Africa in Russia.

Andrea is too the first person from the Western Cape to officially represent South Africa in draughts.

Mind Sports South Africa knows that she will do South Africa proud.

Brazilian and Russian Draughts

Just seen on the MSSA facebook that the MSSA may be sending a player to participate in the 2015 edition of the Russian and Brazilian World Championships for the Brazilian and Russian variations of Draughts.

Such 2015 World Championships will be played in St Petersburg, Russia from 2 to 11 October 2015.

Few are aware that the championship carries prize money of 3,600,000.00 roubles (approximately US$64,000.00).

While it is unlikely that any South African, at their first ever foray, will end in the prize-money, the opportunity to go to Russia is fantastic. St Petersburg, often referred to as Venice of the North) is a truly beautiful city and is much steeped in history. 

History that changed the world, and which still reverberates in South African politics today!

Although the variation is different from the very much more static Anglo-American that is more popular in South Africa, this trip offers huge benefits for the person selected to go as well as for South Africa as a whole.

Brazilian Draughts has a great deal of similarity with a version played in South African townships, and is offer at the Western Cape Championships that will be played at Fairmont High School on 22 & 23 August 2015.

The rules are easily available:

Brazilian Draughts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_draughts
Russian Draughts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_draughts

Who will go and represent South Africa?