Nat’l champ claims inaugural Interisland draughts tourney

TWO-TIME national champion, MF Anderson Charles of Queen’s Knight Draughts Club, started the year on good form with a first place finish at the Tobago Draughts Association’s inaugural Interisland Draughts Tournament, at Leggers Restaurant and Bar, Pleasant Prospect.

The veteran player added to his successes late last year, which most notably included his second win at the TT Draughts and Checkers Association (TTDCA) National Championship, in which he dethroned long-time rival, MF Dickson Maughn.

“I still need to improve. There’s still a little way for me to go. But coming off last year’s championship, it’s a very good start to the year,” Charles said in an interview with Newsday.

Charles now has his eyes set on the Point Fortin Borough Day Draughts Tournament, on April 28 and the TTDCA National Championships, which will be held this year on a date to be announced by the association.

The Tobago tournament was small, but did see Charles outdo the likes of Maughn, a 13-time national champion.

They played a tie-break after a deadlock between five players, who earned three wins and two draws each. Charles, 50, is currently TT’s second highest ranked player at 254th on the international rankings. Maughn remains the leader in 185th spot, while only one other player from TT occupies a rank in the top 1,000 – CMF Kumar Sookram – at 453rd.

Charles said he hopes to improve to a point where he can earn a top two finish at the Pan American Championships, which would earn him a spot at the World Championships.

“It’s two-fold, because you have to do your studying, and when the competition comes, you need to do well (in order to improve). What happens is, when you do international tournaments, your games are recorded and (it) goes to the world governing body, and they do an analysis of the games and you get a rating,” Charles said.

His best performances at the Pan American events were two sixth place finishes. He also has a third place finish at the US Open Checkers Tournament under his belt.

“Outside of getting my GMI title, I really, at least, will like to top the (Pan American) region,” said the part-time draughts and gymnastics instructor.

The next Pan American event will take place next year.