14550: Antoine@windowsonhaiti.com Re: 14539: Lyall: checkers en hayti? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Guy Antoine <GuyAntoine@windowsonhaiti.com>

Oh boy, David!  What you have described as "Haitian checkers" is
 as Haitian as the international game of soccer is "Haitian football".
"Le jeu de dames" (french) or "draughts" (english) is probably as
old, internationally as revered, and more popular worldwide, than
the game of chess.  Its long history offers a long list of national and
international masters, grandmasters and world champions.  It is
played on a 10x10 draughtboard or "damier" (french) which is only
the first major striking differentiation between that venerable game
and its much poorer cousin, "American checkers" which is played
on a 8x8 board, similarly to chess.  The two games offer distinct
sets of rules, and you brushed on some of them. I am an aficionado
of the game (chess, as well) and I have quite a few books about it.

 Go to any bookstore in Haiti and you will likely find many titles
on how to improve game play.  Practice a bit, and you will soon
realize that "American checkers" is a little baby compared to this
mature world-class game.  Just realize that "dames" is never
played on an 8x8 board, as this would not offer an adequate field
 for the explosive "jumps" and multi-directional charges of the kings
 of the game.

 En passant, Cap-Haitien produced a Junior World Champion in
the 1970's.  His name was Bernard Robillard.

 Guy S. Antoine
Content Manager & Webmaster
Windows on Haiti and GAJMA.com
http://windowsonhaiti.com