African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African Americans 199
The French and British colonization of Africa and the Caribbean brought the game of
draughts overseas. With the landing of the French in Haiti, for instance, the game of
draughts became popular on the island. The French conquest of West Africa did the same
for areas now known as Senegal, Cote d’lvoire, and Mali. The British game found its
greatest stronghold in the United States, where the popularity of checkers was to outdo
that in the British Isles themselves. In Africa and the Caribbean, the Anglo-Saxon version
conquered the British territories, while the continental game became popular in those of
the French and Dutch. The Italians, who had their own version, which was also played on
sixty-four squares, took their game to Ethiopia and Eritrea, where it can still be found.
The game of draughts gained considerable prestige in western Europe, although it
remained a children’s game in countries such as Germany and even the United States,
despite the serious competition that existed in American checkers clubs. In other
countries, it rivals the status of chess, or at least its popularity. Much of the African and
Caribbean history of the game would have been lost if later draughts champions had not
come from former French and British colonies. France was the first to invite talented
players from Africa to its championships as early as the 1890s.
From the 1890s onwards, the history of African draughts becomes a history of African
draughts players reaching the European continent. After the introduction of draughts to
Africa and the Caribbean, the game had become so popular that in Senegal, for instance,
it became the number one sports activity. Senegalese players were the first to visit the
European continent in the 1890s as competitors. At that time, Senegal was a part of
France, and French players dominated the championships of the game. In 1910, the first
African player won a tournament in Europe. Woldouby, champion of Senegal, took Paris
by storm and beat the strongest players of France in the Paris Tournament of 1911. Still
remembered by the “Woldouby-position” that was named after him, he was only a
prelude to the talented players who would later visit Europe.
Although draughts remained popular in the colonies, players would not reach Europe
in significant numbers until after World War II. After the war, France lost its superiority
in the game, and Dutch players took over, soon to be joined by Russian stars. In 1947, the
Federation Mondiale du Jeu de Dames (the World Draughts Federation) was set up to
organize a world championship and develop ranking and rating systems. The many, but
subtle, differences in rules of play frustrated unity, and a new set of rules was agreed
upon to allow for an international standard. These rules of international draughts were
accepted and used by all Russian, Dutch, and French, as well as African and other
international players. The Anglo-Saxon game maintained its separate world
championship events, although its organization intensified the links with the new
international federation.
In 1956, the champion of Haiti was invited to the world championships in the
Netherlands and gained the title of master, and in 1959, another Senegalese took the Paris
championship, entered the world championships, and took the title of grand master.
Grandmaster Baba Sy became a legend in the Netherlands, where he spent most of his
career. He set the world record for simultaneous draughts matches at 150 games and
became challenger for the world title in 1963. For unknown reasons, the world title match
between Baba Sy and the Russian Kouperman was never played. For about five years,
Baba Sy reigned in the international draughts championships, until he was joined by
stronger talents from Russia and the Netherlands. In the 1980s, some time after his