The championship, which is hosted by the Gambia National Draughts Association (GNDA), has brought together players from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and The Gambia.
Speaking at opening ceremony, the President of GNDA, Alhagie Momodou M. Dibba said the international tournament was the first of its kind to be hosted by The Gambia.
He also said nine champions would represent Africa in the World International Draughts Championship to be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, from October 18 to November 10.
Kouogueu Kouomou Leopold of Cameroon, who is a Grand Master in the game and Africa’s number one, said that Gambia had saved the continent and their talents in the sport for her intervention on hosting the tournament.
“It’s with great sentiment that we share this lager family in the spirit of the sport because without this spirit, no one would have come here,” he said.
The four Grand Masters of Draughts in Africa would be competing in the 10-day championship. Kouogueu Kouomou Leopold of Cameroon is Africa’s best and he is ranked 21 in the world.
Ndiaga Samb and Macodou N’diaye of Senegal are number two and three in Africa and are ranked 26 and 28 in the world respectively, while Ndjofang Jean Marc of Cameroon is number four in Africa and 39 in the world rankings.
Banjul - 13/07/2009
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