Team USA waited four years to get revenge on Team Italy with a 208-192 win at the 2024 3-Move Checkers Second International Team Match held July 1-5 inside the Vidor City Hall Council Chambers. The feat took five days and 200 games to secure.
“This is an international match between the United States and Italy, and the winner gets bragging rights,” said organizer Watson Franks. “We played them four years ago in Italy and they beat us by one point after we went ahead by four.”
According to Franks, director for District 8 of the United States Checkers Federation, Vidor Checkers USA has been hosting the tournaments since 2017. Last year, the city hosted the 2023 World Checkers Championship in June.
“The city has backed and promoted many district and state tournaments, nationals, world-qualifying tournaments, Blitz and world championship over the last 10 years,” stated Franks, who also serves as a host and referee. “We started hosting the U.S. National, then we got the World Qualifying Tournament where the winner would play in the world championships.”
He said players came from Africa, England, Barbados and other countries. Franks noted that checkers, known as draughts in Europe and other countries, has become popular in Italy, Kenya and South Africa.
“Everybody plays and some of the countries have big organizations,” he said. “In the U.S., we are trying to build the popularity back up.”
The USA vs. Italy team match of 2024 consisted of 10-player…
