Dear friends!
On behalf of the FMJD Section-64 — International Draughts Federation and I personally congratulate all draughts players, coaches, organizers, officials and all fans of draughts on the New Year and Merry Christmas!
October 13, 1992, the FMJD General Assembly at its meeting in Toulon (France) decided to create the Section-64.
For 20 years, thanks to the efforts of the Section-64 and enthusiasts of our favorite game, draughts-64 has steadily developed in the international arena and in the individual countries. Currently, the Section-64 is a stable, growing and developing organization with a lot of plans and possibilities for their realization.
Last year became the next step in the further development and establishment of draughts-64 as an international game. Draughts-64 was presented at the World Mind Sport Games in Lille (France). Championship of Europe among men and women was held in Suzdal (Russia) at a high level. Prize money amounted to Euro 10 000 in each event.
The World Cup has got further elaborated: 6 rounds were attended by 168 players from 17 countries. At the first time a prize fund was established in the overall of World Cup.
Only official competitions of the Section 64 in 2012 were attended by 700 players from 24 countries! The total prize fund for all official competitions in 2012 amounted to more than € 30 000.
In addition to the Russian-speaking website since March 2012 there is a website of the Section-64 in English, which operative covers all our activities. The news of the draughts-64 is watched by fans from 113 countries! Now we are known in the most remote corners of the globe.
The Section 64 published the new official rules of the game and competitions of draughts-64 (the Code), taking into account the current requirements and conditions of the competitions.
Draughts-64 experienced a difficult period in 2012. The FMJD President Harry Otten proposed a new, discriminatory for draughts-64, draft of the FMJD Statutes declaring the main purpose of the development of the 100-square game. New Statutes intended just an external partnership for other types of draughts. The Section-64 hadn’t a legal status that could lead to the destruction of draughts-64 as a sport after possible adoption of the new Statutes by the FMJD General Assembly.
To prevent this negative situation and to make the status of draughts-64 legal, representatives of the 4 National Federations gathered at the founding meeting of July 12, 2012 in the town of Balchik (Bulgaria) and established the International Draughts Federation, which will develop in the future all kinds of draughts at the 64-square board. This is a big breakthrough for the draughts-64, finally got a real international organization for the development of different types of draughts at the 64-square board that are popular in most countries.
The FMJD General Assembly, held in August 19, 2012 in Lille (France), did not supported the proposed draft of the new Statutes, showed this way the equality of all kind of draughts within the FMJD.
Currently, Section-64 continues to operate under the FMJD. The International Draughts Federation is the legal entity of the FMJD Section-64, which is enshrined in the decision of the General Assembly of the Section-64, which was held in September 14, 2012 in Eupatoria (Ukraine). The situation is analogous to that in Checkers Section of the FMJD which is also the World Draughts and Checkers Federation.
In 2013 we expect great positive changes. In just a few months of the 2012 the status of the FMJD Section-64 — IDF members had already issued 14 National Federations. This means that players from at least 14 countries will participate in the World Championships in draughts-64 on favorable terms. We spend a lot of work to establish international contacts, attracting to the FMJD Section-64 — IDF new countries, as well as conducting in the new countries official competition in draughts-64.
The World Cup will get a further development: we plan a World Cup rounds in Italy and in Czech Republic. In these tournaments we’ll include competitions in Italian and Czech draughts, as well as Brazilian. The scoring system will be changed: additional points for World Cup will be added for participating in tournaments for these types of draughts. The prize fund will also increase.
World Championships in the Russian version of draughts-64 among men and women are planned in Yakutia with a prize fund of $ 40,000. We also plan to hold the World Men Championship in Brazilian version of draughts-64 in Brazil with a prize fund of 32,000 Euros.
We also have other interesting projects.
I wish you health, success, prosperity and the implementation to you and to our beloved sport!
President of the FMJD Section 64 — International Draughts Federation Vladimir Langin
