Talent, skill and a touch of finesse saw Gqeberha checkers grandmaster, Lubabalo Kondlo, claim four podium finishes across various tournaments in the US.
The 54-year-old New Brighton resident arrived back home on Sunday, after taking first place at the Jerry Miller three-move restriction tournament in Indiana from June 25-26, and second place at the North Carolina free-style tournament on June 26.
He also received a top-three finish in the Best of the Best, Blitz and US Open competitions that were held at the Vidor Checkers USA Semi-quincentennial Festival that took place from July 1-9 in Vidor, Texas.
Kondlo and Melikhaya Nonyukela, from Motherwell NU7, along with a third player from SA, competed in the latter festival.
Kondlo said it was a memorable moment to win a competition on an international platform.
“It was a good feeling to be the number one player, especially when you are the only person from another country, because I played against some very good players.
“However, they did not have the same challenges as I faced, such as being on the road for a long time, the long flights — you do feel tired and you feel it during your matches.
“I found out about the games from my manager who is in America, he had already prepared them for me.
“The Jerry Miller and the North Carolina tournaments were smaller warm-up games for the Checkers USA Semi-quincentennial Festival.
“To get the achievements that I got was amazing, for instance in the Best of the Best, all the best players were there.
“There was also a guy from Kenya [Krispin Odhiambo], he is young but really talented,” Kondlo said.
He said there was a need for more support for checkers players.
“We mostly do everything ourselves.
“We do need support, for instance I will have to get my own visa in order to compete in the world qualifiers which will be held in Scotland this year from September 14 to 18.
“We do many things on our own without support from any officials, though they are supposed to be proud of us.
“Gqeberha in those areas is known, because of us.
“Other countries, like Italy, wear their countries’ colours, the US players wore their checkers federation’s [colours].
“I buy myself a South Africa cap and T-Shirt at a retail store so that I can be recognised where I come from, so it is painful.”
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