The first three days of August saw unusual action in the gaming rooms of the Four Queens in Las Vegas, Nevada.

No, we're not talking about Blackjack or Texas Hold'Em, though we're sure there was plenty of action of that type elsewhere in the casino.

We're talking about the 2005 edition of the American Checker Federation 9th District Tournament, organized by California checker stalwart Gerry Lopez. A small but enthusiastic group of players gathered in the City of Entertainment for some serious cross-board action.

Competition took place in two divisions, with these final results:

A Division

Ranking	Name	State	Points	Remarks
1.	Gerry Lopez	CA	10	2005 Cal. and Dist. 9 Champion
2.	Nery Cardenas	CA	8
3.	Ryan Pronk	AZ	4	withdrew
4.	Bob Murr	CO	2

B Division

Ranking	Name	State	Points	Remarks
1.	John Gibson	CA	20
2.	Alex Lopez	CA	18	first tourney
3.	John Cardie	CO	16	first tourney
4.	Robert Ferguson	UT	14	first tourney
5.	Tom Jones	NV	8	first tourney
6.	Paul Stein	CA	4
7.	Joe Coleman	IA	2

Division A Game 1

[Event "9th District 2005 Round 2 Game 1"]
[Date "2005-08-01"]
[Red "Ryan Pronk"]
[White "Bob Murr"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. 11-16 23-18	2. 7-11 26-23
3. 3-7 30-26	4. 16-19 (A) 23x16
5. 12x19 24x15	6. 10x19 27-24
7. 7-10 24x15	8. 10x19 32-27
9. 9-14 18x9	10. 5x14 27-23
11. 11-16 22-18	12. 6-9 18-15
13. 8-12 (B) 25-22	14. 16-20 23x16
15. 12x19 15-11	16. 20-24 22-17
17. 14-18 26-22	18. 18x25 29x22
19. 19-23 28x19	20. 9-13 17-14
21. 23-26 (D) 19-15 (E)	22. 26-30 22-18
23. 30-25 14-10	24. 25-22 10-7
25. 4-8 11x4	26. 2x11 15x8
27. 22x15 8-3 (F)	28. 15-11 31-26
29. 1-6 26-22	30. 11-15 4-8
31. 15-10 8-11	32. 10-14 3-7

White wins.
(A) 9-14 would be an alternative here but there is nothing wrong with the actual move.
(B) The losing move. 1-5 should have held the game.
(C) King's Row prefers 1-6 here, but the game is still lost for Red.
(D) Again, KR prefers 1-5 here ...
(E) ... and 22-18 here, but the outcome won't change.
(F) There is little left to say, or play.
Annotations from King's Row.

Division A Game 2
Notes by Ryan Pronk

[Event "9th District 2005 Round 1 Game 1"]
[Date "2005-08-01"]
[Red "Ryan Pronk"]
[White "Nery Cardenas"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1. 11-16 21-17	2. 9-14 (A) 17-13 (B)
3. 16-19 (C) 23x16	4. 12x19 24x15
5. 10x19 25-21	6. 8-11 27-23
7. 6-10 23x16	8. 11x20 26-23 (D)
9. 14-17 (E) 21x14	10. 10x26 31x22
11. 4-8 22-18	12. 8-11 29-25
13. 7-10 25-22	14. 10-14 18x9
15. 5x14 22-18	16. 14-17 23-19
17. 17-22 13-9!	18. 1-5 (F) 18-14
19. 20-24 19-16	20. 11x20 28x19
21. 20-24 19-16	22. 3-7 16-12
23. 7-11 12-8	24. 11-15 8-3
25. 15-18 3-8	26. 18-23 8-11
27. 24-27 11-15	28. 27-31 15-18 (G)
29. 22-26 18x27	30. 31x24 30x23
31. 24-27 23-18	32. 27-23 18-15
33. 23-18 15-11	34. 18-22

Drawn.
(A) A 3-move opening that usually transposes into
Pioneer lines.
(B) Regarded as inferior because it allows the
powerful 16-19 dyke. Going into Pioneer lines with
25-21 is best. However, if the opening were 12-16,
21-17, 9-14, then this 17-13 (as preferred by Tinsley)
would be best.
(C) Planting the piece on 19, and making for a strong
game - but not in this case!
(D) Really took me by surprise. I was expecting 22-17
which may give white a stronger game. But as they
say, the element of surprise is sometimes good enough
to win!
(E) Is there anything better than this natural move?
(F) Again the previous move really took me by
surprise, but after this 1-5, I could see to the end
of the game.
(G) A nice problem setting for the beginner.

Division B Game 1

[Event "9th District 2005 Round 6 Game 1"]
[Date "2005-08-02"]
[Red "Robert Ferguson"]
[White "John Cardie"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. 10-14 22-18	2. 11-15 18x11
3. 8x15 24-19	4. 15x24 28x19
5. 7-11 25-22 (A)	6. 3-8 (B) 22-18 (C)
7. 6-10 19-15	8. 10x19 23x7
9. 2x11 27-23 (D)	10. 1-6 (E) 29-25 (F)
11. 6-10 (G) 25-22	12. 12-16 22-17
13. 9-13 18x9	14. 5x14 23-18
15. 13x22 18x9	16. 22-25 9-6
17. 25-29 21-17	18. 8-12 6-2
19. 10-15 17-14	20. 15-19 2-6
21. 4-8 14-10	22. 19-23 26x19
23. 16x23 10-7	24. 12-16 7-3
25. 8-12 3-8	26. 11-15 8-11

White Wins.
(A) 23-18 would be better here.
(B) 4-8 is stronger; KR thinks 3-8 is quite weak.
(C) 29-25 is better but White already has a strong game.
(D) This moves blows away the win! 29-25 would have won easily.
(E) But Red misses the chance! 14-17 would have drawn.
(F) White gives Red another shot at a draw! 26-22 would have won here.
(G) And for the last time, Red misses the chance to draw with 14-17. Beyond this point there are some sub-optimal moves on both sides, but Red is lost no matter.
Annotations from King's Row.

The Checker Maven congratulates Gerry Lopez for not only having organized this event, but taking home the District 9 and California championships!

Our thanks to Bob Murr for photos and games, Ryan Pronk for additional games, and Gerry Lopez for permission to publish.