I telephoned Danville Register, & Bee Switchboard: 434-793-2311 700 Monument
Street Danville, VA 24541 News Room: 791-7971
news@registerbee.com
The Reidsville Review, Eden Daily News, The Madison Messenger 336-349-4331
news@reidsvillereview.com
Danville Register & Bee
Switchboard: 434-793-2311
700 Monument Street Danville, VA 24541
News Room: 791-7971
news@registerbee.com
The Reidsville Review,
Eden Daily News
, The Madison Messenger
336-349-4331
news@reidsvillereview.com
(both owned by Danville)
Winston-Salem Journal (336) 727-7308
news@wsjournal.com
Cindy Loman
Cindy.Loman@news-record.com said, will try to run your information in
our Rockingham section this Sunday 21st.
Thanks for sending it and sorry for the confusion with Sara’s departure after
her summer internship. Cindy Loman, News & Record community news editor
336-373-7212 or Sara Gregory 373-7000 373-5955 office: 373-5955, Betsi Robinson
brobinson@news-record.com
Eden/Reidsville Review, and Greensboro News-Record and sent out email 7/25/2011. It made the News-Record in (R Section) Sunday, Aug 21, 2011.
Hello news room: I would be pleased if you would announce this information in
your paper.
I'm JR Smith and the secretary of North Carolina Checker Association (NCCA).
Here is some information about Dr. John Webster, a veterinarian who lives in
Stoneville, NC. You should re-write it anyway you like to get the information
out to your readers to keep it entertaining and interesting.
Grandmaster John Webster is the US Blitz Go-As-You-Please (GAYP) National
Checker Champion. He won this title July 25th at the American Checker Federation
Nationals in Medina, Ohio. This was a sanctioned tournament by ACF and WCDF.
"Blitz Checkers" is a style of fast moving speed checkers using a time clock to
control the time limit of the game. The clock was set for 5 minutes for each
player in this tournament. Each player starts his opponent's time and stops his
after he moves, so technically you have your time and the portion of time your
opponent uses of his moves. You must complete your win before your time runs
out. If your time runs out before your opponents time elapses, you lose!
Therefore time control is of the essence. A player with a winning position but
too short on time too finish the win should ask his opponent for a draw or have
it adjudicated by the referee while time remands instead of loosing by running
out of time. This is completely and definitely different than playing under the
normal tournament time for 2 hours per game. normal tournament time for 2 hours
per game.
This style of fast moving checkers is preferred by a lot of youngsters and young adults in the Internet checker/chess gamerooms. This tournament was staged so the young guns could whip-up on the senior players but it didn't happen! John seems to be able to beat you fast or slow, it only depends on how quickly you decide to move! John is playing exceptionally stronger this year, winning the NC State Open on May 18th in Greensboro, NC and the Southern Open on July 10th in Lebanon, TN which was loaded with top master division players, the highest rank players in the ACF. The American Checker Federation is a non-profit organization and the central governing body for checkers in the United States. John took 2nd Place at West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Open on May 7th in Humboldt, TN. This was another superior field tourney in which he won a round from the 3-Move World Champion Grandmaster Alex Moiseyev, only to lose a game in their final re-paired round and save a draw performance with probably the best in the world right now. He has won or placed either 2nd or 3rd Place in all of his other tournaments up to this contest this year! He will compete in the GAYP National for the next 5 days, Monday through Friday at Medina, OH. Dr. Webster will travel to San Remo, Italy in October where he will play in the World Qualifier Tournament. This is an invitation only GAYP WQT which will be held October 17th through 22nd at the Nyala Hotel on the Italian Riviera. In addition to being a career veterinarian, professional checker player, John is an accomplished base fiddle player with the Green House River Band, a popular blue grass band in the VA / NC area. The North Carolina Checker Association (NCCA) is proud of our Grand Master!
Incidentally, 69 year old Webster is no newbie to checkers, he started playing as a 10 year old boy, hanging out at country stores in the early '50s. Some of the top players, checker aficionado "kingpins" recognized his interest and talent so they started taking him to the old Reidsville Armory. This was the Checker Mecca in the area at that time, it drew the best player from Danville and several neighboring counties. They also traveled to Danville, Draper, Burlington, and Winston-Salem YMCA Chess & Checker Association. John played in his 1st NC State Tournament in Hickory in 1958 at age 16. John stayed with checkers throughout his veterinarian schooling and military service. He won his fifth NC State Championship title in May 2011. He was the US GAYP National Champion in 2007 in Las Vegas, NV. The US National is the top, most prestigious tournament you can win in the US and the winner may challenge the World Champion to a World Title Match. Webster has been an International Team Member for the US vs UK & Ireland International Matches four consecutive times. You must be one of the top 12 ranked players in the US to make the pick. Each team has 10 players plus 2 alternates. He was one of the top individual performers in the 1989 5th International Match played in Weston-Super-Mare, England. He was a team member in The 6th International in 1995 played at The International Checker Hall of Fame, Petal, MS and The 7th International in 2001 at Morecamb, England. John Webster was again one of the top US individual scorers in The 8th International in 2005 played at The Plaza Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV. Yes, the USA has won all these International Matches except the 1st International in 1905 held at the American House Hotel in Boston, MA His last 3-Move WQT was in 2010 at the Radisson Hotel at Dublin Airport, Ireland.
If you need to contact John, here is his address and phone number: Dr. John
Ray Webster, 1379 Whetstone Creek Rd., Stoneville, NC 27048-7703 H: 336-573-9647
cell: 336-616-3097.
I have attached several pictures you may use. Also If you need more information
or contact me. JR Smith, 3007 Robin Hood Drive, Greensboro, NC 27408.
336-288-6620 or cell 336-209-5656
8/21/2011 - Greensboro News-Record - "Stoneville man is checkers champ"
John Webster remembers Newell Banks would drive down in his 57 blue Plymouth,
the one with fins, when he was a young boy and hold checker exhibitions in
Stoneville and Reidsville on his yearly checker touring route from New York to
St. Petersburg, FL. They couldn't use the basement of the Reidsville Armory
building, which was close to the traffic circle and Confederate statute (now
where the Library is). It was too small so they usually held Banks' exhibitions
at the Reidsville American Legion Hut. Other times they would schedule Banks'
exhibitions at the Summerfield schoolhouse, which was organized by Gordon
Proctor who owned and operated the Texaco Station in Summerfield and also near
the fire station. He was a good player, checker devotee and promoter. Banks even
bought a load of chairs from Stoneville Furniture, a plant and sales office and
had them shipped to the St. Petersburg Checker Club. John's father was a general
store owner and avid checker buff and enthusiast who often invited Banks
as a guest to stay at their Stoneville home when he toured Stoneville &
Reidsville for the week. Checkers was a popular pastime back then, they would
have 50-75 at most any of the State Tournaments and many more during a checker
exhibition which was usually schedule to run back to back with a tournament.
Mayor Hunt of Reidsville how owned the Double-Cola plant, wore a big 10 gallon
hat and always accompanied with several associates when he appeared at any town
attraction. He would showing up at a town functions, be sociably soliciting
votes, politicking, and setting everyone up with drinks, checker events was no
exception. Alton Wilson was another checker fan and player who frequently took
John to checker tournaments. George Bean was a good player from High Point and
Taylor (last
Name) also from High Point. Rolader was another one from High Point who's
brother was E.T. "Ezra" Rolader but not as good a player as Ezra who lived in Georgia and owned a
bowling alley and restaurant. Joe Moody was a promoter who promoted checkers and
held the Gulf Coast Tournament for years which was big back then and
drew more player and more prestigious to win, with Ezra Rolader as the one to
beat. A friend or business associate of Moody kept his wall full of bookshelves
loaded with checker books, his library and he hung a sign at the top "Moody's
College of Checker Knowledge." While John was stationed in Texas he
played LA, MS, and the Gulf Coast Tournament. He was both the LA and MS State
Champion at the same time. Albert Tucker was just beginning to play good
checker.