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© Copyright 1997, Jim Loy
The first World Championship match was won by Andrew Anderson (Scotland) over James Wyllie (Scotland) in 1847. They had played four previous matches. The style of play was Go-As-You-Please (see above). Soon, Anderson retired, and Wyllie claimed the Title. In 1859, Robert Martins (England) defeated Wyllie. Wyllie regained the Title in 1864, and beat Martins again in 1872. Wyllie won two matches over W. R. Barker (USA) in 1873 and 1874.
Robert Yates (USA) won the World Title in 1876. Yates defeated Martins in 1877. Yates retired, and later died at sea at the age of 24. The Title went back to Wyllie. Wyllie won several matches until his defeat to James Ferrie (Scotland) in 1894. Richard Jordan (Scotland) defeated Ferrie in 1896. Jordan defeated Robert Stewart (Scotland) in 1897.
About this time, Two-Move Restriction came into being, in order to cut down on the number of draws. In this style of play, the first two moves of the game were chosen at random. Six of the Two-Move Openings were "barred" as being too one-sided. Two of them lose a piece outright.
In 1900 Charles F. Barker (USA), brother of W. R. Barker, tied a match with Jordan. Jordan defeated Harry Freedman (Scotland) in 1902. In 1903, Jordan resigned the Title, and Ferrie accepted it. Jordan later died in a train accident.
In 1905, a team match, the First International Match (there had been matches between England and Scotland), was played between Great Britain and the USA. Great Britain won easily.
In 1912, Alfred Jordan (England), apparently not related to Richard Jordan (despite books which claim they were cousins), challenged any player in the world, to play for the Title. Ferrie declined to play. Stewart accepted, but the match was not played. Newell W. Banks (USA) tied Jordan in 1914. Although Jordan had never won the Title, he was considered World Champion. Banks defeated Jordan in 1917. Jordan moved to the USA, where he never won the American Title, taking second several times. In 1922, Stewart Defeated Banks. Banks repeatedly challenged Stewart, who refused to play. Several American players were considered strong contenders for the Title.
In 1927, the USA easily defeated Great Britain in the Second International Match. Sam Gonotsky was the high scorer for the US team. He died a few years later, in his twenties.
In 1934, Banks claimed the World Title, since Stewart would not play. Asa Long (USA) defeated Banks in 1934. Three-Move-Restriction, in which the first three moves of the game are chosen at random from a list of accepted 3-Move openings, was used in this match. England still considered Stewart champion. And they considered 2-Move the accepted style of play. They had their own World Champions, off and on, since then. The USA and Great Britain are now on good terms and since the 1960's have recognized the same World Champs.
Long defeated Edwin Hunt (USA) in 1936. In 1948, Walter Hellman (USA) defeated Long. In 1949, Willie Ryan (USA), making an amazing comeback, tied Hellman. Ryan later died, weeks before playing Hellman again for the Title. In 1951, Hellman defeated Maurice Chamblee (USA). Chamblee died a few years later, in his twenties. In 1953, Hellman defeated Basil Case (USA).
In 1955, Marion Tinsley (USA) defeated Hellman. In 1958, Tinsley defeated Derek Oldbury (England). Oldbury, who was crippled and in a wheelchair all his life, had defied a British ban on playing in American tournaments. Tinsley retired to pursue his career in mathematics. Hellman reclaimed the Title.
Hellman defeated Long (1962), Oldbury (1965), and Eugene Frazier (USA, 1967). In 1973, the USA easily defeated Great Britain, in the 3rd International Match. Hellman dropped out, due to bad health. In 1975, Hellman died and Tinsley reclaimed the Title. Tinsley defeated Elbert Lowder (USA) in 1979. He defeated Long in 1981.
In 1983, the USA easily defeated Great Britain, in the 4th International Match. The British team was significantly younger than the US team, suggesting an improved future for them.
In 1985, Tinsley defeated Long again. Asa Long had become World Champ in 1934, and last challenged in 1985. He qualified by winning the US National Tourney. Amazing!
In 1987, Tinsley defeated Don Lafferty (USA). In 1991 Tinsley retired and Oldbury won the title by defeating Richard Hallett (USA). Hallett had retired from checkers for over 30 years, only to come back stronger.
Oldbury died in 1994. Ron King (Barbados) won the Title in 1994, in a match with William Edwards (England). Tinsley died in 1995. Tinsley is widely recognized as having been the greatest checker player in history. In 1995, the USA again easily defeated Great Britain in the 5th International Match. Ron King tied Don Lafferty in 1996, to retain the Title.
In the age of 3-Move Restriction, the Go-As-You-Please World Titles were held by Alfred Jordan, Melvin Pomeroy (USA), Millard Hopper (USA), Tom Wiswell (USA), Derek Oldbury, Don Lafferty, and Ron King. The Mail Play Titles: Paul Thompson (USA), Alf Huggins (England), Richard Chamberlain (Australia), Jack Johnson (Canada), Richard Fortman (USA), and Jerry Childers (USA).
I received email from a descendent of Alfred Jordan, who informed me that Richard Jordan and Alfred Jordan were not related, and that Alfred was from England (not Scotland). I have since lost that email during a hard disk crash.