World's Biggest Checkers Tournaments: The 2026 Updated Guide

The Two Governing Bodies You Need to Know

To understand any current-day checkers tournament, it is necessary to understand that there are two major governing bodies overseeing competitions. They both have their version of the game. There are numerous board variations and rules, but they are similar.

The World Draughts Federation (FMJD)

The FMJD is an international body that makes every nations draughts federations of every nation, and it was founded in 1947 by four nations: France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium. Now it has grown into 70+ national federations and is included in the global associations of International Sports Federations. This historical foundation is why is chess harder than checkers remains such a popular debate among strategy enthusiasts today.

The World Checkers/Draughts Federation (WCDF)

This association is exclusively within the 64-square "English Draughts" (also called American Checkers). This is the most common type of checkers in the West, and the 8x8 board. The WCDF deals with the two major forms of professional play:

1. 3-Move Restriction: Where the first three moves are randomly given to each player to eliminate drawn games.
2. GAYP (Go As You Please): This is where every player is allowed to choose any opening move he/she wants.

World Checkers Championship (8x8 English Style)

The greatest prize in the 64-square board version is the World Checkers Championship. Compared to playing a game with a friend, the games at the tournament present a genuine challenge to the professionals of checkers, who must master the best checkers strategy to secure a victory at such a high level.

History and Legend

The history of checkers in international tournament is full of legends, such as Andrew Anderson and the legendary Marion Tinsley, who is widely regarded as the top draughts players in the world. Checkers grandmasters such as Ron King and Sergio Scarpetta have fought off in the tournament in the past few years.

The 3-Move Evolution

Since checkers has been claimed to be mathematically solved, that is, in an ideal game, the outcome will be a draw, the tournament has introduced the 3-Move Restriction. This is because players will be forced to learn thousands of little-known openings that they may encounter in a genuine tournament. To be a world champion in checkers in the year 2026, one will have to study them like books of scholarly texts on weak and strong openings.

Draughts World Championship (10x10 International Style)

The Draughts World Championship, in Europe and Africa, is the most famous competition in the 10x10 board checkers. The 10x10 game is more mathematically complicated than the 8x8 because the board is bigger and the rules of the checkers king movement (a King can slide on the board in any direction).

Global Reach and Prestige

This is a massive logistical operation. Interest in draughts in 2025 and 2026, especially in countries like Senegal, Mali, and the Ivory Coast, where it is a national sport, has been soaring. FMJD will ensure this tournament is the Gold Standard of professional play, featuring substantial prize money and international media coverage.

The 2026 Cycle

The 2026 cycle underway has brought out the prevalence of Eastern European and African masters. The tournament is generally held in a Swiss System or Round Robin format, where players must maintain their utmost concentration throughout dozens of games to be declared the World Champion.

Women's Draughts World Championship

The FMJD was founded in 1947 and is the heavyweight in international affairs. FMJD International draughts on a 10x10 board with 20 pieces each. It is the most common form of checkers worldwide, especially in Europe, Africa, and certain parts of Asia. FMJD is an affiliate of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA).

A New Era of Competition

The competition in the women's division is so intense that one will encounter tactical geniuses being tutored by grandmasters of both genders. The 2026 reforms prove that the Youth Movement is making a strong impression in this category, where adolescents who have practiced double-jumping in checkers can successfully challenge and defeat seasoned professional athletes. It is a crucial means of selling the sports to a more diverse audience.

Draughts-64 World Championship (Russian/Brazilian)

The Draughts-64 World Championship is typically played by the rules of Russian or Brazilian Draughts, unlike the English version. Although it plays on an 8x8 board as English checkers, the rules are quite different:

• Flying Kings: Kings can travel any distance along a diagonal.
• Capture Rules: You may capture backward by a normal piece.

These tournaments are quite fast and tactical. In the Russian Draughts version, the game attracts thousands of players in the CIS region and is thus among the largest checkers tournaments in terms of both the number of registered players and popularity within the region.

World Youth Draughts Championship

The future of the game is made in the World Youth Draughts Championship. This event hosts the finest 10-, 13-, 16-, and 19-year-old players in the world. For many, this is the first taste of a professional checkers competition.

Countries like China and the Netherlands have invested heavily in their youth programs, and this has been reflected in the clinical accuracy demonstrated by young competitors. It is no longer uncommon to see 15-year-olds ranked as International Masters in 2026, and this indicates that checkers is a game played by the young and the quick.

ACF National Tournament (USA)

In the United States, the American Checker Federation (ACF) National Tournament is the premier event. Usually held annually, this tournament alternates between 3-Move and GAYP styles.

It is the main qualification requirement for Americans who would like to play in the World Checkers Championship. The ACF Nationals have a community feel and are frequently held in historical checker centers, such as Mississippi or Tennessee.

The "Majors" and the "Minors" divisions, even though not a world title, give all players, regardless of their skills, the chance to feel like a professional tournament.

The Riga Open and the World Cup Cycle

The Riga Open in Latvia is a cycle of the FMJD World Cup and is highly regarded as one of the most enjoyable tournaments for players. It is a combination of an international high-level checkers tournament and a festive, social atmosphere.

The World Cup cycle is a series of events held throughout the year in various countries (the Netherlands, Poland, and Burkina Faso). These events award points to players to determine the overall World Cup winner, as in professional tennis or golf rankings.

World's Biggest Checkers Tournaments Table

Players with the Most World Titles

Being a professional top-ranking checker takes an incredible memory and years of practice. These are the most successful players, with the most official world championships as of 2026.

Alexei Chizhov and Alexander Georgiev (10x10 Board)

The most titles in International Draughts are shared evenly between Russian grandmasters Alexei Chizhov and Alexander Georgiev, each with 10 official titles. Chizhov was the total 90s, but Georgiev is the 21 st century. Their precision on the 100-square board is the benchmark of the sport.

Ron King and Marion Tinsley (8x8 Board)

For the 64-square English style, Ron "Suki" King from Barbados is a modern legend, holding 12 world titles across the GAYP and 3-move versions. Traditionally, Marion Tinsley is considered the greatest of all time, having won 9 titles and losing only 7 games in his 45-year career.

Current 2026 Champions

Today, the titles are held by a new generation of players. Italy’s Sergio Scarpetta is the current 3-move World Champion, while Matteo Bernini of Italy holds the GAYP title. On the international 10x10 board, Jan Groenendijk of the Netherlands is the reigning World Champion.

How to Rank Better in Professional Checkers

If you are reading this guide because you want to enter the competitive scene, keep these three pillars of tournament play in mind:

1. Opening Preparation: You cannot rely on "common sense" in a 3-move restriction tournament. You must study published "cooks" (prepared lines of play) to survive the first 10 moves.
2. Endgame Precision: Professional matches are often won by a single square. Study "First Position" and "Second Position" until they are second nature.
3. Physical Stamina: The length of time it takes to finish a checkers game ranges from 5 to 10 days. Your sleep schedule and diet are as important as your best checkers strategy.

Conclusion

Whether you're gunning for the World Checkers Championship or just hoping to enter your local checkers tournament, the state of competitive checkers is stronger than ever in 2026. These Mind Sports have been introduced to a new generation of fans with the change towards digital platforms and international streaming.

Knowing the checkers rules, the history, and the governing bodies, you can become more than an amateur player and a real student of the game.