The jack of draughts is still waiting for another shot at the king.
Newly crowned national champ Jack Francis said the only downside of his recent second-place performance at the US Nationals was that long-time rival Ronald “Suki” King wasn’t there to defend his crown.
Francis expressed the sentiment following his best ever showing at that world-rated Go-As-You-Please tournament last month in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“It was really close and one of the toughest US Nationals I had ever participated in, but I’m sure that Suki’s presence would have given me that extra boost,” said Francis.
“I almost won the tournament and I still have to say that my biggest disappointment is that Suki didn’t turn up and play as the defending champ because I recently dethroned him to become national champ and I was determined to dethrone him again.”
That failure to renew the sport’s greatest local rivalry was the only major setback for Francis at the championship as the Bajan No.2 finished a mere point behind winner Lubabalo Kondlo after not losing a single game all tournament.
This coming after he unseated King in a highly anticipated final last month to take the national title away from the World Go-As-You-Please title holder.
“I believe that since I have beaten Suki that there is a fear in his heart about playing in a Go-As-You-Please competition that Jack Francis is playing,” said a confident Francis.
Francis now has his sights set on King’s other major crown as he prepares for October’s World Qualifier – the winner of which will earn the right to play King for the World Go-As-You-Please title which he has held since 1991.
“I don’t think that the kind of knick and shape I am in right now that there is anyone who can stop me from winning this World Qualifier,” boasted Francis.
“It doesn’t matter that I am playing here in Barbados because this is not a physical sport like cricket or football where being at home would give me an edge. But I’m saying no one is coming here to beat me either with the sort of form I am carrying.”
The World Qualifier, which is being planned around the Suki King Festival Of Draughts, is slated for October 5 to 11 and will feature around 500 players from 80 different countries.
Francis barely missed out on winning the last qualifier two years ago when Italian Sergio Scarpetta edged him by a mere point.