Museum's entrance. The game furthermore caused a lot of interest from Museum visitors and one observer remarked that the occasion reminded her of the outdoor Cuban/Mozambican Café vibe – and suggested that this game needed to become a regular Red Location Museum feature with just the final typical "Red-Location-rounding-off touches added, the preparation of "rostile" - an open-fire-baked African bread and "iqadidi" - roasted sheep's head, by the community women in the background.

The Tournament stretched across 4 hours - with the top three winners being Jimmy Mqotsi, Eugene Mpompi and Lulama Selekete. A selection of several prices will be handed over at the Red Location Museum on Saturday 22 November 2008 at noon.

Annette Du Plessis says; "When Lubabalo Kondlo, the current International Draughts Champion and a resident from the surrounding community, recently approached Red Location Museum about the need for support in organising a local draughts tournament – the Museum welcomed his request as an opportunity to honour our very own Champion and to furthermore pursue its focus on Community Development and Transformation. The Museum hence embraced the Draughts Tournament to be an annual event including the Museum's full marketing support, as well as sponsorship for t-shirts, prices and refreshments for all participants.

In contrast to the former World Champion, Ron "Suki" King, who earns R400 000.00 per annum, and was honoured by; having a sculpture erected at the school he attended, sponsored with a Suzuki and a Mitsubishi vehicle and given 12 000 sq ft of land by the Barbados Government to build a draughts theme house, Lubabalo's humble living conditions stand in stark contrast: He comes from a community with an average unemployment rate of 80% and shares his abode, a crammed small two-bedroomed house with an outdoor shack, with more than twenty other family members.

Lubabalo's passion for Draughts was instilled by his mentor Jimboys Mqotsi, since the age of nine years and under the wings of the well established Township club: "the Vulindlela

Lubabalo Kondlo defeated world draughts champion Ronald King from Barbados in 1999 and earned his Protea colours in 2001. His victory over King, opened doors for Kondlo and he has played against King in many tournaments since. King has successfully defended his GAYP (Go As You Please Checkers) title every year since obtaining it in 1991. Ron King of Barbados once again successfully defended his GAYP world title against Lubabalo Kondlo in a match held from the 8th to the 13th of September 2008 at the Rodeway Inn & Medina Conference Center in Medina, Ohio. Lubabalo won the right to play by winning the 2007 US National Tournament as well as the 2007 GAYP Qualifier, sponsored by the World Checkers and Draughts Federation. FORUM post from USA Checkers of one of the games played between King and Kondlo.

Kondlo became a grandmaster in 2003, the highest status that can be achieved in the game. Lubabalo's trip to the USA was sponsored by the late philanthropist Arthur Niederhoffer's son Victor.

Related Links: Mind-boggling omission of Lubabalo Kondlo.