Buncrana crowns new draughts champ 02.11.07

THE DRAUGHTS world has a new female champion following a marathon four-day battle in Buncrana.
	Carlow accountant Patricia Breen, 31, the defending champion, conceded the title to 20-year old Turkmenistan student Amangul Durdyeva on Tuesday. The final score was 8-2 with six games drawn. Draughts lovers were treated to a great match between the two women with many outstanding games. Another of the highlights from the festival was a three-day exhibition match between world number one, Russian-born but US-based,
Alex Moiseyev and Ireland's top-rated draughts Grandmaster, Hugh Devlin of Manorcunningham. It resulted in a tied match with all games drawn. The prestigious International Festival of Draughts at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel brought together more than 100 of the world's best players. Top-ranked players in the Masters, Seniors and Intermediate categories, made their way to the Buncrana hotel with many more expected to join them during the course of the festival.

The Senior Division attracted 23 players including entries from England, Scotland, Wales, Turkmenistan and throughout Ireland. The Intermediate A event had 22 players with local experts Danny Doherty (Buncrana) and John Given (Donegal Town) taking early leads. Meanwhile, the Intermediate B event attracted 19 entries
including 16 year old Hugmangul Toyeva and 11 year old Gochmyrat Gochakov from Turkmenistan. P. Byrne of Dublin, J. Mc Gowan, Derry and M. Brennan, Dublin, all took early leads in their respective matches. Hugmangul was just one of a group of female entries that also included former Irish Women's Champion Brenda Davis of Wicklow and former World Women's Champion Joan Caws from the Isle of Wight. To get all the results from the festival, visit  www.irishdraughts.org . For more photos of the tournament click here .
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