American Pool Checkers, also called "American Pool", is a variant of checkers, mainly played in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States and in Puerto Rico.

Basic rules

As in the related game English draughts (also known as American checkers or straight checkers), the game is played on an 8x8 board with the double corner (corner without a checker) to each player's right.The APCA Playing Rules, compiled and published by the American Pool Checker Association The dark pieces player starts the game by making the first move. One difference from the rules of English checkers is that a piece may capture both forward and backward. A player must capture an opponent's checker when possible (both forward and backward), but if two possibilities exist, the player may choose the sequence (even if one sequence has more jumps). The pieces are not removed until all jumps are completed and the player's hand is removed from his piece. A player may not capture an opponent more than one time. A player may not capture his own pieces.

Another difference is that kings are flying kings, which means that a king can jump any number of squares forward and backward. A king can make right turns after a jump and continue along another path after successfully taking an opponent. A king must also make all the possible jumps during a sequence. If the condition arises that one player has three kings and the other has just one king, the player who has the three kings must win within thirteen moves (even if the fourteenth move is a capture).

Past champions of the American Pool Checker Association Names of champions in the several divisions are listed with the APCA club that they represent.This list of winners is taken from All Tournament Results 1966–2019, compiled and published by the American Pool Checker Association.

All Tournament Results 2005–2019 Championship DivisionsYear / Place Top Master Master Junior Master Gold Bar Blue Ribbon 2019 Memphis, Tennessee Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia James Lyles, Georgia Antony Tanqwa George Dozier, Memphis, Tennessee Nolan McCaskill 2018 Baltimore, Maryland Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Michael Tramaine Adkins, Alapaha, Georgia General Owens, Chicago, Illinois Charles Smith, Bartlett, Tennessee Robbie Mason 2017 Chicago, Illinois Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Derrick Williams, Memphis, Tennessee Kemraj Rambarr, New Jersey Sonny Towns, Trotwood, Ohio Charles Smith, Memphis, Tennessee 2016 Durham, North Carolina Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Charlie Williams, Kentucky Joe Davis, Louisburg, North Carolina Booker Neely, Mantee, Mississippi James McQuay, Jacksonville, Florida 2015 Albany, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Eugene "Sailorboy" McCloud, Moultrie, Georgia James Lyles, Georgia Ronald Jackson, Macon, Georgia Stevie L. Scott, Lakeland Florida 2014 Memphis, Tennessee Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Freddie Welcher, Augusta, Georgia Derrick Williams, Memphis, Tennessee Joe Davis, Louisburg, North Carolina Kenneth Jones, Havana, Florida 2013 Columbia, South Carolina Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Carlye Lasane, Columbia, South Carolina Alexander McNair, Durham, North Carolina Michael Tramaine Adkins, Alapaha, Georgia Cornelius McCleod, South Carolina 2012 Atlanta, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Michael Weaver, Washington, D.C. Alex Issac, Darlington, South Carolina Derrick Williams, Memphis, Tennessee Walter A. Adams, Atlanta, Georgia 2011 Columbus, Ohio Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Fred D. Shurn, Chicago, Illinois Michael Weaver, Washington, D.C. Khemraj Rambarran, Washington, D.C. Robert Firstlist, St. Louis, Missouri 2010 Durham, North Carolina Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Atlanta, GeorgiaCalvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Tim Moore, Durham, North Carolina Toney Simuel, Washington, D.C. Michael Weaver, Washington, D.C. William Wilkerson, Durham, NC 2009 Washington, D.C. Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Kim Williams, Washington, D.C. Thomas Fletcher, Washington, D.C. Toney Simuel, Washington, D.C. William Ham Apex, North Carolina 2008 Chicago, Illinois Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Arthur McCarr, Tampa, Florida Kim Williams, Washington, D.C. General Owens, Chicago, Illinois Joe Davis, Louisburg, NC 2007 Chicago Al Lambert, Chicago, Illinois Clinton Thang & David Jackson Macon, GA Gregory Green, Macon, Georgia Kim Williams, Virginia Beach, Va. Derrick Williams, Memphis, Tennessee 2006 Columbus, Ohio Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia John Williams, Washington, D.C. Larry Lindsay, Piedmont Tommie Ferrell, Athens, Georgia Keith Brown, St. Louis, Missouri 2005 Atlanta, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Willie Robinson, Atlanta, Georgia Hammond Clark, Atlanta, Georgia Reggie King, Miami, Florida Toney Simuel, Atlanta, Georgia 2004 Memphis, Tennessee Calvin Monroe, Atlanta, Georgia Edward Danzy, Detroit, Michigan Jessie Sherfield, Memphis, Tennessee Freddie Lambert, Durham, NC Robert Hunt, Miami, Florida 2003 Atlanta, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Homer King, Macon Edward Danzy, Detroit, Michigan Alexander McNair, Piedmont Alexander Eley, Atlanta, Georgia 2002 Washington, D.C. Calvin Monroe Georgia Charlie Brown, Baltimore Alexander Katz, New York Albert Harrison, North Carolina Joe Wilson, Memphis, Tennessee John Williams, Washington, D.C. Robert N. Johnson, Piedmont Michael Weaver, Washington, D.C. 2000 Columbus, Ohio Ion Dosca, Moldova Clorius Lay, Gary Arthur McCarr, Tampa Keith Goodman, Atlanta, Georgia Lynwood Tharrington, Piedmont 1999 Memphis, Tennessee Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Frank Cox, Bahamas Donald Jackson, Macon Emmett Smith, Georgia James Lanier, Piedmont 1998 Atlanta, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Louis Rufus, St. Louis David Jackson, Macon Timothy Moore, Piedmont Vilner Philippe, Bahamas Emanuel Rogers, St. Louis 1997 Flint, Michigan Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Alex Golodets, Memphis, Tennessee Joseph Wilson, Memphis, Tennessee Willie Robinson, Midwest, Ohio Elliott Eley, St. Louis 1996 Houston, Texas Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Anatoliy Grupin, Los Angeles, California Anthony Simmons, Georgia Servin Hanna, Bahamas Chauncey Smith, St. Louis Timothy Moore, Piedmont 1995 Augusta, Georgia Al "Eastpoint" Alfred Barnett, Sparta, Georgia Elton Williams, Flint Vincent 'Dino' Dean, Bahamas Freddie Welcher, Augusta Gary Watson, Florida Eugene Davis, Georgia 1994 Winston-Salem, North Carolina Calvin Monroe, Georgia Timothy Irving, Houston, Texas Fred Shurn, Chicago, Illinois Rodger Knowles, Bahamas William Byrant, Piedmont 1993 Petal, Mississippi Elton Williams, Flint Orlando Williams, Chicago, Illinois Anatoliy Grupin, Los Angeles, California Wayne Lockheart, Toledo, Ohio Clinton Murphy, Georgia 1992 Nassau, Bahamas Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Andrew Frazier, Bahamas Charles Hudson, Detroit, Michigan Michael Williams, Bahamas Leonard Bains, Bahamas General Owens, Chicago, Illinois 1991 Los Angeles, California Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Melvin Martin, NA Frank Cox, Bahamas Therman Earnest, Chicago, Illinois Joe Bailey, LA 1990 Atlanta, Georgia Iser Kuperman, Midwest, Ohio Simon Levine, NA Willie Robinson, Georgia Obie Rufus, Memphis, Tennessee Leonard Bain, Bahamas 1989 Columbus, Ohio Iser Kuperman, NA Valentine Cox, Bahamas Nelson Moore, St. Louis Clifford Johnson, Chicago, Illinois Crover Kennedy, LA Christopher Stinson, LA 1988 Detroit, Michigan Iser Kuperman, NA Sylvester Wilson, NA Al Lambert, Chicago, Illinois Orlando Williams, Chicago, Illinois Fred Shurn, Chicago, Illinois Joseph Capers, Detroit, Michigan 1987 Memphis, Tennessee Iser Kuperman, Bahamas Henry Stokes, Memphis, Tennessee Albert Harrison, Winston-Salem Jessie Sheffield, Memphis, Tennessee Fred Shurn, Chicago, Illinois 1986 St. Louis, Missouri Iser Kuperman, Bahamas Henry Miller, Georgia Andrew Frazier, Bahamas Valentine Cox, Bahamas Frank Cox, Bahamas Garland Kilpatrick, LA 1985 Dayton, Ohio Iser Kuperman, Bahamas James Garrett, Winston-Salem Andrew Frazier, Bahamas Robert Butler, Bahamas Eddie Smith, Chicago, Illinois 1984 Nassau, Bahamas Iser Kuperman, Bahamas Neil Wright, NA James Chambers, Bahamas Andrew Frazier, Bahamas Roger Knowles, NA 1983 Chicago, Illinois Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois George Briscoe, Berston/Flint Al Lambert, Chicago, Illinois Louis Rufus, St. Louis Wayne Lockheart, Toledo, Ohio 1982 Akron, Ohio Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois James Shell, Georgia Eugene Hampton, Berston/Flint Valentine Cox, Bahamas Sylvester Wilson, Berston/Flint 1981 Memphis, Tennessee Momodou Fall, Georgia James Stone, Georgia Homer King, Georgia McBee Smith, Cleveland, Ohio Robert Johnson, Chicago, Illinois 1980 Washington, D.C. Momodou Faal, Georgia Rembert Ford, Detroit Parmalee McClammey, Brooklyn Bobby Hodo, Chicago, Illinois Dan Flowers, Detroit, Michigan Prince Garland, Washington 1979 Winston-Salem, North Carolina Momodou Faal, Georgia Vladimir Kaplan, N.Y. Dream Elton Williams, Berston/Flint Larry Stepter, Memphis, Tennessee Parmalee McClammey, Brooklyn Bobby Hodo, Chicago, Illinois Emory Myrick, Brooklyn 1978 Detroit, Michigan Vladimir Kaplan, N.Y. Dream Jesse Hurst, Memphis, Tennessee Charles Hudson, Detroit, Michigan Ben Rice, Detroit, Michigan Johnny Jamerson, Piedmont 1977 Atlanta, Georgia Vladimir Kaplan, N.Y. Dream Joel Marshall, Georgia C.P. Rudy, N.Y. Dream Parmalee McClammey, Brooklyn Bobby Hodo, Detroit, Michigan 1976 Memphis, Tennessee Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Raleigh Taylor, Brooklyn James Sharp, Chicago, Illinois Luther Murray, Detroit, Michigan Jesse Sheffield, Memphis, Tennessee 1975 Chicago, Illinois Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Ohio Mitchell, Chicago, Illinois Larry Stepter, Memphis, Tennessee Stephen Trader, Harlem Pk. S. Saneigeyman, Cleveland, Ohio 1974 St. Louis, Missouri Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Charles McDuffie, St. Louis Alex Femandez, Brooklyn Jesse Galloway, N.Y. Dream Leroy Thomas, Chicago, Illinois 1973 New York, New York Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Elton Williams, Berston/Flint Jasper Grayson, NA Alex Femandez, Brooklyn Stephen Trader, Harlem Pk. 1972 Detroit, Michigan Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois See Top Masters Elton Williams, Berston/Flint Charles Florene, Chicago, Illinois Ray Lawrence, N.Y. Dream 1971 Flint, Michigan Victor Krafft, Chicago, Illinois Ollie Howard, N.Y. Dream See Top Masters Joel Marshall, Georgia Elton Williams, Berston/Flint Eddie Reynolds, Cleveland, Ohio 1970 Cleveland, Ohio Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Wood Williamson, Detroit, Michigan Rudy Slade, N.Y. Dream Elton Williams, Berston/Flint 1969 Atlanta, Georgia William Langley, Detroit, Michigan Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Frank Mitchell, Georgia James Turner, Detroit, Michigan Archie Hinton, Georgia 1968 Detroit, Michigan Charlie Carter, Georgia Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois Ben White, Detroit, Michigan Pierce Towns, Georgia Walter Hall, Berston/Flint 1967 Detroit, Michigan Carl Smith, Chicago, Illinois George Lyons, Cleveland James Shell, Georgia Howard Jackson, Georgia Michael Jordan, Georgia 1966 Detroit, Michigan George Sykes, Detroit, Michigan George Sykes, Detroit, Michigan Rembert Ford, Detroit, Michigan Howard Jackson, Georgia Michael Jordan, Georgia

References

External links American Pool Checker Association (APCA) The World of Pool Checkers (including library)