Foeke Tiemensma makes come-back at Frisian draughts
FRANEKER - After edging towards the absolute top at the time, Foeke Tiemensma had not made an appearance in Frisian draughts competitions for several years. Until he made his rather unexpected appearance at the Fryslân Open tournament in Franeker this week. There, it turned out that the local resident had by no means forgotten this quirky variant of draughts. Already after the first day, he nestled himself at the top, and there he would stay, while one competitor after another fell away.
The last one to keep up with Tiemensma was the surprising Groningen Fedde Kramer. Both apparently could not handle the pressure any more: yesterday in the morning round Kramer did not get beyond a draw against Auke Zijlstra, and Tiemensma also had to settle for a draw against Henk Haanstra. In the afternoon, the two bantams met in a decisive game. Tiemensma struck in the opening with a combination that gave him an advantage by one piece. Kramer then tried to make something of it, but had to capitulate in the end.
That defeat gave Jelle Wiersma and Marten Walinga the opportunity to advance to second place. The former won soundly from Cor Kooistra and Auke Zijlstra. Walinga had a tougher programme in Taeke Kooistra and Henk Haanstra. Nevertheless, the denizen of Waaksens, who until then had not played a convincing tournament, won both games. The victory over Kooistra was definitely impressive. Even in the opening phase, Walinga put a very deep combination on the board. It almost had to be a study move, but Walinga firmly denied this and swore he had found it on the spot. The amount of time he had used for it proved him right.
Because of their defeats, Kooistra and Kramer had to play another decider to decide who would be admitted to which final group. Kooistra eventually won the jump-off by a combination, and thus he enters the grandmasters, along with Tiemensma, Wiersma and Walinga. Kramer thus makes his appearance with the masters, and there he has to compete against Henk Haanstra, Hein de Vries and the very surprisingly out-of-place Łukasz Kosobudzki. The Pole has mastered Frisian draughts on the internet, and gradually started to play stronger and stronger. Yesterday, he first overcame the Czech Petra Dušková, and then very creditably played a draw against Taeke Kooistra. The finals will be played on Saturday 24 February at the Franeker town hall.
Due to their place among the tournament's first eight, the aforementioned players are also automatically qualified for the Frisian Draughts World Championship, which will reportedly be played in Harlingen in August. Auke Zijlstra and Tsjerk Wijbenga, who came back well after a weak start, also qualified.
Foto 1: Decision between Fedde Kramer (l) and Teake Kooistra
Foto 2: Łukasz Kosobudzki
