GAME RULES
The official rules of FRISIAN DRAUGHTS will apply.
The classical game of Frisian Draughts (full board) will be played.
Only legal moves are allowed; this will be checked by means of digital notation on tablets (see below) or by a referee.
The three-move and seven-move rules will be checked by referees.
NOTATION
All games will be digitally notated on tablets using Toernooibase and its underlying software. All games can be watched live on Toernooibase and Lidraughts.
TOURNAMENT RULES
There will be no entry fee. There is a prize fund of €5,000, or, when a women’s finals is played, €5,850.
Players are not allowed to have any digital devices in their possession during the games.
REGISTRATION
The final registration deadline is at 4 p.m. on the day before the tournament starts.
The maximum number of players will be 64.
36 places will be reserved for the non-finalists of the 2025 World Championships International Draughts.
For the remaining 28 places, players can registrate directly with the WFD Foundation.
All players must register first both as a player on Lidraughts.org and as a player of the Lidraughts WFD Team.
If necessary, players will be registered on Toernooibase by the main referee.
Official Rules of Frisian Draughts
When a move or capture has been executed on the draughts board and is found out to be illegal, one of the players stops the clock and calls for the referee. Then the illegal move is taken back, after which the clock is reactivated and the game continues.
THE TOURNAMENT
The first part of the tournament will consist of 8 rounds using the Swiss system.
All players will be listed in alphabetical order.
The time control during the first part of the tournament will be 40 minutes + 20 seconds per move.
After the 8th round, the top four players will play the Grandmasters Finals and the second four players will play the Masters Finals.
If there are more than 8 female players, there will also be Women’s Finals for the top four female players.
If necessary, play-offs will be used to determine the finalists.
The time control for the play-offs will be 20 minutes + 10 seconds per move.
The finals will be in round robin format.
The time control during the finals wil be 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move.
The highest finishing African resident of the tournament will be awarded the title of African Champion Frisian Draughts.
The winner of the Grandmasters Finals will receive a ticket to the 2026 Fryslân Open tournament, including free board and lodging.
If necessary, play-offs will be held to determine the winners of the finals and the African Champion Frisian Draughts.
The time control for these play-offs will be 45 minutes + 15 seconds per move.
MASTER & GRANDMASTER POINTS
The African Open 2025 is recognized as an official WFD tournament.
The winner of the Grandmasters Finals will receive 4 grandmaster points, second place will receive 3 grandmaster points, the third place 2 grandmaster points and the fourth place 1 grandmaster point.
The Grandmasters Finals will count as an international grandmaster tournament.
The winner of the Masters Finals will receive 4 master points, the second place will receive 3 master points, the third place 2 master points and the fourth place 1 master point.
The Masters Finals will count as an international master tournament. In the final ranking after the 8th round of the first part of the African Open 2025, the players 1 to 10 place will receive 10 to 1 master points. In the case of a tie in the final ranking, these (grand)master point(s) will be divided equally.
The requirements for the title Master of Frisian Draughts, 25 master points and participation in 3 international master tournaments.
The requirements for the title Grandmaster of Frisian Draughts, 25 grandmaster points and participation in 3 international grandmaster tournaments.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE PRIZE FUND
Grandmasters Finals 1st place: €800, 2nd place: €700, 3rd place: €600, 4th place: €500
Masters Finals 1st place: €500, 2nd place: €400, 3rd place: €300, 4th place: €200
Women’s Finals:4 1st place: €250, 2nd place: €220,3th place €200, 4th place: €180
African Open 2025 9th place: €180, 10th place: €160, 11th place: €140, 12th place: €120, 13th place: €100, 14th place: €90, 15th place: €80, 16th place: €70, 17th place: €60
No double prizes will be awarded in case of ending on the 9th to 17th place.
SCHEDULE
DAY 1: (Monday 16 June) - AFRICAN OPEN 2025 round 1 + 2 + 3
DAY 2: (Tuesday 17 June) - AFRICAN OPEN 2025 round 4 + 5 + 6
DAY 3: (Wednesday 18 June) - AFRICAN OPEN 2025 round 7 + 8 - Play-offs
DAY 4: (Thursday 19 June) - Finals round 1 + 2
DAY 5: (Friday 20 June) - Finals round 3 - Play-offs
REFEREES
Tournament referees: Marten Walinga, Liuwe Westra and Jouke Algra
CONTACTS
Tournament director: Chantal van Sluys, cavansluys@hotmail.com , +31 6 2267 5488
Secretary and Press officer: Liuwe H. Westra, liuwe.westra@mensa.nl , +31 6 3083 7586
Main referee: Marten Walinga, martenwalinga@hotmail.com , +31 6 3456 1133
Stream comments: Jouke Algra, joukealgra@gmail.com , +31 6 1206 9391
