Ranka: Please tell us about the opening you have been playing.
Braye: I start on the 9-10 point, and then play two knight’s moves, making an acute isoceles triangle. With either black or white, I always play my first three moves this way.

Renaud Braye

Ranka: When did you begin doing this?
Braye: Two or three years ago. First I experimented with the tengen opening. Then I switched to playing on 9-10 and 11-10, a one-space jump, but it didn’t work well enough. With the triangle opening you start out with a strong group in the center, your strategy is to attack, and your opponent doesn’t know what to do. In many board games the player who controls the center has the advantage.

Ranka: Which other board games do you have in mind?
Braye: Chess and draughts.

Ranka: Do you also play those games seriously?
Braye: I don’t have much opportunity to play chess, but I play draughts seriously. Two of the draughts players from my club in Belgium are competing here in the WMSG.

Ranka: How are your WMSG results so far?
Braye: I won two of six games in the men’s individual competition and so far I’ve won one out of three in the men’s team event.

Ranka: And your rank is?
Braye: One kyu.

Ranka: Good luck tomorrow.