KOUPELA — Jean Modeste Kaboré and Amado Baguian clinched the championship at the 6th edition of the Fraternité Belote Club de Koupèla (FBCK) competition, held in Koupèla on August 31, 2024. The event, presided over by the High Commissioner of the Kouritenga province, Moctar Ilboudo, saw 60 competitors from the Centre-East, Centre, and Centre-North regions vying for the top honors in this popular card game.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the competition highlighted the skills of the region’s top belote players, with Kaboré and Baguian emerging as the leading duo among four finalist teams. The winning team received a trophy and a prize of 75,000 FCFA, while the runners-up, Victor Dao and Romaric Tindano from Ouaga, took home 50,000 FCFA. The third-place team, Malgoubri and Jules Silga from Koupèla, were awarded 30,000 FCFA, and the fourth-place team received 20,000 FCFA along with a fair play prize of 10,000 FCFA.

The competition also served as a platform for community engagement and social cohesion, with the High Commissioner lauding the FBCK’s president, Philippe Kéré, for the event’s organization and its contribution to the community amidst the challenging security context in Burkina Faso. Special acknowledgments were given to the main sponsor, Colonel-Major Jean-Baptiste Parkouda, and other key supporters.

Concerns about the future of belote were voiced by notable player Dao Victor, who pointed out the waning interest among the youth, attributed by some to the increasing allure of digital entertainment over traditional card games. This sentiment was echoed by FBCK’s president, who noted the growing preference for mobile phones over card games among younger generations.