PLANS are advanced for Jamaica to host the 10th staging of the World Championship Pairs and Individual Domino tournament in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 2012.

This deal was sealed on Thursday when president of Jamaica National Association of Domino Bodies (NADB) Reynold Smith, received official notification from Lucas Guittard, who heads the International Domino Federation (IDF).

The tournament, which will be staged two years from now in June, will see 30 countries participating in the event.

Guittard indicated that 11 nations including Russia, Spain, USA, Costa Rico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Azerbaijan had unanimously approved Jamaica as host for the 2012 tournament, during the 8th General Ordinary plenary in Russia last May.

“When the idea of having the championships before the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Jamaica arose, I couldn’t find a better occasion to connect that memory,” Guittard said, referencing his first visit to Jamaica a few years ago.

The IDF boss said the sport of dominoes cuts across races, social status, ideologies, and political beliefs.

Sports Minister Olivia Grange, who shares Guittard’s philosophy that dominoes knows no social boundary, indicated that the Government did not hesitate to endorse Jamaica’s hosting of the event.

“This tournament in 2012 is in keeping with our major events marketing thrust and our strategy to develop sports tourism by bringing major events to our island where the benefits outweigh the costs,” Grange said. The minister noted that Smith, who leads the NADB, deserves kudos for regulating, streamlining and promoting the sport islandwide.

For his part, Smith indicated that the National Association of Domino Bodies will be working around the clock to promote the tournament on all fronts, including overseas embassies.

“We intend to increase the level of awareness as it relates to the social, educational and financial benefits that can be derived from the participation in the sport of domino,” Smith stated.

He indicated that plans are afoot to raise over US$70,000 for the total prize money and promote the tournament as the highest-paying FID International Championship.