The Jamaica Draughts Association (JDA) has announced its sixth National Draughts-64 Championship scheduled for Sunday, June 30, 2024, at the Port of Call Hotel in Black River, St Elizabeth.

The event promises to be an exhilarating display of cognitive prowess as the nation’s finest draughts players converge to compete for top honours.

Approximately 60 players from across Jamaica have already registered for the tournament, which will feature four categories:

– Class 1 (Top Masters Class): The crème de la crème of draughts players, showcasing exceptional skill and strategy.

– Class 2 (Masters): Highly skilled players vying for recognition and bragging rights.

– Class 3 (Junior Masters): Emerging talent and enthusiasts eager to prove their mettle.

– Class 4: Newcomers looking to make their mark.

To accommodate additional players, registration for the event, part-sponsored by the Sports Development Foundation (SDA), has been extended to 9:00 am on June 30, 2024.

The competition will witness the intellectual prowess of Jamaica’s top draughts players as they engage in a thrilling battle of wits.

The JDA National Championships offer coveted prizes and recognition for the winners in each category. The Top Masters Class champion will be crowned Jamaica’s National Draughts Champion for 2024, receiving the largest share of monetary prizes and priority selection to represent Jamaica in international competitions.

This year’s event promises intense competition among elite players from various Draughts Clubs across Jamaica, including the Jungle Warriors, MoBay Warriors, Falmouth Massive, Stingers, M-Lab, Junction Draughts Club and more.

Leading contenders include Grand Master International Wayne ‘Shines’ Reid, International Master Courtney ‘Carlos’ Thompson, Top Master Jermaine ‘Tiger’ Delattibudiere, and others.

Jermaine Delattibudiere, the Deputy Superintendent of Police in charge of Crime for the St Elizabeth Division, finished third, gaining the bronze medal in the Class 1 Category of the 2023 JDA National championships. He is seeking to improve his performance at this year’s championships.

International Master Courtney Thompson and Wayne ‘Hardwayne’ Whyte have already declared their intentions to win this year’s championships. Jermaine ‘Wasp’ Hutchinson promises to compete fiercely for the number one spot.

On the other hand, GMI Wayne Reid, who has always emerged as the champion since the first hosting of the JDA National Championships, has no intention to give up his title as the island’s best draught player without a fight.