It will be a landmark day for intellectual sport as the Jamaica Draughts Association (JDA) stages its National Pool Checkers Championships at Port Rhoades Sports Club in Discovery Bay, St Ann, on Sunday.

The tournament, scheduled to run from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm, will bring together the island’s top players, including International Grandmaster Wayne Reid, Federation Master Jermaine Hutchinson, International Master Courtney Thompson, and Top Masters Jason Wisdom and Worth Foster.

The Championships were originally slated for November 30, 2025, at the Port of Call Hotel, Crane Road, Black River, St Elizabeth. However, Hurricane Melissa dealt a severe blow, damaging the hotel and impacting several prospective sponsors.

For a time, it appeared increasingly unlikely that a national championship would even be possible this year. Yet, in a powerful testament to strategic leadership, resilience, and collective will, the JDA regrouped, re-strategised, and re-imagined the event.

Through innovative planning and strong partnerships, the Championships were rescheduled and relocated, ensuring that Jamaica’s premier draughts event would not be lost to the hurricane.

At the heart of the excitement is a Top Masters Division stacked with some of the most accomplished pool checkers players in the region. Spectators can expect intense battles of foresight, calculation, and nerve as the nation’s best compete for supremacy.

The Championships will begin with registration from 9:00–9:30 a.m., followed by a formal Opening Ceremony (9:30–10:10 am), which will be chaired by JDA’s Vice President, Top Master Mikoyan Robinson, a Justice of the Peace.

The Opening Ceremony will feature prayers, official greetings, a presidential address, an address from the Principal Director of Sports Development Foundation Allan Beckford, and a special presentation to IGM Wayne Reid.

Competition commences at 10:15 am, pauses briefly for lunch, and intensifies throughout the afternoon, culminating in a grand Awards & Closing Ceremony, which will be chaired by Top Master Oraine Thompson, the JDA’s treasurer.

The Jamaica Draughts Association has expressed profound appreciation to the Discovery Bay Bauxite Company and the Port Rhoades Sports Club for facilitating the use of their venue. Their support, the group says, has been instrumental in ensuring that the Championships remain accessible, dignified, and professionally executed.

Playing draughts offers numerous cognitive benefits, including improved strategic thinking, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Research has shown that engaging in mentally stimulating activities like draughts can reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline and dementia.