TWELVE countries will travel to Guyana to compete in the Georgetown Dominoes Association’s (GDA) International Dominoes tournament, set for the National Gymnasium over the Easter weekend (April 4-6). With $1M (US$5000) up for grabs for the winners, Guyanese players will want to impress their overseas counterparts and keep the cash and beautiful silverware on local soil.
“I’m happy to run off this tournament that people in the sports community can see that it’s not only a grassroots game, but it’s a game that you can play and you can go a very far way,” said president of the GDA, Faye Joseph, at yesterday’s Media Launch at her Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt residence.
The GDA president said that she was brought into the sport by her late husband Orin Joseph who had challenged her to do something special for the sport he loved.
According to Joseph, the tournament is also a dedication to her husband and one which she hopes can be emulated by other associations.
Apart from the host country, the competition will feature teams from the USA, Canada, St Lucia, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Anguilla, Puerto Rico, St Kitts & Nevis and the Dutch Island of St Eustatius.
Each team will play no less than four games, after which their points will be added to determine the top four to contest the semi-finals. Three points for each win, second-place two points and one point for a third-place finish.
The organisers said that the tournament will be divided into three zones. Each team is required to pay an entrance fee of $44 000 (US$220).
Second-place team will pocket US$2500, third place US$1500 and fourth US$1000 along with a prize for the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Teams desirous of entering the tournament have until March 31 to register.
By Rawle Toney