The normally tranquil coastal town of Port Maria in Jamaica’s St Mary parish became a hub of focused energy and friendly rivalry last week, when the fourth iteration of the Jamaica Draughts-64 Community Outreach Open Championships touched down at the local Port Maria Police Station. Hosted as a key highlight of the St Mary Police Welfare and Sports Club’s much-awaited annual cookout and post-tournament after party, the competition turned the ordinary police facility into a dynamic arena where sharp strategy, unwavering focus, and honed skill took center stage.
This year’s tournament reinforced draughts’ standing as one of Jamaica’s most engaging and fast-growing mind sports, attracting a diverse field of top competitors from across the island. Co-hosted by the Jamaica Draughts Association (JDA) and the St Mary Police Division, the bi-annual event was split into three distinct skill divisions to ensure fair competition: Top Masters (Class 1), Masters (Class 2), and open entry Class 3. For days, competitors hailing from seven different parishes tested their tactical wits against one another, competing both for individual acclaim and the overall parish championship title.
The standout story of the tournament came from the Top Masters division, where Jermaine Delattibudiere – a deputy superintendent of police with the St Mary Police Division and one of the country’s most experienced draughts players – delivered a career-defining performance to reclaim his Top Masters championship crown. Delattibudiere showcased extraordinary tactical foresight, steady patience, and pinpoint move precision throughout every round, finishing the tournament with an 83% win rate to secure the gold medal and reaffirm his status among Jamaica’s elite draughts competitors. Round after round, he outmaneuvered challengers with calm composure and brilliant strategic calls, earning roars of approval from the home crowd and widespread respect from fellow competitors across all divisions.
Orane Thompson of Trelawny put on an equally impressive showing, fighting through every match to take home the silver medal with a solid 79% win rate. International Master Courtney Thompson of Westmoreland rounded out the Top Masters podium, claiming bronze after a series of grueling back-and-forth matches with a 77% win rate.
The intermediate Masters Division brought its own share of thrilling upsets and standout performances. Adrian Reid, a fan-favorite player from Trelawny known by his competitor nickname “Most Wanted”, dominated a stacked field of contenders to claim the division’s gold medal, following up on his 2025 championship win with a display of growing tactical maturity and consistent performance. Westmoreland’s Orane Pearce took home silver, while Trelawny’s Rodane Brown secured bronze after multiple nail-biting, closely contested final rounds.
The open-entry Class 3 Division also delivered no shortage of memorable moments and breakthrough success for local players. Dennis Brown of Westmoreland claimed the top spot and gold medal in the division, while Trelawny’s Winston Wright earned silver. For the home crowd, the biggest moment of the entire tournament came when St Mary’s own Anthony Graham captured the bronze medal – marking the first time a competitor from St Mary has ever won a medal in the Class 3 category of the national championships. Graham’s historic win was met with thunderous applause from local spectators and stands as a key milestone for the growth of draughts competition within the parish.
After all rounds were completed, the overall parish title was awarded based on cumulative points earned by all competitors from each parish across all divisions. When the final scores were tallied, Westmoreland narrowly outscored Trelawny to claim the overall parish championship honors.