MIAMI – Dominoes hit the spot educationally, and should be introduced in Caribbean schools, says Ruddy Schaaffe, chairman of Air
Jamaica’s World Championship of Dominoes, which returns to Montego Bay next month.
Speaking ahead of the Championship, to be held October 18 to 21 at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, Schaaffe, himself Jamaican and an internationally recognized domino official, asserted that games like chess and dominoes help develop the critical thinking of young people and urged educational officials to embrace the game.
Ruddy Schaaffe
“No matter the vocation, one must be able to identify, gather and sort data, and be able to retain and recall the information in order to make strategic decisions. The games of chess and dominoes naturally develop and utilize these skills in persons who play these games at all levels,” said Schaaffe, who said playing dominoes helps redefine how a person’s intellect is measured.
Many players of the game display sharper analytical skills and strategies than some of the brightest academics, opined Schaaffe, who added that “dominoes, properly applied in schools, can be used to develop the analytical skills and complement the more widely accepted methods of academic development.”
Some examples of possible usage in schools include counting, developing shape recognition and character association skills, hand-eye coordination, sorting and grouping skills, calculation, deductive reasoning, and teamwork. “It combines many academic disciplines. It’s also a fun sport, and its application will transcend all educational levels from kindergarten to adulthood,” he said.
The Miami-based Schaaffe, who is the president of the International Domino Pairs Tournament and a Vice President of the Spain-based Federacion
Internacional de Domino, said this October, 500 participants will vie in Jamaica for the title of “World Champion”, cash and other prizes.
Paul Pennicook, Air Jamaica’s Senior Vice President for Marketing and Sales, views the tournament as both a competitive and promotional event for the
airline and the destination of Jamaica. “The tournament allows competitors to add a vacation for their family and friends. Some come not only for the
tournament, but extend their stay to relax and enjoy the island.”
For further information on registration, visit www.worldchampionshipofdominoes.com.
