It was pure sporting excitement as the Supreme Ventures Domino Master Series Tournament officially kicked off at Pier 1, Montego Bay on March 12.

This was the first in a series of islandwide stops and matchups, where participants showed up to compete for the title of National Domino Champion.

The tournament commenced at 2 pm, with competitive cut-throat format matches throughout the day.

Jerry Gardener secured his spot in history as the tournament’s first community winner, claiming the grand prize of $150,000. In second place, Allan Harris went home with $100,000 while Licidius Nelson and Gavin Simpson secured third and fourth place respectively, winning $75,000 and $50,000 each. The top 16 secured their places in the grand finals set for June 11.

“We are pleased with the turnout for the first tournament in the series. The team at Supreme Ventures recognised that domino is a staple in Jamaican culture, so this tournament is a big deal for us. We see the potential of domino as a sport, and as a company that not only provides entertainment but games of skill for our players to win from every day, we are excited about taking dominos to another level in Jamaica,” said Gary Peart, executive chairman of Supreme Ventures Limited.

The tournament’s next stop will be at Miggie’s Sports Bar in Spanish Town, St Catherine on March 19.

The gaming company urged potential participants to purchase their tickets early from all Fontana Pharmacy branches, select Texaco service stations, Supreme Ventures retail centres, Pier One, and online at caribtix.com. Subsequently, they should register online at the official domino website, www.svldomino.com become a contestant.

Dwayne Tulloch, senior vice president-retail and customer operations, thanked the participants from Montego Bay who turned out to the inaugural match in the series.

Said Tulloch: “We are grateful for the support that we’ve received, and for every person who turned out to participate in or to watch the first tournament. Congratulations to the winner and to those who earned their spots in the finals. We encourage all Jamaicans to come out and participate at the other stops, where we will be providing wholesome entertainment and of course the opportunity for every domino player to vie for a chance at becoming the national domino champion.”

The Supreme Domino Master Series will culminate on June 11 at the National Arena. The top 16 from each community tournament will automatically qualify for the finals and will play for the title of National Champion and $1 million in cash.