The nation’s top players in ten different "Mind Sports" will line up to participate in the inaugural MindsportsTT Games when action rolls out on Sunday at the Carapaichaima East Secondary School for the North, East and Central Zones starting at 10 am.
For the first time in the Caribbean, 10 Mindsports games which include chess, draughts, scrabble, monopoly, dominoes, speed Rubik cube, sudoku, crossword, singles pairs all-fours and bridge will be played at one venue at the same time.
At a joint meeting called with all the stakeholders for MindsportsTT Games, and all the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) including the T&T Chess Federation ( TTCF), T&T Scrabble Association ( TTSA), T&T Draughts and Checkers Association (TTDCA), T&T Contract Bridge Association ( TTCBA), T&T All-Fours Federation (TTAFF), Monopoly Association of T&T (MATT) and including the newly formed Speed Rubik Cube Association of T&T (SPRATT) expressed support for this initiative as it represents a unified approach by all NGBs to develop the intellectual minds of citizens in which the event was created to promote mind sports to all citizens from as early as five years old to beyond 60 years of age.
Jason Mangaroo, president of Mindsports TT indicated that the tournament is targeted towards numerous Primary and Secondary Schools, Tertiary level Universities and is open to the general public in every community within T&T.
He said that this event will ensure stronger participation and a deeper impact with the current curriculum being delivered within classes and also help the general public participating to have a greater appreciation of the tremendous benefits to them and the respective sports.
At the meeting, Nishka Sewdass-Mangaroo, Principal of the St Michael’s Community College presented a cheque to MindsportsTT as one of the co-sponsors of the event and stated that her College is very excited to be part of this event and will be participating in all the events.
She encouraged other Principals to support this event as this will benefit students in their critical thinking, cognitive development and aid in the socialisation process.
Lincoln Persad, marketing director of MindsportsTT indicated that the organisation has received tremendous support from all the NGBs who have since partnered with MindsportsTT and it was refreshing to see the enthusiasm shown with this project as it represents what cooperation with sports stakeholders can do for the development of all the mind games but more so for T&T.
He went on to add that the NGB’s will help MindsportsTT in the management of the games and will work together with them to make this event truly historic.
Fazeed Abdool of MindsportsTT indicated that this event of 10 mind sports is open to the general public and will have four age categories including 12 and Under, 18 and Under, Adults Open and Over 60.
For each category, cash prizes and trophies will be at stake. The prize structure is as follows: In the Over 60 /Adults Open first place gets $3,000 and Challenge Trophy; second receives $2,000, third $1,000 and fourth $500; 18 & Under/12 & Under: first $1,000 and challenge trophy, second $500, third $300 and fourth $200.
The top 16 winners in each sport and category will also receive medals and certificates of participation.