Forty players from all over the Kurdistan Region gathered in Erbil on Tuesday to participate in the seventh annual checkers competition.

The competition, which consisted of seven rounds, featured players having to complete a game in 15 minutes. The winner of a game would get two points.

"We organize this competition annually for all cities and towns in the Kurdistan Region and distribute prizes and gifts to the winners," Tawana Tahsin, the organizer of the competition, told Rudaw.

Tahsin believes that checkers is an original Kurdish game, and wants more young people to play the game. 

“We want to encourage the youth to play checkers, because the other games are only a waste of time. But checkers is nothing less than chess, and it is good for the brain and mind,” he said.

Harem Mohammed came to Erbil from Penjwen in Sulaimani province and is participating in the competition for the first time.

“I'm very happy to be here today. There are talented players there. I benefited a lot because I got to know many other players from other cities of the Kurdistan Region,” he told Rudaw.

Mohammed hoped that similar tournaments for the game are organized in other places, to revive the popularity of the game.