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Robins member brings home domino championship hardware

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  • By Staff Reports
When people hear the word dominos, they often think of their childhood pastime of lining up the tiles in elaborate patterns, then knocking one down to watch them all fall. But for those who actually play the game, it means so much more. Just ask John Pierce, who recently placed third in the World Championship Domino Tournament.

Pierce, an industrial electronic control mechanic in the 78th Civil Engineer Squadron, discovered dominos while an active-duty Air Force member stationed overseas and fell in love with it. Despite his success, he admits it is not an easy game to just pick up and play.

"The rules aren't that complex, but it's not an easy game," Pierce said. "It's difficult to master the strategies and nuances, and way more than just counting by fives."

The tournament is held annually in Andalusia, Ala. Pierce signed up because he loves the game and thought it would be fun; coming home with a third-place trophy and $750 cash prize was a nice bonus. He said his third place finish among 400 tournament participants was rewarding, but not necessarily surprising.

"I have learned how to play the game really well," Pierce said. "I've learned the strategies and how to read others. I can usually turn a bad hand into a winning hand."

He attributes much of his success to practicing, and can be found at least three days a week at the Heritage Club honing his skill. Pierce plans on playing in the tournament again in 2011, where he hopes to improve upon his third-place finish.