Monthly Backgammon Expertise Learning Series on Zoom with Bill Robertie and Lee Genud

These events are an amazing opportunity to see two of the best players in action. And, fun too!

Bill Robertie is a two-time backgammon world champion (in 1983 and 1987), one of only five backgammon players to hold that distinction. He was in the inaugural cohort inducted into the American Backgammon Hall of Fame in 2015 where he was cited as “a gifted and prolific author, publisher, and promoter/director widely respected for his intelligence and insight.” He has been on every Giants of Backgammon list since 1993 and has been ranked as high as #6.

He has served as organizer/director of leading prestigious backgammon tournaments. Along with Kent Goulding, he organized/directed the World Cup (known as the U.S. Invi­tational in early years) from 1984 through 1998 and served as director of the Boston Open.

In addition to the Backgammon World Championships in 1983 and 1987, his backgammon wins include: the Boston Open, 1979 and 1991; Las Vegas, 1980 and International Cup of the 2001 Worldwide Twin Championships in Las Vegas 2001; New York Metro, 2011 and 2013; Isle of Man Super Jackpot, 1984; the Pro-Am in the Bahamas with Bill Bartholomay, 1993’ and the Istanbul World Cup, 1994. He was  one of the 25 Giants of Backgammon who played at the Atlantis Million event in the Bahamas in January of 2007.

He is CEO of Gammon Press, a leading publisher of backgammon books. He published the Inside Backgammon magazine with Kent Goulding (1991 to 1998). He has authored 13 widely acclaimed backgammon books including: How to Play the Opening in Backgammon/Part 1 – A New Way of Thinking; How to Play the Opening in Backgammon/Part 2 – Everything Matters; Advanced Backgammon, Volumes 1 and 2; Backgammon for Serious Players; 501 Essential Backgammon Problems; Modern Backgammon; and Lee Genud vs Joe Dwek: The 1981 World Championship of Backgammon (1982).

He is also distinguished for his contributions to chess and poker. He has written six books on Chess aimed at beginners, and has been a Chess Master winning the 1970 U.S. Speed Chess Championship.

He co-authored 7 poker books with Dan Harrington (winner of the 1995 World Series of Poker Main Event) on Hold’em, including two million plus sales and counting of the best-selling poker books of all time Hold’em Vol 1 and 2.

He is a graduate of Harvard University.

Lee Genud won the Backgammon World Championship in 1981. She is one of only four women to win the title in over a half-century of existence. Her final match with Joe Dwek was immortalized by Bill Robertie in a book: Lee Genud vs Joe Dwek: The 1981 World Championship of Backgammon. Her own book Lee Genud’s Backgammon Book published in 1974 was a best-seller.

The Genud Cup (2020) event between the U.S. Women’s Backgammon Team and the U.K. Women’s Backgammon Team was named in her honor; she was interviewed following the conclusion of the match won narrowly by the US team.

Recently she was a finalist in the Los Angeles Open Wonder Woman (2022) event as well as finishing second to to Backgammon World Champion Katie Scalamandre (2000) in the Inaugural Palm Beach Women’s Classic Tournament (2022) and was honored at a brunch in a Palm Beach private club. She won the Women’s World Championship twice (1978, 1979). She won or came in second in 37 major world tournaments from 1979 through 1985, including Remy Martin Doubles (1979); Remy Martin Open (1979); semifinalist Backgammon World Championship Consolation (1979); semifinalist Turnberry Isle Consolation (1979; 1980); Semifinalist Boston Consolation (1980).

She directed backgammon clubs in California and New York and taught thousands of students to play the game. She was director of the Cavendish West Club in Los Angeles; director and resident pro of the Pips Club in Beverly Hills; founder, co-owner, teaching professional, and director of the Card and Cube Club in Long Island, NY.