The Inaugural Women’s World Team Championships was held in Stockholm, Sweden, at the renowned Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden from 8-10 July, 2024. This historic event was created by the World Backgammon Federation (WBGF) and sponsored by the Women’s World of Backgammon.
The Women’s Team USA won the event with team members: Rain Ackerman, Lynda Clay, Karen Davis (captain), Teri Harmon, Irina Litzenberger, and Leyla Zaloutskaya. The Women’s Team UK finished second with team members: Becca Bell, Anna Clark, Julia Hayward (captain), Anna Price, Rachel Rhodes, and Merrin Rose. The Republic of Georgia won third place, with Norway finishing fourth. Kaia Osbakk from Norway won the Best Individual Performance Award with her record of 5-0. All the teams fielded strong teams of women players, resulting in closely contested matches. It was an exciting, joyous occasion!
Eight countries sent teams to compete: Denmark, France, the Republic of Georgia, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The format was an initial round-robin phase with 3-player teams playing 11-point matches against teams from each of the other participating countries. Round wins went to teams with at least two players winning their individual matches. Two points were awarded for each team round, and individual player match wins were awarded one point. In the event of a tie for team round points, individual player match points broke the ties. The top four teams played in a playoff.
The inception of this tournament is a direct result of the tireless efforts of World Backgammon Federation (WBGF) President Bernhard Mayr; tournament producer Jörgen Granstedt, three-time world backgammon champion and Chairman of the Swedish Backgammon Federation; tournament director Arda Fındıkoğlu, one of Europe’s foremost backgammon tournament directors; and Women's World of Backgammon (WWB) co-founded by WBGF Deputy General Secretary Karen Davis from the USA. Their mission has been clear: to amplify women's participation in backgammon, a game of strategy, skill, and luck. The result of their efforts is this landmark event, which was a thrilling showcase of talent and competition.
Karen Davis, reflecting on the journey, expressed her excitement:
The first ever Women's World Team Tournament by the WBGF is not just a competition; it's a celebration of progress, inclusivity, and the enduring allure of backgammon.
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