Women stepped on stage to take their trophies at the 2022 Los Angeles Open arranged by producer Candace Mayeron June 9-12 at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton! Players arrived by airplane, train, and car to take in the star-studded event featuring the U.S. Backgammon Federation Awards Dinner. John O’Hagan (IN) and Art Benjamin (CA) were inducted into the American Backgammon Hall of Fame at a dinner Saturday evening.
All-time American Backgammon Tour point leader Neil Kazaross (IL) won the open division, while two grandmasters battled it out in the final of the Masters Jackpot, with Marty Storer (NH) edging out Bob Wachtel (CA) in the final.
Laura Granger (CO) won the Wonder Woman event and received a Women in Backgammon board, Wonder Woman trophy, and money added to the prize pool by Women in Backgammon. It was her first time winning such a prize on our own and she couldn’t have been more thrilled – she and her son Cary Hoarty were finalists in one of the Doubles events, a frequent occurrence!
Lynda Clay (CO) had a great tournament as well – winning the Paul Dingwell Amateur Jackpot in a fiercely competitive field of 24 players, the women’s prize in the Los Angeles Open division, the Seniors event; and a Double Match Point Jackpot event!
It was great to welcome back Lee Genud (FL), the 1981 Backgammon World Champion – the first woman to win the event in Monte Carlo. Lee was a finalist in the Wonder Woman event and won one of the Doubles events with grandmaster Kit Woolsey (CA).
Queen of Backgammon Carol Joy Cole (MI) won the Blitz event in a field of 76 players not to mention finishing tied for 3rd in the Seniors event – which kept her busy playing over the four-day event.
Teri Harmon (CA) won the Women in Backgammon prize in the Advanced division, and Jennifer Edwards (Canada) finished third in the Novice division.
Women in Backgammon hosted a breakfast Saturday morning attended by 16 women players, staff, and guests. Kara Schultz (CA) who has skyrocketed from winning the Novice in LA three years ago to being a highly competitive Championship division player spoke to the group about her regimen for improving her game. She said it’s easy to think you’ve mastered the game when you’re on a lucky streak, but it takes dedicated hard work and study to excel over the long-run. Women in Backgammon provided $1000 extra prize money for the women playing in the ABT divisions and Wonder Woman event.
Floor – Jennifer Edwards
1st Row – Lynda Clay, Alice Kay, Carol Joy Cole, Lee Genud, Marjie Harbrecht, Karen Davis, Gigi Goyette
2nd Row – Monica Talbot, Kara Schultz, Ceci Pedroza, Irina Litzenberger, Teri Harmon, Laura Granger, Randy Jaffee, Candace Mayeron
Kara Schultz speaking at women’s breakfast
The tournament producer Candace Mayeron put on a great show! Almost a dozen players arrived by train, adding several days to playing backgammon non-stop. Irina Litzenberger (VA) won the Ladies prize in the Chou Chou Train event sponsored by Candace.
Results compiled by Carol Joy Cole for the Chicagopoint.com website are shown below.
ABT - 45th LOS ANGELES OPEN BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP June 9-12, 2022; Los Angeles, California
ABT OPEN (62+38 rebuys): 1-Neil Kazaross (IL), 2-Odis Chenault (CA), 3-Ted Chee (CA), 4/5-Cary Hoarty (OH) / John O’Hagan (IN); 1C-Dana Nazarian (CA), 2C-Jake Jacobs (AZ), 3C/4C-Carl Blumenstein (CA) / Mario Savan (CA); Women's Prize: Lynda Clay (CO).
ABT ADVANCED (26+10 rebuys): 1-Bryan Adams (WA), 2-Mark Danburg-Wyld (WA); 1C-Brian Vance (MI), 2C-Jeff Byerly (WA); Women's Prize: Teri Harmon (CA).
NOVICE (9): Matthew Bogosian (CA), 2-Nura Awda (CA), 3-Jenn Edwards (Canada).
MASTERS JACKPOT (36): 1-Marty Storer (NH), 2-Bob Wachtel (CA), 3/4-Ted Chee (CA) / Maeis Petrosian (CA).
PAUL DINGWELL AMATEUR JACKPOT (24): 1-Lynda Clay (CO), 2-Patrick Keene (CA), 3/4-Jeff Byerly (WA) / Butch Meese (IN).
DOUBLES #1 (8 teams): 1-Eduard Mirijanyan (Armenia), 2-Laura Granger (CO) & Cary Hoarty (OH). DOUBLES #2 (8 teams): 1/2 split-Kevin Kahl (CA) & Norm Wiggins (CA) / David Mulberg (CA) & Maeis Petrosian (CA). DOUBLES #3 (8 teams): 1-Lee Genud (FL) & Kit Woolsey (CA), 2-Marty Storer (NH).
SENIORS (32): 1-Lynda Clay (CO), 2-Marty Storer (NH), 3/4-Carol Joy Cole (MI) / Teri Harmon (CA).
JUNIORS (32): 1-Long Nguyen (CA), 2-Roberto Litzenberger (VA), 3/4-Ted Chee (CA) / Patrick Keene (CA).
DMP #1 (16): 1-Mark Danburg-Wyld (WA). DMP #2 (16): 1-Lynda Clay (CO). DMP #3 (16): 1-Roberto Litzenberger (VA).
BLITZ (76): 1-Carol Joy Cole (MI), 2-Ergin Bayrak (CA), 3/4-Vahe Enfiajyan (Armenia) / Khachik Melikyan (Armenia).
SUPER SPEEDGAMMON (16): 1-Ken Bame (CA), 2-Peter Wisniewski (CA).
WONDER WOMEN JACKPOT (8): 1-Laura Granger (CO), 2-Lee Genud (FL).
$100 SUNDAY JACKPOT (8): 1-Kit Woolsey (CA).
CHOU CHOO TRAIN TOURNAMENT (9): DMP Prize –David Klausa (CO). Take Candace's Money Tournament –David Klausa (CO). Women's Prize: Irina Litzenberger (VA).
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