We hope everyone has had a great 2024 and enjoyed progressing their backgammon skills throughout the year.
– The WWB Team
Ensuring Integrity
Cheating has always been a shadow that follows competitive games, but as backgammon continues to grow as a sport with global participation, so too has our ability to ensure fairness and protect its integrity. Recently, an incident in the coveted Genud Cup garnered social media attention when a player was found to play at a level impossible even for the most seasoned experts. It was a shocking moment—but one that serves as a reminder of how far we’ve come in addressing such issues.
The recent cheating case was disappointing, but it wasn’t devastating. Why? Because today, the systems in place to detect cheating and take action are robust. Organizations like the U.S. Backgammon Federation, other national governing bodies, and the World Backgammon Federation have developed consistent approaches to handling cheating—whether it’s online or in person. They investigate allegations thoroughly, applying sanctions that fit the violation, ranging from suspension for a period of time to lifetime bans. This ensures not only fairness but also a level of deterrence that gives every honest player confidence in the integrity of the game.
Here’s the positive takeaway: Backgammon is in the best position it has ever been to safeguard its future. Technology, clear rules, and a global network of dedicated organizers and players mean that cheaters will be caught and held accountable. This incident serves as proof that the system works. It’s also a chance for all of us to recommit to the principles that make backgammon such a beautiful game—a blend of skill, strategy, and chance that relies on trust in our opponents and the organizations that oversee play.
As we look ahead, the Women’s World of Backgammon is proud to stand with organizations around the globe that are ensuring a fair and consistent approach to upholding the integrity of this game we all love. Every player, from the casual enthusiast to the world champion, deserves a level playing field. With continued vigilance, innovation, and collaboration, backgammon will remain a game of honor, integrity, and brilliance.
Because in backgammon, as in life, the true joy lies not just in the win, but in the way we play the game.
– Karen Davis, Melanie Hughes & Irina Litzenberger
Invitational Cup
Women’s World of Backgammon (WWB) is delighted to announce that it will hold the Invitational WWB Cup in January-February 2025, the first of its kind in the world. The impetus for this annual online tournament is to showcase some of the top women players and follow their matches as the tournament progresses. We feel this is a great opportunity for women players to see role models in action, and learn from some of the best women playing around the world as we watch them play!
Sixteen of the top women backgammon players in the world have agreed to participate in this single elimination 11-point online event. They include all of the 9 women who have achieved BMAB Master class status, a two-time Backgammon World Champion, the highest ranked woman in the World Backgammon Internet Federation (WBIF) PR ranking system, the top two women finalists in the 2023 WBIF Women’s World Championship, the U.S. Women’s Champion, and women who placed 1st or 2nd in major international tournament
Masters or Super Jackpot events:
Akiko Yazawa (Japan) – two-time Backgammon World Champion and #1 woman on the World Backgammon Federation backgammon ranking list
Cecilia Rogers (U.K.) – Backgammon Masters Awarding Body (BMAB) Master Class 3
Denise Kaiser (Switzerland) – BMAB Master Class 3 and captain of the Swiss Women’s Team
Eva Zizkova (Czechia) – BMAB Master Class 3
Gülderen Gücavlı (Turkey) – 1st place in 2023 Bodum Open Backgammon Championship; 1st in Ladies event in 2023 10th Merit Open in Northern Cyprus; 1st in Ladies event in 2023 4th Skopje Backgammon Open
Hanna Thorsen (Norway) – BMAB Master Class 3
Irina Litzenberger (U.S.) – BMAB Master Class 3, Team member 1st place 2024 WBGF Women’s Team Championship in Stockholm Sweden and 3rd/4th in 2023 Backgammon World Championship Ladies Event in Monte Carlo
Julia Hayward (UK) – Chair, UK Backgammon Federation and Captain 2nd place 2024 WBGF Women’s Team Championship in Stockholm Sweden; 1st place Backgammon London Players Championship
Kara Schultz (U.S.) – 1st place in 2023 WBIF Women’s World Championship and Chair, U.S. Backgammon Federation Board of Directors
Karen Davis (U.S.) – BMAB Master Class 2 and Captain, 1st place 2024 WBGF Women’s Team Championship in Stockholm Sweden
Marcy Kossar (U.S.) – 2nd place, Cherry Blossom Backgammon Championship division
Martha Gjelseth (Norway) – BMAB Master Class 3
Maya Peycheva (Bulgaria) – BMAB Master Class 3 and 2nd WBIF 2023 Women’s World Championship
Pia Jeppesen (Denmark) – Top ranked woman in WBIF PR ranking list
Sepideh Ghanadi (Iran) – BMAB Master Class 3
Wendy Kaplan (U.S.) – 2024 U.S Women’s Champion and 2nd in Michigan Summer Backgammon Championship division
Marianne Snarheim Husum Interviews Hanna Thorsen
Reprinted with permission from the Norwegian Backgammon Association -- Norges Backgammonforbund November 26, 2024.
Hanna Thorsen has become Master 3 in the BMAB system - something that only Martha Cecilie Gjelseth and 7 other women in the whole world have managed so far!
Hanna played 5.43 in the BMAB tournament held in Trondheim, she recently won the Nesodden city championship, made it to the semifinals in both Drammen city championship and in Horten/Tønsberg city championship. Hanna is also not losing matches for Norway in the women's World Cup, which is online these days and has clocked in 5 straight wins.
On this occasion, it was appropriate to do an "in-depth interview" with Hanna.
When did you start playing Backgammon?
The Monday after Halloween 2000. Half the club had just been and played Swedish. I met Shahab Ghodsi in the first round and won. Then, naturally, I was hooked.
You used to transcribe matches live with pen and paper - did you make money off it?
Yep, $50 per hour (played) was the going rate, then it became € 50 when the euro entered the EU.
You also worked as secretary of Paul Magriel for a period of time - when was it?
Half a year after I started playing. I learned annotation during the World Cup in 2001. Magriel needed someone to write his fights, so I joined him to Prague and then he asked if I wanted to move to Vienna and work for him. So, I did this.
So I was lucky enough to get to work and learn a lot from him, and many other great players since we traveled to quite a few tournaments.
You were young, sweet and promising, did you find some romance on the way too?
I find it rude to comment on all the broken hearts I left along the way....
You, like me, have also been president of Norway's backgammon association for a period of time - when was it?
The gods know! 2005-ish?
Which (own) BG performance do you rank the most?
To win the Greenland backgammon invitational in 2024 of course! But it was a little fun to be the first player to reach over 1850 in rating as well, in 2012. And not least to become world champion for women on the Norwegian national team last year.
Have you been playing as much since you started?
Nope, I almost didn't play when I was president of the poker association, because I didn't want to draw so much attention to bg at that time with all the trouble we had with the Lottery Authority, so I moved to Estonia, and even though it was a small club there was less playing, and after a couple of years back in Norway I started studying and then I didn't have time. I still play clearly less than the first 10 years.
But now with the women's national team, it has become really fun to play again! The World Cup title we got gave more taste
PS. There are several women in Norway who are now working on taking the step from Advanced to Master. Grandmaster title should also be achieved eventually...
Also encouraging more women to start filming, transcribing and analyzing their struggles. It's educational - and not least fun to get better...
Women's World Champion Wins Miami Open WWB Cup
Maggie Diamantidis, who won the Women’s World Championship in 2023, had a great tournament at the Miami Open held in Sunny Isles, November 16-25, 2024. Maggie is an American who has taken up residence in Greece with her husband Tony, who won the Miami Open Seniors event. They were among 65 players from outside the U.S. – one fourth of the record-shattering 258 participants. It was an amazing event with 24 countries represented among the participants.
In all 24 women players from around the world played in the Women’s World of Backgammon (WWB) Cup. Samra Hadden from Atlanta, Georgia was the finalist. Semi-finalists included Karen Davis (FL) and Lynn Ehrlich (FL).
Gigi Goyette (CA) had her first American Backgammon Tour win, capturing the trophy for the Intermediate division in a field of 50 players including rebuys. Gigi also won the Miami Beach Doubles event with backgammon partner Alex Farzan (CA). Ann Maher (Ireland) finished 4th/5th in the Advanced division out of 78 players including rebuys. Thirteen-year old Hannah Derosier (LA) won the Youth Exhibition Match. Natalia Pantea (Ukraine) finished second in the Freeroll Board Tournament and finished 3rd/4th in the DMP Challenge
In the Backgammon Masters Awarding Body (BMAB)event, Irina Litzenberger, WWB Board member tied for 2nd-9th on the basis of Win-Loss record of 4-1. Karen Davis, also a WWB Board member finished 2nd on the basis of Performance Rating (PR) of 4.54.
Winning Women Around the World
Women are increasingly placing in American Backgammon Tour and international events. In November/December they included:
DANISH BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP
November 23-24, 2024; Munkebjerg, Denmark
CHAMPIONSHIP (66): 1-Pia Jeppesen
SPEEDGAMMON (21): 1-Laila Leonhardt (Sweden)
ABT - 1st MIAMI OPEN BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP
November 19-25, 2024; Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
ABT ADVANCED DIVISION (58+20 rebuys): 4/5-Ann Maher (Ireland)
ABT INTERMEDIATE DIVSION (37+13 rebuys): 1-Gigi Goyette (CA)
BMAB PLAYERS CUP MIAMI (38): 2/9- Irina Litzenberger (VA) PR winners: 2-Karen Davis (FL) at 4.54
MIAMI BEACH DOUBLES (102 teams): 3/4-Alex Farzan (CA) & Gigi Goyette (CA)
YOUTH EXHIBITION MATCH (2): 1-Hannah Derosier (LA)
WOMEN'S WORLD OF BACKGAMMON CUP (24): 1-Maggie Diamantidis (Greece/CA), 2-Samra Hadden (GA).
DMP CHALLENGE (64): Natalia Pantea (Ukraine).
FREEROLL BOARD TOURNAMENT (16): 2-Natalia Pantea (Ukraine)
FMBGT: 21st CYPRUS OPEN BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT
November 14-17, 2024; Nicosia, Northern Cyprus
LADIES TOURNAMENT (18): 1-Meryem Karagöz (Turkey), 2-Meltem Hazir (Turkey), 3-Damla Karal (Turkey).
BEGINNERS (10): 1-Suzan Tatlisulu (Northern Cyprus), 2-Svetla Vasileva (Bulgaria).
2024 AUSTRALIAN BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIPS
November 8-10, 2024; Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia
SPEEDGAMMON (64): 2-Jenny Saunders
SUNDAY SPECIAL (63): 2-Rosalind Baker, 3/4-Amanda Cron / Yumi Iwago.
SUNDAY TOURNAMENT #2 (8): 2-Diana Ambrozie.
Winning Women Around the World
January 8-12 – 18th New York Metropolitan Open and Players Cup BMAB, Hyatt, Jersey City, NJ, Lynn Ehrlich, organizer and director, 408-529-6769. Click here for details.
Sponsored by Women’s World of Backgammon (WWB) -- $500 added
Starts at 2:30pm on Thursday.
$50 entry fee with 80% return.
Continuous entry fill a 32 player bracket.
One reentry per player.
Single Elimination.
January 23-26 – Charlotte Invitational and Players Cup BMAB 2025, Hilton, Charlotte NC, Paul Horton, director 704-651-2949. Click here for details.
Women’s World of Backgammon Cup: $100 entry (90% return plus $400 value in added prizes)
Start time: 1pm Sunday
Format: G2 (Guaranteed two matches). Players who lose in the first round will play off in a consolation bracket.
Match length: 7pts
Added Prizes: Backgammon lessons from a professional teacher for 1st/2nd Main; and 1st Consolation
All matches recorded and transcribed
February 5-9 – 12th Texas Championships and Players Cup BMAB, Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, Texas, Bill Riles, Jesper Carlsson, and Tara Mendicino, directors; USBGF Awards/Hall of Fame. Click here for details.
February 27-March 2 – 15th Atlanta Classic and Players Cup BMAB, Sonesta Hotel, Atlanta, GA, Jeff Proctor director, 706-372-2495
March 20-23, 30th Ohio State and BMAB, Crown Plaza, Middleburg Hts, OH, Jonathan Hardigree and Joe Miller directors, 330-268-4610
Click here for details.
April 7-13, World Backgammon Federation World Teams Championships/3rd Greek Grand Prix, Kamena Vouria, Greece. Click here for details.
April 9-13, Cherry Blossom and BMAB, Hyatt Regency Dulles, Herndon, VA, 810-348-1695.
Sponsored by Women’s World of Backgammon:
ALL Players - Recording and transcription services provided for every match! ($17 value per match played)
May 22-26, 43rd Chicago Open and BMAB, Hyatt Rosemont O’Hare, IL
617-699-9100. Click here now.
Sponsored by Women’s World of Backgammon:
2025 U.S. Women’s National Championship -- $500 added money or WWB Backgammon Board
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