2009 NSW Open Backgammon Championship

Results and Photos

March 7/8 2009, Ryde Ex-Services Club, Sydney. Congratulations to Steve Clarry!

NSW OPEN TOURNAMENT—A PERSONAL VIEW BY CHRIS BENHAM

A few weeks ago on the Saturday-Sunday of March 7-8, the NSW Open Backgammon was held. It was a 128-spot knockout, with 49 starters including 4 from South Australia: Terry Efthimiou, Peter Geelen, John McLean and myself (Chris Benham).

It was held in a very nice venue, the Ryde Ex-Services Club on Victoria Road near the corner of Blaxland Road in the suburb of Ryde. The play was mostly on a verandah with a very nice view.

Play started each day at 11.00 am. All 128 spots were eventually filled, which meant that the average player bought back 1.61 times. There were 4 different price tags for spots: early bird $100, normal initial entry $120, first buy-back $80, subsequent buy-backs $60. Like the SA Open the rounds started at 9 points and the grand final was to 15 points. I think the total prize-money paid out was $12,000. I made it to the last 8 without buying back and then got knocked out by experienced and enthusiastic Sydney player Alex Falon 7-11, giving me a win-loss score of 4-1 and winning me $500. The other SA players did less well.

My closest winning result was 9-7 against the only player from New Zealand, Grant Hoffman. In my losing match I was on the wrong end of an 8-cube which shifted my score from 2-2 to 2-10 Crawford.

One of the events' organisers, Ben Phillips, tells me that the event is likely to be repeated next year in the same venue at about the same time of year. I will play again. The accomodation (an "AMG" motel) was very close to the venue, and I found it comfortable and satisfactory.

Ben Phillips also tells me that there will be an Australian Open in Sydney around late October or early November, presumably with some sponsorship and bigger prizes. I look forward to it.

While I was in Sydney I bought myself a copy of "Backgammon for Dummies" by Chris Bray from Dymochs for about $28. Not just for beginners, I recommend it. There was a copy in the Rundle Mall Dymochs store, and presumably one can be ordered there.

The final 8:

Photos courtesy Simon Woodhead. If you have photos from the weekend that you'd like to contribute, please send them to me. Click on thumbnail for full size image.

Saturday 7th March - Early rounds

Sunday 8th March - Finals