23 April 2006

Results from the Ohio State Backgammon Club

Joseph Miller, the Club Director of the Ohio State Backgammon Club, who organises and runs all of the club's tournaments, answered questions from Online Backgammon News about the 2006 Ohio State Backgammon Tournament.

The tournament

According to the director, the Ohio State Backgammon Tournament was the only ABT-sanctioned event held in Ohio, and it had kept that status for 12 years running. It was open to the public and played as a true double elimination event with a progressive consolation. In 2006, 71 players took part.

The winner

The title went to Ken Fischer, a doctor from Oxnard, California. Earlier in the year he had already won another ABT-sanctioned event, the 6th Carolina Invitational in Charlotte, North Carolina (January 13–15, 2006). After his Ohio win he led the ABT points table.

About the club

The club dates back to the 1970s: it was established in Cleveland in 1979, moved to Canton in 1994 and to Akron in 2004. At the time of the interview it had about 45 registered members. The club hoped that its presence on the internet would bring in more players from Ohio and the neighbouring states to its monthly tournaments, noting that the internet had sparked a revival of interest in the game.

Match rules

The club's monthly events were also run as double elimination tournaments with 7-point matches. A player could lose one match and still finish second; two losses meant elimination. Novice players were encouraged to play alongside the more experienced members so they could learn from them. Everyone who attended earned master points, which counted towards the club's Player of the Year award.

The next ABT tournament of the club was planned for April 2007. For an introduction to match play, see the backgammon rules.