The Backgammon World Championship, held annually in Monaco, draws top players from around the world. This year Backgammon Galaxy, the largest backgammon online server, took over the reins organizing the event. Marc Olsen, CEO of Backgammon Galaxy, assembled an amazing staff team including Arda Fındıkoğlu as director.
They put on a spectacular show, using all the latest modern tournament technology to share the event, streaming matches, expert commentary, and lectures to a worldwide viewing audience. It attracted the world’s top players, doubling attendance over that of last year with 255 entrants.
Women were underrepresented in the Championship division, accounting for only 5 of 207 entrants. A woman, Laurence Sinitzky from France, won the Intermediate division, and Marianne Husum Snarheim (Norway) finished in 4th/5th place in the Intermediate division.
Women players always look forward to the Ladies Event. Added money of 1000 Euros donated by sponsor Women in Backgammon drew 25 entrants to the event. Annalisa Agosti (Italy) won the event with Pia Aimonen (Finland) in second place. Olga Ivanova (Russia) and Irina Litzenberger (USA) placed 3rd/4th place.
What stood out was not just the extraordinary talent of the winners but their sheer joy playing the game. Sander Lylloff (Denmark) emerged victorious as backgammon world champion in the Main event winning amazing matches against Wilcox Snellings (Costa Rica/USA) in the final of the Undefeated bracket and Zdeněk Žižka (Czech Republic) in the grand final. Sander and his opponents had a joyous time of it, laughing at the turns of fortune brought on by the dice.
We look forward to next year and even more women participating and placing in this premier event.
