Click here and go to the bottom of article to download or print: PrimeTime Backgammon May-June 2014 Issue
This content-packed issue of PrimeTime Backgammon shines the spotlight on strong new players – Saba Bejanishvili, Julius High, and David Presser. Marty Storer provides an analysis of a match between shooting star Saba Bejanishvili of Marietta, Georgia (who also hails from the Republic of Georgia) and Giant of Backgammon Matt Cohn-Geier (MCG) in the Dual-Duel event at the Texas Backgammon Championships. Saba stunned the online audience by winning on performance rating and score against MCG. Recently, Saba won the Tournament of Champions at the Chicago Open.
Ray Fogerlund reports on the Atlanta tournament, highlighting Julius High’s amazing trifecta: the Championship division, the Atlanta Cup jackpot, and the Seniors event. Ray also pays his respects to Frank Talbot, who captured the Bob Wilensky Memorial Masters.
See especially the profile of David Presser, the winner of the February and March 2014 USBGF Online Circuit and another of the young lions making their early mark in the backgammon world. David had the second highest score (after Falafel) on Mochy’s 4thProficiency Exam administered at the Chicago Open.
Washington DC has emerged as a backgammon powerhouse. The Beltway Backgammon Club, under the directorship of Barry Silliman, has dominated the USBGF National Club Team Championship, with a second place finish in the inaugural event in 2011, first and second in 2012, and first in 2013. Frank Raposa, Jason Lee, and Bob Koca (the FrankLee Unflappable team) each provide commentary on the 2013 finals matches with the Jersey Boys (Jeff Acierno, Alan Grunwald, and Artie Sutton). Frank Raposa just won the Championship division of the Chicago Open, taking the lead in the ABT points race for the year.
Bill Davis shares with us his impressions of the Central States Invitational at the beginning of March, and I report, in prose and photos, on the 20th anniversary of the Ohio State Backgammon Championships in Cleveland in late March.
USBGF President Bill Riles explains the new USBGF policy on Legal Moves – a stance that was adopted by players voting at the Las Vegas U.S. Open tournament in April.
There’s much more – Jason Pack, with a breakthrough year himself, continues with his analysis of the World Backgammon Championship match between Slava and Lars. Paul Weaver analyzes a match between #1 Giant Mochy and #2 Giant Michy at the 2013 Las Vegas Open.
Congratulations to our latest USBGF Prime Clubs: Dallas Backgammon League, Arizona Backgammon Club, Las Vegas Backgammon Club, and Colorado Backgammon Club!
Check out the live and online tournament rankings, and as Bill Riles says: Get in the Game!
Karen Davis
Managing Editor
PrimeTime Backgammon
U.S. Backgammon Federation
