The Olympics of Backgammon: The World’s Oldest Board Game Makes a Come-Back

Nov. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- Hallandale, Florida, November 12, 2011 These are exciting times for the  sport of backgammon. Throughout the world, national backgammon federations are forming and gaining strength. This year, for the very first time, a backgammon Olympics – the inaugural International Backgammon Championship, organized by the Danish, Japanese, and U. S. backgammon federations, includes 26 players selected competitively from 10 nations. And the winning players will take home more than glory: a grand prize pool contributed by national backgammon federations and organizations totaling 26,000 Euros will be distributed to the top four winners. In addition the IBC Country Prize will be awarded to the country whose players amass the most winning matches.

This historic event, played both live and online, boasts many of the world's top backgammon players who have progressed through qualifiers held around the globe. This premiere competition of the inaugural International Backgammon Championship may be followed at  www.bgchampionship.com. It began in November 2011 and will conclude in early 2012. It’s a star-studded field, featuring current Giants of Backgammon as well as many of the big names from former years and up-and-coming stars.



Perry Gartner, president and Executive Director of the U.S. Backgammon Federation, noted “Backgammon attracts the young and young-at-heart alike because players never stop learning and becoming more accomplished. Those at the top of their game now have an opportunity to be recognized and rewarded.”



The ancient game of backgammon, acknowledged to be the world's oldest known board game, is believed to have originated in Mesopotamia approximately 5,000 years ago. Today's world class backgammon players can definitely be considered students of the game, as the development of online playing sites and neural net software have brought backgammon skill-level to an all-time high.  Younger generations of college students, and even those in high school, are attracted by the game's mind-challenging nature.  They enjoy the opportunity to connect online and in person to test their war-gaming, strategic, and analytic skills.



As backgammon has flourished, so have online publications and  websites dedicated to the game. Outstanding examples such as the backgammon playing site, www.GridGammon.com,  PrimeTime Backgammon, a bi-monthly electronic magazine published by the U.S. Backgammon Federation in magazine format, and www.bgonline.org, a  discussion-based forum format, promote increased learning  opportunities and allow for announcements of national and  international events suitable for all skill levels.



The formation of the U. S. Backgammon Federation, found online at  USBGF.org, with its over 1000 U.S. and international members, has been instrumental in organizing exceptional events for its membership; highlights include the annual USBGF National Internet  Championship, the USBGF National Club Team Championship, and the  USBGF Intercollegiate Backgammon Team Championship. The 2012 USBGF National Championship will be held in conjunction with the New York Metropolitan Open www.nybackgammon.com January 5-8, 2012.

contact perry@usbgf.org for additional information.