Sunday April 7

THE INAUGURAL SYDNEY OPEN BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT 

This tournament is a new addition to the backgammon calendar and was run by Gary Stavrou, Tournament Director of the Sydney Backgammoners group, which meets every Wednesday night at North Ryde RSL. Please see our website www.sydneybackgammoners.blogspot.com

The amended double Swiss format had been devised by Gary to ensure that all players played a minimum of six 7-point matches, and a loss in the first three rounds (the Qualification Flight) did not preclude any player from winning the day.

Apart from giving players a "second chance" the purpose of the three Qualification Rounds is to divide the field into two halves.

The top rankers enter the Main Flight and the rest of the field enter the Second Flight. Both flights are run concurrently and each consists of three 7-point matches. This system can be run very accurately due to the great computer system that we use that scores every won or lost point. In fact the scores of the winner and runner-up were just one point apart. 

Twenty-four players, lots of the regulars plus some we have not seen for a very long time, collected at 9.30am at the Canada Bay Club in Five Dock. Thanks to the club for providing us with such a lovely venue. 

After the first two rounds we broke for lunch, with the final match of the Qualification Flight being played after the break.

One of the characteristics of our tournaments is that we don't use clocks but set a generous time limit of 90 minutes for each 7-point match. We feel this is necessary with Swiss tournaments as the next round can't start until all pairs finish playing.

Gary agrees that, in the past, the over-time rules were too strict. Now there is a very small penalty involved for unfinished matches.

But this penalty never had to applied on the day as no match went over time, which considering the number of matches played, is just amazing.

The final results were:

Main Flight :

1^stPaul Barnett - $600 and crystal doubling cube award

 2^ndArthur Ramer $300

Consolation prize of $60 to the one-match winner with the highest score to David Reitzin

3^rdprize went to the Second  Flight  winner, Pat Halpin, who received $180.

Eva Bitel pocketed the $60 Second Flight consolation.

Thanks to Gary, and Katheryn for running the day so smoothly, and thanks to all who participated in what will, hopefully become an annual event.

A happy Eva Bitel collects her prize from Gary Stavrou

Grayham Rundle and David Reitzin tucked themselves in the corner where they couldn't miss the projected match scores

Pat Halpin, 2nd flight winner, receives his prize from Gary Stavrou

Martin Sagradian, supported by wife Ola, plays Jamshid Demehri while Mohammad Nejati watches on

Main flight winner Paul Barnett recieving the much coveted crystal cube from Gary Stavrou along with his prize money

Lots of serious thinking in this match between Arthur Ramer and John Symon

David Reitzin receives his consolation prize from Gary Stavrou

Eva Bitel and Steve Clarry in an early match

Arthur Ramer collecting 2nd prize from Gary Stavrou

Andre Marootians and Len Norman catch up over an early game

George Avrimedes and Edmund Catanatsu and  in a red and green battle