Thursday 30 March 2023

Wednesday March 29th 2023

 Two dozen players turned up tonight including newcomer, Nick Macoun.

Tonight was introduced to the club an optional $10 Side Pool. It was eagerly supported by more than half (13) of the players.

Matt Bridges was the drawn jackpot but failed to convert.

The Giantslayer match was held between Ladder Leader David Reitzin and challenger Gary Stavrou. Gary managed to pry 77 points from David's ladder score and add it to his own.

The placings were:

1st David Reitzin and Gary Stavrou tied

3rd Ned Marootians

4th Sean Ghodsi

Side Pool was shared by David Reitzin and Gary Stavrou, tied.


Jim Bean is wondering "how on earth is Carol Wakelin going to play that 6-2"?


John Symon forced to roll left-handed after a skiing accident tore his right shoulder tendon...ouch


Hammon Mans is so happy to be up one point on Sean Ghodsi


Amir Tehrani and Peter Voulgaris


Gary Stavrou feels confident with his 5-point board


Newcomer Nick Macoun in deep concentration 


Vazgen Panosian, a member of our 5.5-strong Armenian contingent



FINAL TOT
R3 RANKINGPTS
Gary Stavrou+314
David Reitzin+314
Ned Marootians+312
Sean Ghodsi+209
Adam Makda+209
Jim Bean+208
Hammon Mans+203
Carol Wakelin203
Amir Tehrani201
Jeremy Whitelaw+200
Aram Amirghan+199
John Symon+197
Rafael Chattah101
Mohammad Nejati99
Malcolm Stradwick98
Peter Voulgaris98
Ed Hall96
Matt Bridges+95
Andre Marootians95
Jenny Saunders+95
Angelo Voulgaris93
Aslin Sagnaklar+-7
Vazgen Panosian-13
Nick Macoun-19

Thursday 23 March 2023

Wednesday March 22nd 2023

 It finally happened.

Ben Anderson scooped the jackpot of $180 and, of course, top prize money for the night. He was beside himself with joy; a happy chappie indeed. Well done, Ben.

Sean Ghodsi's unbelievable run of 15 consecutive match wins was brought to a sudden stop as Sean succumbed to Jim Bean in the 1st round.

Tournament Director Gary announced that as of next week there will be an optional Side Pool of $10 which will be split 70%-30% between the top two participating players.

Tonight's place-getters were:

1st Ben Anderson

2nd Dilhun Akpinar

3rd Adam Makda

4th Mackenzie Little and Aslin Sagnaklar (tied).



Angelo Voulgaris is the only known backgammon player who doesn't look at his dice when rolling



Matt Bridges is normally level-headed


The dark cloud of backgammon (we've all felt it) descends upon Amir Tehrani


Ben Anderson on his way to being tonight's winner


Aram Amirghan thinks his dice could make one's hair stand on end

Dilhun Akpinar demonstrates his trigger-finger rolling method


Jenny Saunders is full of hope and expectation as the dice spins


What's behind Aslin Sagnaklar's cheeky grin as she plays Dennis Mercovich


Jim Bean may not be the man who shot Liberty Valance but he was the man who denied Sean Ghodsi his 16th consecutive match win.

FINAL TOT
R3 RANKINGPTS
Ben Anderson314
Dilhun Akpinar311
Adam Makda209
Mackenzie Little207
Aslin Sagnaklar207
Mohammad Nejati203
Koosha Hedjripour203
Jim Bean202
Aram Amirghan201
Matt Bridges201
Pejman Golshahi198
Dennis Mercovich100
Angelo Voulgaris98
Andrew Mowbray97
Amir Tehrani96
Sean Ghodsi95
Rafael Chattah93
Gary Stavrou91
Andre Marootians91
Vazgen Panosian90
Jenny Saunders-7



Thursday 16 March 2023

Wednesday March 15th 2023

 Two dozen of the finest turned up to tonight's tournament.

Rafael Chattah was the drawn jackpot but failed to claim the prize.

Sean Ghodsi's unbelievable streak continues having now won 15 consecutive matches. With equal opponents and equal luck there is about one chance in 32,000 of this happening. Time to buy a lottery ticket, Sean.

Although winning all the three matches of the night doesn't guarantee the win for the night, in this case, for Sean, it did as he pipped Malcolm Stradwick by just one point who, in turn, pipped Jenny Saunders also by one point.

Final results are:

1st Sean Ghodsi

2nd Malcolm Stradwick

3rd Jenny Saunders

4th Dennis Mercovich


Andrew Mowbray

The clash of Armenians. Vazgen Panosian vs Andre Marootians (the victor)


Matt Bridges and Angelo Voulgaris

Matching beards and matching scores. Penman Golshahi and Ed Hall


Much fascination as Sean Ghodsi (R) wins his 14th consecutive match playing Dennis Mercovich


FINAL TOT
R3 RANKINGPTS
Sean Ghodsi310
Malcolm Stradwick309
Jenny Saunders308
Dennis Mercovich207
Aslin Sagnaklar206
Antonio Andolfo206
Matt Bridges205
Jeremy Whitelaw205
Andrew Mowbray203
Ed Hall201
Rafael Chattah201
Angelo Voulgaris197
Adam Makda101
Andre Marootians99
Dilhun Akpinar98
Jim Bean97
Mackenzie Little96
Pejman Golshahi94
David Reitzin94
Koosha Hedjripour94
Mohammad Nejati93
Aram Amirghan-6
Amir Tehrani-9
Vazgen Panosian-12
















Thursday 9 March 2023

Wednesday March 8th 2023

 A healthy turnout of 20 players fronted tonight in spite of a couple being isolated due to Covid. Beware, it's still around and nobody is immune.

Pejman Golshahi drew the jackpot but failed to convert.

A special mention to the remarkable performance of Sean Ghodsi who has won his last 9 consecutive matches. With similarly good players there is about a 1 in 500 chance of that happening.  Even Novak Djokovic has to win only 7 matches to take the Australian Open.

1st place tonight went to relative newcomer Vasgen Panosian.

2nd was the aforementioned Sean Ghodsi.

3rd place was tied between David Reitzin and Pejmam Golshahi.


Seems like Antonio Andolfo is heading for a gammon win. Is it his HYDROPOWER?

"Grandfather" of the club, Malcolm Stradwick.

Ed Hall and Dilhun Akpinar draw a crowd

Sean Ghodsi can't believe he's won his 9th consecutive match.

FINAL TOT
R3 RANKINGPTS
Vasgen Panosian312
Sean Ghodsi311
David Reitzin209
Pejman Golshahi209
Malcolm Stradwick202
Jeremy Whitelaw202
Aram Amirghan202
Ed Hall200
Adam Makda200
Antonio Andolfo200
Jim Bean105
Dilhun Akpinar103
Angelo Voulgaris99
Koosha Hedjripour98
Rafael Chattah97
Jenny Saunders95
Aslin Sagnaklar95
Andre Marootians88
Ben Anderson-9
Mohammad Nejati-18

Thursday 2 March 2023

Wednesday March 1st 2023

We had 23 entrants tonight and welcomed two new faces, Valentin Belea, and Eric De Bouter who is visiting from Holland and, while in Sydney, ferreted out some backgammon action.

Adam Makda was announced  Player of the Month for February which gratified his competitive spirit much more than his free entry to tonight's tournament.

Gary Stavrou was drawn as this month's Giantslayer. He will take on the current Ladder Leader, David Reitzin, and attempt to wrest 77 points from him.

Rafael Chattah was the jackpot player tonight but failed to score.

The prizewinners were:

1st Gary Stavrou and Sean Ghodsi (shared)

3rd David Reitzin

4th Adam Makda


Relative newcomer Vasgen Panosian


Mohammad Nejati's deep concentration (and possibly a bit of luck) enabled him to triumph from this dire score

The score looks good for Breck McCormack but somehow he managed to lose



Angelo Voulgaris demonstrating his technique as a past champion maracas player
to a bemused David Reitzin


Gary Stavrou enjoying his time away from Tournament Director duties


Antonio Andolfo and eventual co-winner Sean Ghodsi


Our young Mastermind Koosha Hedjripou has four men languishing in Carol Wakelin's home board


Carol Wakelin in mid-flight


Jenny Saunders well ahead in the bear-off while her opponent is stacked on the 6-point


Happy players; Amir Tehrani and newcomer Valentin Belea



FINAL TOT
R3 RANKINGPTS
Gary Stavrou312
Sean Ghodsi312
David Reitzin311
Adam Makda213
Dilhun Akpinar211
Carol Wakelin207
Antonio Andolfo206
Breck McCormack204
Aram Amirghan201
Eric De Bouter200
Valentin Belea197
Rafael Chattah196
Koosha Hedjripour99
Aslin Sagnaklar98
Angelo Voulgaris98
Jenny Saunders97
Malcolm Stradwick96
Panosian Vazgen96
Andre Marootians94
Mohammad Nejati91
Bruno Cardenas88
Amir Tehrani-9
Jim Bean-18