Ladder and Challenges


ANZBGF Ratings

Sydney Backgammoners is an affiliated club with the Australia New Zealand Backgammon Federation. As such, results from all completed matches are included in the ANZBGF Ratings.

You can see your rating at anzbgf.org on the Results Page


The Ladder

Sydney Backgammoners run a ranking Ladder system which is simply the players' cumulative scores.

The Ladder starts afresh each January.
All people who have played with us during the current ladder period are represented in the Ladder.
This ranking is purely internal and not related to any national or international rating.

LADDER AS AT
10/11/2026
Morteza Shaabanifar9065
Gary Stavrou8963
David Reitzin8351
Kee Yio Wan8130
Zhiman Rahmati8077
Aram Amirghan7623
Robbie Baudish7342
Jim Bean7096
Peter Voulgaris6929
Sadra Mobayyen6564
Mike Baldwin6425
Angelo Voulgaris6234
Paula O'Connell6129
Rafael Chattah5734
Mahnaz Rostami5574
Mohammad Nejati5541
Sean Ghodsi5483
Farshad Hamidi5405
Richard Broug5378
Nick Macoun5355
Andrew Mowbray5277
Carol Wakelin5065
Susan Wan4895
Michel Gerges4470
Robin Lanesman4356
Breck McCormack4032
Jim Malafouris3956
Ali Ghadiri3551
Antonio Andolfo3282
Adam Makda3138
Jenny Saunders2999
Deniz Agdiran2915
Jeremy Whitelaw2786
Danny Assabgy2768
Ben Anderson2594
Yalli Pleshet2449
Peter Alexakis2211
Simon Wattle2129
Ken Kershaw2112
Dilhun Akpinar1838


Club Champion

On the second-last playing day of the year the top four scored players in the ladder play the first round of an 11-point knock-out tournament. The top and third-highest scorers will be paired, as will the second and fourth-highest scorers.

On the last playing day of the year the two finalists play an 11-point match for the Club Championship.

The two losing semi-finalists receive $75 each
The runner-up receives $150
The winner receives $300 
These money prizes are supplied by the club from the $2 nightly collections as a way of giving something back to our most regular and successful players.

The Club Champion for the year and is presented with a beautiful trophy which will be cherished long after the prize money is forgotten. It is a useable crystal doubling cube which is sure to intimidate opponents.

If any of the top four ladder scorers are absent or late, the next highest ranked available player will step up.



2021 Champion David Reitzin
2022 Champion Adam Makda
2023 Champion Aram Amirghan
2024 Champion Sean Ghodsi
2025 Champion Gary Stavrou
    




Giantslayer Challenge

Champions must always be prepared to defend their titles.
Each month, the current Ladder Leader has to defend his/her position against a potential Giantslayer.

At the first meeting of each month, from the regular players present, one is randomly chosen to be the Giantslayer.
Whoever is Ladder Leader at the time, whether they are present at that meeting or not, is expected to meet the Giantslayer (either head-to-head or online) for a 9-point match during the month in question.

If the Ladder Leader loses the match then he/she will lose 5% of their total points (as at the beginning of the month) and these points will be transferred to the Giantslayer.

If the Ladder Leader wins there is no change to the scores.
If a match is not played within the designated time the Ladder Leader still forfeits the points but the Giantslayer does not receive them.
The match counts toward AusBGF ratings.


2026 LADDERPOINTS
MONTH LEADERGIANTSLAYERAT RISKWINNER
February        Sean Ghodsi                  Bruce Stephens                    83                Sean Ghodsi 9-4
March            Robbie Baudish             Sadra Mobayyen                 118               Sadra Mobayyen 9-2
April              Morteza Shaabanifar      Deniz Agdiran                    164              Deniz Agdiran 9-2
May               Gary Stavrou                  Danny Assabgy                   203             Gary Stavrou 9-6
June               Morteza Shaabanifar      Carol Wakelin                     248              Morteza Shaabanifar 9-3

July                Morteza Shaabanifar      Aram Amirghan                  294              Morteza Shaabanifar 9-4
August           Gary Stavrou                  Carol Wakelin                     342              Gary Stavrou 9-2
September     Gary Stavrou                  Nick Macoun                       392              Gary Stavrou 9-2
October         Gary Stavrou                  Andrew Clarke                    428         


                     


Player of the Month

The player who, over the period of a calendar month, has scored the most points shall be declared the Player of the Month and will be recognised as such on this web page.

Further, if the player is present at the first meeting of the following month, Sydney Backgammoners will pay for his or her tournament entry fee. Players of the Month will not be chosen in January or December as these are incomplete playing months.

2026

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
February          Robbie Baudish                                
March                Morteza Shaabinafar             
April                 Morteza Shaabinafar          
May                 Michel Gerges             
June                  Kee Yio Wan           
July                   Morteza Shaabinafar           
August              Gary Stavrou          
September     Morteza Shaabinafar          
October     David Reitzin           
November