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 
24/6/2025
 
Jim Bean4790
Yalli Pleshet4626
Zhiman Rahmati4589
Morteza Shaabanifar4238
Gary Stavrou4157
Carol Wakelin3779
Angelo Voulgaris3759
Sean Ghodsi3536
Mike Baldwin3466
Mahnaz Rostami3461
Kee Yio Wan3387
Nick Macoun3224
Adam Makda3204
David Reitzin3162
Paula O'Connell3015
Rafael Chattah2845
Robbie Baudish2828
John Symon2527
Robin Lanesman2525
Jenny Saunders2455
Andrew Mowbray2425
Ben Anderson2127
Peter Voulgaris2113
Aram Amirghan1922
Michael Raptis1912
Mohammad Nejati1805
Susan Wan1673
Amir Tehrani1556
Dilhun Akpinar1531
Jeremy Whitelaw1488
Antonio Andolfo1406
Michel Gerges1343
Deniz Agdiran1331
Mackenzie Little1290
Kevin Stubbs1284
Breck McCormack1008
Robby Solomon930
Mehdi Kiani811
Matt Smith809
Tony Giannoulis781


Club Champion

On the last playing day of the year the top four scored players in the ladder play a 3-round tournament similar to our regular 7-point weekly tournaments.

The top scorer is declared 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 40mm crystal etched doubling cube which is sure to intimidate opponents.
Further, each of the four participants receives $100 per match won.
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.

Should more than one player have identical top scores further decider matches will be held at a date and time convenient to the players.

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



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





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.


2025 LADDERPOINTS
MONTH LEADERGIANTSLAYERAT RISKWINNER
February        Mahnaz Rostami            Robin Lanesman                  97                  unplayed
March            Morteza Shaabanifar      Angelo Voulgaris                 134                Angelo 9-7
April              Zhiman Rahmati            Adam Makda                       159                 Zhiman 9-5
May               Jim Bean                        Robin Lanesman                  203                 Jim 9-6               
June               
July                
August           
September     
October          



                      


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.

2025

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
February        Yalli Pleshet                                
March                             
April                              
May                              
June                              
July                               
August                          
September                 
October                 
November