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
9/6/26
Gary Stavrou4364
Morteza Shaabanifar4337
David Reitzin4104
Zhiman Rahmati4100
Kee Yio Wan3980
Sadra Mobayyen3827
Robbie Baudish3765
Aram Amirghan3765
Mike Baldwin3725
Peter Voulgaris3529
Angelo Voulgaris3231
Antonio Andolfo3190
Carol Wakelin3177
Jim Bean2920
Rafael Chattah2855
Nick Macoun2714
Mahnaz Rostami2684
Paula O'Connell2623
Sean Ghodsi2581
Richard Broug2574
Mohammad Nejati2551
Susan Wan2439
Andrew Mowbray2427
Danny Assabgy2289
Michel Gerges2143
Breck McCormack2116
Robin Lanesman2035
Jim Malafouris2016
Jenny Saunders2010
Farshad Hamidi1999
Yalli Pleshet1942
Adam Makda1823
Deniz Agdiran1620
Mehdi Kiani1602
Jeremy Whitelaw1502
Simon Wattle1438
Ali Ghadiri1405
Michael Raptis1236


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               
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.

2026

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
February          Robbie Baudish                                
March                Morteza Shaabinafar             
April                 Morteza Shaabinafar          
May                 Michel Gerges             
June                             
July                              
August                         
September               
October                 
November