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
29/09/2026
Gary Stavrou7848
Morteza Shaabanifar7742
Zhiman Rahmati7168
David Reitzin6918
Kee Yio Wan6908
Aram Amirghan6618
Robbie Baudish6008
Jim Bean5866
Peter Voulgaris5713
Mike Baldwin5540
Sadra Mobayyen5442
Angelo Voulgaris5436
Paula O'Connell5338
Mahnaz Rostami5183
Rafael Chattah5138
Mohammad Nejati4850
Richard Broug4781
Sean Ghodsi4761
Nick Macoun4571
Andrew Mowbray4455
Carol Wakelin4388
Farshad Hamidi4283
Susan Wan4112
Robin Lanesman3980
Michel Gerges3774
Breck McCormack3626
Antonio Andolfo3282
Jim Malafouris3162
Ali Ghadiri2957
Adam Makda2943
Jenny Saunders2807
Jeremy Whitelaw2688
Deniz Agdiran2611
Danny Assabgy2573
Yalli Pleshet2449
Ben Anderson2179
Simon Wattle2129
Dilhun Akpinar1838
Bill Bouzianis1805
Mehdi Kiani1790


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                                                               392
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                  Kee Yio Wan           
July                   Morteza Shaabinafar           
August              Gary Stavrou          
September               
October                 
November