Wednesday January 29

A very robust group of 19 players gathered for the  competition tonight.

Giancarlo Yannoulis was drawn as the jackpot player but was unable to scoop up the cash on this occasion.

The final result was :

1^st Hamish Moore

2^nd Arthur Ramer

3^rd Zhiman Rahmati 

Please ensure that you have the Sydney Open marked in your diary for April 5^th at the Canada Bay club. Full details on our Events page.

Giancarlo Yannoulis and Carol Wakelin in the  final match of the night.

Its all in the way you roll. John Symon hopes a flourish will improve his luck against Zhiman Rahmati . Shame it was only a friendly match.

There is always one. Trying to take serious photos of games with  Zhiman Rahmati in the shot is a waste of time.  Luckily susan Wan and Mohammed Nejati  mananged to carry on regardless.

Wednesday January 22

A slightly reduced complement of 15 rollers arrived to participate in the Wednesday workout tonight.

Giancarlo Yannoulis was picked for the jackpot opportunity but missed out this time.

Final results were -for the 2nd week in a row – a tied result for 1^stplace. This time between Jim Bean and Ned Marootians .

Arthur Ramer took the 3^rd spot.

If you have not already done so, please mark the 5^th of April in your calendar  as the Sydney Open Championship at Canada Bay.

Gary reminded people that observers must make no comment regarding games in play.

I have had a request from an aged care facility in Allambie Heights for a backgammon tutor either fortnightly or weekly on a Sunday afternoon at 3.30. This is a paid position. David Reitzin expressed some interest to me, so if you are also interested talk with David as well re maybe splitting it between two people.

If you are interested please call Tais Froggatt 0411 878 133 or email her on Taisfroggatt@hotmail.com

Another serious confrontation between John Symon and Grayham Rundle

An intense match between David Reitzin and Mohammed Nejati

The final match of the night between Susan Wan and Gary Stavrou drew a crowd of interested observers in Jim Bean ,Kee Yio Wan and Arthur Ramer

Wednesday January 15

A record 19 players arrived for tonight's competition including an overseas visitor from the UK.

Grayham Rundle was selected as the jackpot player for the evening but was unable to take advantage this time.

The final results were unusual – 2 players tied for equal first :

Ned Marootians and Arthur Ramer

Another two players tied for equal third:

Susan Wan and Giancarlo Yannoulis

The Sydney Open date at Canada Bay was announced tonight – please keep Sunday April 5 free and join the day. Gary has further refined his Swiss format and full details are on our Events page.

Susan Wan and Grayham Rundel  seem to be evenly matched

In the foreground are Angelo Voulgaris and David Reitzin who is demonstrating his famous wrist action

Ben Anderson and John Symon in a later match

Andre Marootians takes on our UK visitor, Paul Bolton

Wednesday January 8

The  first night's play for a new year and a new decade got off to a flying start with 16 players attending, despite a few regulars being missing.

First item on the agenda was drawing the jackpot player  with a healthy $53 on offer it would have been a nice start to the year.

David Layman was selected but was thwarted in his quest to scoop the jackpot up on the first night!

Final placings were:

1st Susan Wan 

2^nd Ben Anderson

3^rd Mohammad Nejati

Please join our meet-up group – as Gary stated in his note, it looks much better if a group has at least a dozen members.

Go to www.meetup.com, create profile with interests in board games only, or more if you want , and it should bring up the group – click join – that's all it takes, and it's free!

I have been a member of meetup for many years and have made quite a few friends whilst attending many social occasions for activities as “mundane” as coffee, dinners and movies, plus a few more “exotic” pastimes – indoor parachuting was probably the most random!! Only downside is, the more groups you join, the more emails you have to trawl through – you soon learn to cull!

Mohammed Nejati looking refresed after the break.

TD Gary Stavrou and Breck McCormack look happy to be back in front of a board.

Ned Marootians presents another happy smiling face.

Grayham Rundle and Susan Wan portray a study in concentration.

Wednesday December 11

The turn-up for the final night of play for 2019 was a record 19 players and the play was spirited for the cash and kudos on offer!!

It was also a bitter sweet night with the announcement of the passing of one of the founding members of Sydney Backgammoners, Eva Bitel, who passed away on Tuesday December 10 following  complications from a car accident in late October.

Eva and her late husband Ivor have been an integral part of the Australian backgammon scene for over 40 years and they both worked tirelessly to advance the game and encourage growth in the backgammon community Australia wide. 

She will be sadly missed by not only the backgammon family, the Medical fraternity that she had been an active member of, the Bridge community, but also the many others from all walks of life who came in contact with this wonderful warm, caring, intelligent, fierce and funny lady.

Our lives will be richer for knowing her .

The first item of the night was to draw the jackpot player, and Terry Christodoulou was chosen, but failed to collect.

Next came the “decorating”of the the three top-of-the-ladder players with “target” signs so that all of the other players were in absolutely  no doubt about the identity of the players we had to take down in order to protect the end-of-year cash for a bigger purse next year.

With Arthur Ramer, Gary Stavrou and Jim Bean duly decorated play commenced.

Final placings were:

1st Ned Marootians

2nd Mohammad Nejati

3rd Arthur Ramer

Arthur Ramer collected the Bonanza Prize of $303, being the dollar equivalent of his points score.

Jim Bean and Gary Stavrou, not being placed on the night, failed to win a cash prize.

Remember that our club is on holidays and will resume on January 8th

with a brand new monthly prize... stay tuned.

The game between  Angelo Voulgaris and John Symon gets a thumbs up from Terry Christodolou with Hamish Moore watching from the sidelines.

In the foreground Susan Wan and Ben Anderson play a fun match whilst Zhiman Rahmati and Giancarlo Yannoulis compete in the background.

A target-wearing Gary Stavrou is challenged by Marie Chandler.

Wednesday December 4

On the penultimate night of play for the year we again had an enthusiastic group of 18 players competing for the spoils of the night, AND, for some 

of the players, this was the last opportunity to secure a place in the top three ladder positions and a chance to compete for the big prize of the year.

By evening's end, Arthur Ramer, Gary Stavrou and Jim Bean are the top three on the ladder, with David Layman waiting in the wings should any of them be unable to attend.

Ned Marootians was drawn as the jackpot player for the night but left empty handed on this occasion.

Final placings were:

1^{st p}lace  David Layman

2^nd place Mohammad Nejati

3^rd place Grayham Rundle

See you all next week for what promises to be a very exciting night, and, just to add to the festivities, there will be tea, coffee and cake provided by Sydney Backgammoners, all from your $2 nightly contribution.

Raffael Chattah and Ben Anderson tussle  happily in the foreground whilst Gary Stavrou and Arthur Ramer complete a more serious battle in background.

Two happy little vegemites- Giancarlo Yannoulis and David Layman having a jolly game.

A cosy little cluster of 14 of the 18 players from tonight!

Wednesday November 27

For the 2^nd week in a row we had eighteen players attend to compete for the spoils of the night.

John Symon was selected as the jackpot player and on this occasion all the stars aligned for him as he took not only the top spot of the night, albeit sharing the kudos with Kee Yio Wan who finished with the same number of points, and scooped up the jackpot purse as well

Final placings were:

Equal first place

John Symon

Kee Yio Wan

Third place

Grayham Rundle

See you all next week!

John Symon (R) makes a start on his comeback from 1-6 down to take first place

Angelo Voulgaris and Mahnaz Rostami do battle in the background while Giancarlo Yannoulis and Hamish McKenzie tussle in the foreground.

Carol Wakelin and Grayham Rundle in an early match.

 Gary Stavrou and Kee Yio Wan present a study in intense concentration.