Wednesday November 8th 2023

 21 players tonight.

Rafael Chattah was the jackpot but failed to collect.

Two of Sydney Backgammoners lady players, Jenny Saunders and Mahnaz Rostami, came 1st and 2nd respectively in the Queen of the Board tournament. Well done, ladies, you did us proud.

Gary explained that although going by time is the default position, there are advantages to using clocks. Time does not run out for the match, therefore the winner gets the full 100 match points rather than the 97 if the match times out.

FINAL	TOT
R3 RANKING	PTS
Mohammad Nejati	310
David Reitzin	310
Gary Stavrou	309
Aslin Sagnaklar	207
Vazgen Panosian	206
Sean Ghodsi	206
Angelo Voulgaris	204
Dennis Mercovich	203
Steve Clarry	202
Rafael Chattah	196
Malcolm Stradwick	101
Matt Bridges	100
Jenny Saunders	99
Aram Amirghan	98
Amir Tehrani	97
Breck McCormack	96
Adam Makda	93
Nick Macoun	91
Peter Voulgaris	90
Jim Bean	88
Mahnaz Rostami	-9

Vazgen reacting to a difficult cube decision

Nick and, eventual top scorer, Mohammad

"Get me out of here" says Amir as Dennis seems pleased with the situation

Angelo and Aslin

David quashing Rafael's chances at the jackpot

Queen of the Board, Jenny Saunders, still not able to wipe the smile from her face

"You've no idea what I just rolled", says Sean
"You've no idea what he just rolled", says Aram

Wednesday November 1st 2023

 18 players met tonight.

Rafael Chattah was the drawn jackpot but missed out.

David Reitzin was declared October's Player of the Month. Matt Bridges was the chosen Giantslayer to relieve David of 438 ladder points.

Our club library got underway tonight and our books are already keenly sought.

FINAL	TOT
R3 RANKING	PTS
Vazgen Panosian	315
Matt Bridges	310
Peter Voulgaris	208
David Reitzin	205
Malcolm Stradwick	205
Koosha Hedjripour	204
Angelo Voulgaris	202
Gary Stavrou	202
Jim Bean	200
Mohammad Nejati	105
Dennis Mercovich	99
Nick Macoun	98
Sean Ghodsi	97
Mahnaz Rostami	93
Rafael Chattah	92
Amir Tehrani	90
Jenny Saunders	-11
Carol Wakelin	-14

Wednesday October 25th

 19 players tonight.

Carol Wakelin was the drawn jackpot but failed to score.

Gary announced that part of the accumulated funds would go to creating a library of backgammon books for the continuing education of participating members. David Reitzin has agreed to be the librarian for the first year and has already ordered a batch of books to get the library rolling.

FINAL	TOT
R3 RANKING	PTS
Gary Stavrou	312
Aram Amirghan	308
David Reitzin	207
Koosha Hedjripour	206
Jim Bean	205
Sean Ghodsi	205
Matt Bridges	203
Mahnaz Rostami	202
Mohammad Nejati	201
Peter Voulgaris	101
Nick Macoun	100
Angelo Voulgaris	97
Vazgen Panosian	97
Carol Wakelin	96
Ben Anderson	96
Dennis Mercovich	94
Amir Tehrani	90
Adam Makda	90
Rafael Chattah	-10

Aram looks like a naughty boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, while Ben rolls with serious intent

David and Rafael

Sean and Mahnaz

Nick and Dennis

Hard to tell what the temperature is with Angelo in a puffer jacket and Koosha in a T-shirt

Rafael and Mohammad, colour-coordinated with his board

David uncharacteristically being beaten by Gary who (excuse my shameless immodesty)
went on to win the night

Wednesday October 18th 2023

 22 players tonight.

Jim Bean was the drawn jackpot but was denied in the first round by Malcolm Stradwick.

FINAL	TOT
R3 RANKING	PTS
Matt Bridges	312
Sean Ghodsi	311
Andrew Mowbray	299
Steve Clarry	208
Koosha Hedjripour	203
Malcolm Stradwick	202
Angelo Voulgaris	201
David Reitzin	199
Vazgen Panosian	199
Mahnaz Rostami	199
Jim Bean	107
John Symon	103
Michel Gerges	102
Carol Wakelin	97
Adam Makda	96
Rafael Chattah	96
Mohammad Nejati	92
Amir Tehrani	92
Joseph El-Alam	-2
Nick Macoun	-8
Gary Stavrou	-8
Mackenzie Little	-9

Wednesday October 11th 2023

 22 players tonight.

Vazgen Panosian was the unsuccessful jackpot.

Giantslayer Michel Gerges tried to take down Ladder Leader David Reitzin but failed, as most do.

FINAL	TOT
R3 RANKING	PTS
Andrew Mowbray	313
Jim Bean	313
John Symon	309
David Reitzin	212
Koosha Hedjripour	206
Vazgen Panosian	205
Breck McCormack	202
Mahnaz Rostami	201
Jenny Saunders	200
Angelo Voulgaris	199
Gary Stavrou	198
Mohammad Nejati	101
Adam Makda	98
Joseph El-Alam	98
Sean Ghodsi	97
Ben Anderson	96
Aram Amirghan	96
Rafael Chattah	96
Michel Gerges	89
Aslin Sagnaklar	-8
Amir Tehrani	-10
Mackenzie Little	-11

Wednesday October 4th 2023

We had 28 players tonight, a record, and welcomed two new players, Michael Tsiailis and Adam Barillaro.

David Reitzin was declared Player of the Month for September.

Being also Ladder Leader, David has to defend his title against a Giantslayer. Michel Gerges was drawn for that task.

Mahnaz was the drawn jackpot but failed to collect.

Peter Voulgaris returned from an extended Mediterranean holiday looking fit, slim and tanned and having shed his Zapata moustache which used to be very intimidating for his opponents.

R3 RANKING	PTS
David Reitzin	317
Ed Hall	313
Peter Boylan	309
Adam Makda	210
Sean Ghodsi	208
Jim Bean	207
John Symon	207
Matt Bridges	204
Peter Voulgaris	204
Gary Stavrou	202
Rafael Chattah	202
Breck McCormack	202
Nick Macoun	201
Amir Tehrani	201
Carol Wakelin	100
Vazgen Panosian	99
Angelo Voulgaris	98
Jenny Saunders	97
Mahnaz Rostami	95
Koosha Hedjripour	95
Malcolm Stradwick	95
Joseph El-Alam	95
Kathy Bridges	95
Michel Gerges	94
Dennis Mercovich	89
Mohammad Nejati	-11
Adam Barillaro	-13
Michael Tsiailis	-15

Players gathering to see how the computer allocates the pairing

Gary, uses his orchestral conducting gestures to control the throng.

Jenny seems happy with her roll

Dennis Mercovich and David Reitzin, happy to be Player of the Month

Amir and Sean, who seems to be very happy with the score

Carol is transfixed on the dice

Angelo always pulls a crowd

Kathy Bridges and the peripatetic Peter Voulgaris

Ed Hall doesn't need his height accentuated by low-angle shots

Newcomer Adam Barillaro nursing a headache induced by Malcolm Stradwick