Announcing the Bristol Open 2009 International Backgammon Tournament!
http://www.wps.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BSO2009.htm (http://www.wps.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BSO2009.htm)
• Main event to take place on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August, with a warm-up event on Friday 28th.
• Championship, Advanced and Intermediate Flights, plus numerous side events and Poker.
• Added prize money from sponsorship by CasinoRip.
• Satellites: On-line at http://www.casinorip.com/ (http://www.casinorip.com/) and at Bristol Backgammon http://www.bristol-backgammon.org/ (http://www.bristol-backgammon.org/)
A strong field will include the following:
• Matvey 'Falafel' Natanzon No.1 Giant of Backgammon, 2007
• Julien Fetterlein No.48 Giant of Backgammon, 2007
• Mikael 'Jesus' Jensen Danish Player of the Year, 2205
• Ann Pocknell British Open Champion, 2008
Not to be missed!
The fourth Bristol Open -- one of the UK's, and Europe's, most prestigious international backgammon events -- is just four weeks away. And you have the chance to win your place amongst a strong international field, including newly crowned World Champion Masayuki Mochizuki of Japan, by entering on-line satellite events on CasinoRip http://www.casinorip.com/main.do?_p_ref=6AB09B90&_l_type=10025 (http://www.casinorip.com/main.do?_p_ref=6AB09B90&_l_type=10025) Next one scheduled for Monday 3rd August at 21:00hrs BST.
For latest news about the event, being organised by noted TD Ian Tarr and Roland Herrera (semi-finalist at this year's Monte Carlo World Championship) go to http://www.wps.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BSO2009.htm (http://www.wps.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BSO2009.htm)
Congratulations to Lawrence Powell on winning the Championship flight, by prevailing over Martin Barkwill in a match that was streamed live over the internet. Lawrence also scoped the optional pool prize and thus walked away with over £6,000.
A full bracket of 64 players contested the Championship flight, including current World Champion Mochizuki (Mochy) Masayuki (who enjoyed no luck at all). With players from Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Turkey and the USA, as well as a hefty British contingent, it was a truly international event. Sadly, Natvey (Falafel) Natanson was a no show but, even so, this was a very strong field, perhaps the strongest yet assembled in the UK.
As at last year's event, FIBS players were thin on the ground. Player 'london' (we haven't seen her much of late, "a bit rusty" she said) however won the Advanced flight while your's truly cashed in a modest way by making it (after a couple of buy-backs ;-) to the final of the Advanced Last Chance competition. All results listed here: http://www.wps.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bristol_open_2009_results.htm (http://www.wps.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bristol_open_2009_results.htm) with further updates, summaries and photos to be added in due course.
A highlight was the seminar Mochy gave on Priming and Blitzing Strategies ("That alone was worth the entry cost!" said one.). That and the bar, where one could buy a decent bottle of '06 Medoc for a fiver - probably my undoing, come Sunday morning...
Nice guys do finish first. Congratulations to Lawrence Powell, a worthy champion in every way.