wanna Play a little more…?
Image from a typical nightly gathering when hanging out with Remy Davenport who runs the NYC Backgammon Club (nycbackgammon).
Just this past week, Legacy Boards was delighted to play a role in the 12th Annual Texas Backgammon Championship in San Antonio, TX, and held at the Gunter Hotel. Put on by Tara Mendacino and Bill Riles, this tournament is as well run and well broadcast as any in the US and draws some of the top players in the World for countless draws including the ABT and the BMAB both followed by the main draws.
I found the BMAB fascinating. The BMAB (the Backgammon Masters Accreditation Body) feeds a season-long points competition organized by the U.S. Backgammon Federation (USBGF). Players earn points by placing in various sanctioned tournaments across the United States throughout the calendar year. Two players can win this draw, one for the number of games won, the second for the PR (Personal Rating) which scores each of a player’s moves throughout a match relative to what is considered the ideal move given the dice at that moment. I play somewhere between a 9 and a 40 PR depending upon the music playing, the news on the radio, the time for the oven going off or depending upon how bad a player I am. Michihito Kagayama won with a PR, throughout 15 matches (+/-) of 7 point – or game – matches with a PR of 2.93. Unimaginable!
The second, the ABT is a series of events throughout the year that have strict requirements including the number of games in each match, that each match is transcribed, among others. The ABT is considered the gold standard for match play in the US. Lots of requirements that need following.
The Gunter Hotel is a cool property having gone through a significant renovation in the last couple of years. The oldest hotel in San Antonio, it has a fascinating history including having housed the Delta Blues Legend Robert Johnson for a recording session that took place in November 1936, when producer Don Law converted room #414 into a temporary studio. Johnson recorded some of his most iconic tracks there, including "Sweet Home Chicago" and "I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom."
The Gunter housed Gary Cooper during the filming of one of the great westerns, Wings, the first film to win a Best Film Academy award. The Gunter housed the Military in 1909 in the Vance House. Clearly, one of the most notable sights in San Antonio next to The Alamo. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Gunter Hotel was opened in 1909, but its history goes back much further. The Gunter’s location was initially a stage coach stop called the Frontier Inn, which opened In 1837 following the Battle of the Alamo. Will Rogers, Max and Buddy Baer, and Mae West were guests. John Wayne stayed at the Gunter while filming “The Alamo.” When Harry S. Truman was president, he stayed in the 12th floor presidential suite. Fascinating historical photos and memorabilia are on display at the hotel’s Gunter Museum.
The Ace Point Team consisting of some of the hardest working people in the business including Remy Davenport, Jesper Carlsson, Kaitlin, Jeff Proctor Jason Granstedt and others was exceptional and kept things running smoothly throughout.
We attended, the first time my wife Kerri and I have been to a tournament, together, and had a blast in particular because we had a sponsorship role and weren’t playing in any draws (which may change moving ahead). This gave us a great chance to watch matches, watch the streaming commentary with Justin Nowell and Tobias Hellwag (both offer tremendous commentary – both insightful and entertaining for beginners and advanced players) and to explore San Antonio, too. Fun City!
I was surprised by the turnout. Great representation by top-rated pl ayers from around the world as well as a great field of players of all levels which rounded out the lower draws, too. Backgammon Clubs were also really well represented. We saw Candace Mayeron and Frank Talbot from @gammonassociateswest…where was my buddy Alex Eshaghian from https://www.youtube.com/@AlexEshaghianBackgammon? Well somebody’s gotta hold down the fort!. We got to meet Ximena and David Sharpe from the @panther_city_backgammon Club. We spent some time with some folks from the Charlotte, NC, club, from Chicago’s club along with Rory Pasgar who runs Chicago’s club and the Chicago Tournament. Rich Munitz who, not only was inducted to the Backgammon Hall of Fame but also was very involved in the New York Metropolitan tournament. Of course, no event is complete without Remy who was recently elected to the board of the USBGF as well as running the NYC Backgammon Club which is on a tear! Check these clubs out. Not only was this a fun event but a great chance to meet folks.
If you are interested in playing backgammon more than once in a while, at family gatherings, etc., look up a local club. One way to find a local backgammon club is through the USBGF (.org). They are springing up all over. You will be surprised that there’s probably one in your town, if not close by. This will get you exposure to the social element, it will expose you to a higher level of the game than you’re accustomed to and the club will be more familiar with the tournament realm. It’s pretty fascinating the network that exists and that is growing here in the US.
As for the tournament it was both very well run and very informative. The level of play is stunning from players like Michihito Kagayama “Michy”(bgmichy.com, @michy_kageyama), Petko Kastadinov, Matt Cohen Geyer “MCG”, Rich Munitz (just inducted to the Hall of Fame)Frank Frigo (@franklfrigo and frankfrigo.com), Steve Sax(@stevesax83), Alberto Shuwaki, Gerry Tansey, Neil Kazaross, Irina Litzenberger, Victor Ashkenazi (@vabackgammon), Kit Woolsey, Ray Fogerland, Karen Davis, Candace Mayeron (who runs the California Tournament Heather, Leslie Lockett, Olivia Upbin, Jeanette Powers, Sarah Upbin and others. Lots to watch and lots to learn!
