22 August 2006

Bristol International Festival of Backgammon

The Bristol International Festival of Backgammon was set to open on 23 August 2006. The organisers planned a full week of events, from large tournaments to small informal challenge matches, with the second edition of the Bristol Wide-Open as the main backgammon event. One of the highlights of the programme was a gala dinner aboard the S.S. Great Britain, described by the organisers as the first passenger steamer in the world.

From a wedding tournament to a festival

The festival grew out of a tournament held in 2005, the day after the wedding of the organisers, Roland and Simonetta. Both are professional musicians, a violinist and a cellist, who toured Europe for many years before settling in Bristol, where they teach at music academies and conservatoires. Backgammon friends from many countries came to celebrate with them, and the event was so well liked that the couple decided to repeat it as an annual festival.

The 2005 field made an impression. According to the festival site, John Clark, the first British Grandmaster, noted that nine or ten of the 159 players nominated for the World Giants list had taken part, which he called the strongest field ever gathered in the UK.

Who was expected

A large Danish group, many of them friends of the organisers, was due to attend, including Lars Trabolt, Lars Bonding, Mogens Knusen and Mochy, the winner of the previous year's tournament. At least two or three American players were also expected, among them Tami Jones and Carter Mattig, along with strong players from many other countries.

Registration

Players who had not registered in advance could still sign up on the day. The organisers asked everyone to bring their own board.

More tournament news from the period is collected in the latest news archive.