Backgammon Tournament in New York - Report

The year 2008 was officially commenced with a major New York backgammon event: the 2008 New York Metropolitan Open and the World Doubles Championship were held at the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson in Jersey City on January 10-15, 2008.  The Main Championship title was captured by Mike Senkiewicz who also, in collaboration with backgammon pro Kent Goulding, won the World Double Championship. 

The Hyatt Regency on the Hudson River hosted the New York Metropolitan Open and the World Doubles Championship backgammon tournaments in 10-15 of January, 2008. About 114 of the top backgammon players from North and South America had attended the backgammon tournament, including one backgammon player who came all the way from Sweden to take part in the event. 67 of them took part in the Main Championship, to the surprise and satisfaction of Howard Markowitz, the tournament director.

The final match was a one-on-one match of Mike Senkiewicz with John O’Hagan, the finalist of the 2005 World Backgammon Championship in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The World Doubles Championship ended with the triumph of the duo Senkiewicz & Goulding, who took over famous backgammon figures such as the legendary backgammon author Paul Magriel, famous backgammon expert and the person behind Woolsey's doubling rule, Kit Woolsey and the tournament director himself. 

Despite the success of the backgammon tournament, Markowitz is doubtful about the return of the tournament to New York in January 2009. As a backgammon player, Markowitz knows something about backgammon and probability, therefore he stated "We were lucky to have good weather but having it again in January is under consideration."