|
|
Blind Player wins Backgammon ChampionshipCan you play backgammon with your eyes shut? Eric Westbrook, a registered blind of Longford, Coventry who had recently won “The World’s End” event at the BIBA World Championship, had proved that a blind can not only play but even win. To play backgammon, he was assisted by his colleagues who had read the dice outcomes for him and moved the checkers according to his guidance.
The new backgammon champion, a retired math teacher and a regular at the Coventry Backgammon Club, actually thinks that his blindness is an advantage in the distractful backgammon tournament environment “I can concentrate on the game and reading my opponent.” He said to the Coventry Telegraph. His math teaching background was useful as well.
Playing Blind
Playing blindfold is a common practice in chess, but far less common in backgammon, where the identical backgammon game pieces make it harder for the players to visualize their positioning on the backgammon board. The most famous backgammon blindfold match took place in the 1970s as an exhibition game between then World Backgammon Champion Paul Magriel and the actor and backgammon fan George Plimpton.
World Backgammon Championships
The BIBA World Championship was founded last year by the British Isles Backgammon Association as an alternative to the allegedly official World Backgammon Championship in Monte Carlo with more approachable entry fees (₤40 comparing to the €1000 paid for a seat at the championship flight in the Monte Carlo backgammon tournament). George Hall was crowned as the BIBA World Champion, while in Monte Carlo it was Lars "Buster" Bentzon who was crowned World Backgammon Champion.
|
