Do Backgammon Tournaments offer Prize Pools these days ?

I see a fair amount of info on various tournaments but never see any info on how much money players have been able to win.

I presume it's not a lot, but am CLUELESS on this subject.

Just relearning the game I once played as a child, and started doing some web searches.

Any links to good Backgammon web sites &/or resources would be appreciated.

There are prize pools at pretty much every backgammon tournament, but the prize money isn't announced in advance because it's not a guaranteed pool -- it depends on the number of entrants.

If you know the entry fee from the tournament flyer, you can estimate that the total prize pool will be 85%-90% of that amount. About 35% of the prize pool will be first prize, with the rest divided among 2nd place, semi-finals, consolation winner, and consolation runner-up.

A tournament will also have side events, with separate entry fees and prizes. In these events it's not uncommon for the prize fund to be split 70% to the winner and 30% to the runner-up.

Hope this helps.

ZenForest,

Thank you for inquiring something I've wondered about also.

I do understand Bill's answer about the pool not being guaranteed... and thus no prize amount is listed... but a little more information on what players have won in the past, or even just the prior year, would be helpful. But even this information seems hard to find.

For example, regarding the upcoming Las Vegas Open... (http://www.nvbg.com/)

As Bill indicated, nothing is guaranteed so no prize amount is listed on this page. At the top left corner of the page there are a couple of links to past results, but the information found at both of these links doesn't indicate how much money the winners won.

While I have someone's attention, I have a couple of other "newbie" questions about this tournament.

(1) The title of the tournament is the Las Vegas "Open" but yet the tournament also indicates it is by "invitation only." (That seems contradictory to me.) How does one get invited? Just ask?

(2) Does one have to be a member of the USBGF in order to play? (I AM a member, but I'm curious if you can play without becoming a member. In most US chess tournaments, for example, you cannot play in a USCF rated event without joining the USCF, but I think all tourneys allow you to sign up at the event if you are not a member or if your membership has expired.)

(3) I see the organizers request that you bring your own clock but yet I don't see any information on what time controls are used. (Is there an increment, or a delay, or both?) For all I know backgammon tourneys all use the same time control, which is why it's not listed here, but if you've never played in a backgammon tourney, you wouldn't know what that typical time control is.

(4) "Seniors" (age 50 and older) is listed as a side event, as is the Super Jackpot and the Limited Jackpot, but I'm a little confused about these side events. Playing in ths Seniors side event, for example, would seem to conflict with play in the main event (the Championship Division and the Intermediate Division) according to the playing schedule. To clarify, note that on Thursday, the schedule indicates there is a Dinner Break listed at 6:00 pm, and then at 8:00 "Seniors Continues" is listed. But also at 8:00 pm "Play Resumes" is listed, which I assume is play from the 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm Championship and Intermediate Divisions. If this is correct, how is possible to play in main event (Championship or Intermediate Division) and ALSO play in this Seniors side event? Furthermore, is it possible to play in more than ONE side event? (Seniors AND Limited Jackpot, for example.)

(5) From the website: "The Championship and Intermediate divisions have a Main Flight, Consolation and Last Chance." I'm sure these three terms are well known to everyone who has ever entered such a tourney before, but I for one don't quite understand what they mean or how they work.

I DO believe the event is not a "Swiss System," like I'm so used to with all of the chess tourneys I've entered. From what I've read, most backgammon tourneys seem to have a "double elimination" type of system. But I don't understand how this works with "Main Flight, Consolation, and Last Chance."

(6) I don't see any requirements for a minimum board size or if precision dice are required, or if a baffle box can be used if one of the players produces one, etc.


I have a few more questions, but you get the general idea. These backgammon tournament announcements and the entire "format" (side events, structure, auctions, etc.) of a backgammon tourney can be a bit confusing if you've never played in one before. I know it's hard sometimes, for players and organizers who have been playing in tournaments for years to "think like a newbie" again. But an effort to do so via clarifying some of the procedures and terms would go a long way in getting new players to play.

Good questions. Here are some quick answers:

(1) The title of the tournament is the Las Vegas "Open" but yet the tournament also indicates it is by "invitation only." (That seems contradictory to me.) How does one get invited? Just ask?

Just ask. There were a number of bad actors hanging around BG tournaments in the late 1970s and 80s. This rule provided some legal cover for barring them. The bad actors are gone but the notice remains.

(2) Does one have to be a member of the USBGF in order to play? (I AM a member, but I'm curious if you can play without becoming a member. In most US chess tournaments, for example, you cannot play in a USCF rated event without joining the USCF, but I think all tourneys allow you to sign up at the event if you are not a member or if your membership has expired.)

No, you don't need to be a member. Most players are members but it's not necessary.

(3) I see the organizers request that you bring your own clock but yet I don't see any information on what time controls are used. (Is there an increment, or a delay, or both?) For all I know backgammon tourneys all use the same time control, which is why it's not listed here, but if you've never played in a backgammon tourney, you wouldn't know what that typical time control is.

The "standard" time control is 2 minutes per point, plus an increment per move. The increment varies but 10-12 seconds is standard. A "speed" event might have a 6-second increment and a doubles tournament might have 18 seconds.

(4) "Seniors" (age 50 and older) is listed as a side event, as is the Super Jackpot and the Limited Jackpot, but I'm a little confused about these side events. Playing in ths Seniors side event, for example, would seem to conflict with play in the main event (the Championship Division and the Intermediate Division) according to the playing schedule. To clarify, note that on Thursday, the schedule indicates there is a Dinner Break listed at 6:00 pm, and then at 8:00 "Seniors Continues" is listed. But also at 8:00 pm "Play Resumes" is listed, which I assume is play from the 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm Championship and Intermediate Divisions. If this is correct, how is possible to play in main event (Championship or Intermediate Division) and ALSO play in this Seniors side event? Furthermore, is it possible to play in more than ONE side event? (Seniors AND Limited Jackpot, for example.)

Sometimes conflicts arise and it's up to the tournament director to keep things moving smoothly. It's usually not a serious problem.

(5) From the website: "The Championship and Intermediate divisions have a Main Flight, Consolation and Last Chance." I'm sure these three terms are well known to everyone who has ever entered such a tourney before, but I for one don't quite understand what they mean or how they work.

You start a tournament playing in the main event. When you lose, you get bumped down into the consolation. When you lose there, you move into the last chance. Entering the event therefore gets you a minimum of three matches.

I DO believe the event is not a "Swiss System," like I'm so used to with all of the chess tourneys I've entered. From what I've read, most backgammon tourneys seem to have a "double elimination" type of system. But I don't understand how this works with "Main Flight, Consolation, and Last Chance."

Double elimination is a slightly different format. If you lose in the Main Event, you go in the second chance. The second chance winner plays the Winner's bracket winner for the championship.

(6) I don't see any requirements for a minimum board size or if precision dice are required, or if a baffle box can be used if one of the players produces one, etc.

Most players use a tournament-sized board (1.75" checkers) unless none are available.

Precision dice are widely available and strongly encouraged but not necessary. If you show up without them, you can buy them at the tournament.

Baffle box: only if both players agree. I won't play with a baffle box because (1) they're unnecessary, and (2) they send a bad message to newcomers (the game must be full of cheats and dice mechanics if we need all these aids to get fair dice).

Hope that helps.

Only if you lose your 1st match or any match? If you win your 1st match and lose your 2nd, do you still go in the second chance (and still have a chance to win your bracket and face the Winner's bracket winner for the championship)?

Are you kidding? That helps a lot. Thanks for taking the time to respond. And thanks for your contribution to the game over the past 30+ years or so, in the form of your books, your magazine, etc.

Uberkuber, I THINK you can lose ANY match when playing in a double elimination format, not just the first match.

Furthermore, I THINK if you don't lose any match at all, and play the person from the second chance bracket who eliminated everyone else, this person has to beat you twice. If he beats you initially, that's your first loss, and so now you play this person again, each of you having now lost once.

(But having never participated in such an event, I'm not the best person to respond. But this is how I understand it.)

Assuming that gammon tournaments use a normal double elimination system, then yes, you are still in after your first loss no matter when it occurs. This includes the final: the last player to come out of the losers bracket must beat the main bracket winner twice. In all cases, you are eliminated only when you lose for the second time.

In the past I have hand drawn double elimination brackets, for private events. It isn't very difficult. You just have to remember to "flip" the losers bracket every other round, so losers don't play the same opponent again right away.