In the first week of November, nearly 400 players gathered at the Merit Hotel & Casino to play at the “2015 International MERIT Open Backgammon Championship”. Players from 40 different countries joined and among them were world champion Masayuki Mochizuki and Akiko Yazawa of Japan and Nevsat Dogan who has Turkish ancestry but is resident of Denmark. The tournament is now considered to be the largest held in backgammon, even larger than the WM which is organized every year in Monte Carlo.
It is full of people inside the great hall where the tournament is held. Some sit quietly and focus on their game while others wander around and observe how the other games are going. At one of the tables about fifty people are gathered to intently watch a game of double backgammon be determined.
Sweden has about 25 players this year, with residents from Sweden as well as Malta. We had a chat with Linda Sjörin from Lund who has been playing backgammon since 1994.
Linda says that it more by accident that caused her to become interested in the game. Her boss nagged them to play, but Linda thought it was boring. However, it did not take many rounds until she realized the charm of the game, and then she was hooked. When asked if it is addictive to play backgammon Linda just laughs and nods her head.
This is the second time they are playing the tournament at Merit Park, in the past they have also played at the Golden Tulip hotel in Nicosia.
We are very pleased with the tournaments in North Cyprus says Linda. This year we are seven girls in the gang so it’s a lot of fun.
Most backgammon players are male, but more and more women are coming every year.
– Some guys find it difficult to lose to us girls, Linda says with a smile.
What is it that attracts you to the game? Linda likes to challenge herself and to practice the art of getting the difficult moves right. Before international tournaments players in Sweden frequently gather to train and there are also apps on your phone you can play.
It is now Linda’s turn to play and she goes off to look for her table.
The main tournament is played in two different classes; The Master and Intermediate. 282 players participated in the Master and 111 in the Intermediate. In addition to the main tournament there are various side games such as doubles, ladies, super jackpot, 1-point tournament, and warming up where the prize is a free stay during the next tournament in 2016, as well as games on a sponsored backgammon board. There are also various jackpot games during all days of the tournament.
This year’s winner in the Master class was Gaz Owen from England and the Intermediate class was won by Olcay Lökbas from Turkey.
And how did it go for Linda and the others Swedes?
The main successes of Sweden were Peter Carlsson and Liz Johansson which got to the final in the doubles event in which 128 teams participated, and Linda reached the final of the Ladies Tournament, where 44 ladies took part and won the 1-point tournament in which 128 players participated.
We found Linda after her victory in the final tournament.
– Now I will celebrate with a drink! She says happily.
It is the last day of the tournament and tomorrow they will go into Kyrenia and stroll around in the beautiful weather.
– We are already looking forward to the 2016 tournament in North Cyprus that will probably be even larger and with even more players from Sweden!
TEXT: Maria Eriksson and Ingrid Soderstjerna.
