July 2025 Newsletter: From Social Player to Tournament Winner
- womensworldofbackg
- Sep 8
- 8 min read
From Social Player to Tournament Winner
I first picked up backgammon during COVID, mostly as a way to pass the time at home. What started as a casual pastime quickly became something more. When restrictions lifted, I was thrilled to find a local community of players at O’Neill’s, a warm and lively pub in Connecticut. That’s where the spark really caught fire.
At O’Neill’s, I met a group of welcoming, enthusiastic players—men and women—who not only loved the game but were eager to share their passion. They encouraged me to try a tournament, and I thought, “Why not?” I entered the Novice division of my first event… and won! That experience changed everything. I was hooked. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a game I played over a drink—it was a game I wanted to study, improve at, and compete in.
Backgammon is part of the culture in many places around the world, and people enjoy playing it in one or more of its several variations with friends and family members. In the U.S., there has been a movement of young people meeting to play socially, led by pioneer organizer Remington Davenport, founder of the NYC Backgammon Club. That initiative was followed by others in Venice, California, and South Florida, where Rosemary Steffen recently launched The Social Point Backgammon Club for 20- and 30-year-olds—with a lot of success. It feels like a resurgence!
Curious about how many other women made the leap from social play to serious tournament participation, I reached out to Antoinette Williams, a longtime player and a wonderful ambassador for the game. Her story beautifully illustrates the power of encouragement and community in drawing more women into competitive backgammon.
“I was asked by Remi to teach Gals Who Gammon,” Antoinette told me. “There were 40 women, ages 20s to 30s, signed up for their first afternoon backgammon lesson. Thanks to Julius High, I used XG—connected to a TV and my laptop—to show how to set up the board, introduce terminology, and walk through key strategies for winning.”
Antoinette’s energy is infectious. She describes a room buzzing with curiosity and camaraderie. “Enthusiastic Q&A took place throughout the session. We handed out written instructions and had them jump into over-the-board practice. For several hours, laughter filled the room as players helped each other understand the game. Most of them are already excited for the next lesson.”
After 52 years in backgammon, Antoinette still finds joy in mentoring new players, especially women. “It’s a joy for me to offer advice, give lessons, and witness the rapid and continued growth of women entering all levels of tournament play around the world,” she says. “See you there.”
From casual games at home to vibrant pub meetups and international tournaments, more and more women are discovering not just the fun of backgammon—but the thrill of taking it seriously. And if you’re reading this thinking, maybe I could try a tournament one day, take it from me and Antoinette: you absolutely can. And you just might get hooked too.
– Melanie Hughes, WWB Board of Directors
Improving Your Cube Decision Skills with Michihito “Michy” Kageyama
Michihito “Michy” Kageyama presented a Women’s World of Backgammon Learning Session on “Improving Your Cube Decision Skills” to a rapt online audience of over 50 participants on Tuesday, July 15. In a pre-session, participants took a quiz on 10 key cube decision positions, followed by an explanation by Michy of the rationale for the correct decision, and an opportunity to ask questions.
Cube decisions can make or break your performance in competitive backgammon. Yet, most books barely scratch the surface of how to master them. Even top players often have stronger PR (Performance Rating) in checker play than in cube decisions—so honing this skill could be your secret weapon to boost both your win rate and your PR!
Michy Kageyama is one of the greatest minds in backgammon today. He’s the author of three top-selling backgammon books—Opening Concepts, Endgame Technique, and Back Checker Strategy. Michy is a sought-after speaker, expert commentator, and YouTube educator (check him out here). He’s won countless prestigious tournaments and currently holds the Grandmaster G0 title with an impressive 3.35 PR. He ranks #4 on the 2024 Giants of Backgammon list.
Final Update: The 4th Women’s World of Backgammon Doubles Tournament
The fourth annual Women’s World of Backgammon (WWB) Online Doubles Tournament came to an exciting finish with a World Class Final match between Karen Davis and Kent Goulding (USA) and Martha Gjelseth and Asbjørn Arntzen (Norway) on June 29. Their stellar performance was not surprising given that both Karen and Martha are Backgammon Awarding Body Masters, Asbjørn is a Grandmaster, and Kent Goulding is a legend who helped launch modern American backgammon competition four decades ago earning him a place in the inaugural cohort of the American Backgammon Hall of Fame.
In the 9-point final, the outcoming was uncertain until the very end, with Karen and Kent making a comeback and powering their way to victory 9-7. Martha and Asbjørn racked up an amazing 2.20 World Class Performance Rating and Karen and Kent a not-too-shabby 3.77 PR.
Join us next year!
Carol Joy Cole and Antoinette-Marie Williams Honored in Palm Beach
The Palm Beach Women’s Backgammon Weekend, held this year on April 26–27, honored two extraordinary women: Carol Joy Cole and Antoinette-Marie Williams.
Grandmaster and Hall of Famer Steve Sax delivered remarks introducing Carol, a woman he’s known for over 40 years. Carol’s résumé in backgammon is nothing short of legendary:
· Inducted into the American Backgammon Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 2015
· Creator and maintainer of the Giants of Backgammon list (she’s #48)
· Winner of the U.S. Open (2009) and countless other tournaments and jackpots
· Lifelong librarian who brought accuracy and depth to ChicagoPoint’s reporting of backgammon results and calendars
· Founder of the Flint Area Backgammon Club (47 years strong!) and creator of the Michigan Summer Championships—now one of the biggest ABT events, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary!
Carol has been a cornerstone of the American backgammon community, with hundreds of newsletters, events, and mentorships under her belt.
Then it was Karen Davis’ turn to honor Antoinette-Marie, affectionately known in the community as Lady Fabulous. She’s not just a force over the board; she’s a trailblazer. One of the top-ranked female backgammon players in the U.S., Antoinette has played for over 50 years, scooting through tournaments across the globe with her beloved mobility scooter (her “Ferrari,” as she calls it).
Her accolades? Impressive doesn’t even begin to cover it:
· Only woman on the U.S. team that placed 2nd at the 2023 World Team Championships in Macedonia
· Winner of the Women’s Jackpot in Monte Carlo (2019), Champion at Texas (2017), Cherry Blossom Consolation (2017), and finalist in Cyprus (2016)
Beyond competition, she’s a passionate teacher—running classes at the Yale Club, NYC public schools, and even on the streets of the Upper West Side. Her commitment to growing the game and empowering others is inspiring.
Previous recipients of this prestigious women’s award include icons like Lee Genud (World Champion 1981), Katie Scalamandre (World Champion 2000), and Karen Davis, co-founder of the Women’s World of Backgammon and 2024 WBIF World Women’s Champion.
Thanks to Lisa Speer for organizing and Jason Briggs for hosting this fourth Palm Beach Women’s Weekend and fund-raiser for the Women’s World of Backgammon. For coverage of the Weekend activities, see the WWB website.
Winning Women Around the World
Women are increasingly placing in American Backgammon Tour and international events. Women placing in events in June-July 2025 include:
WBGF - WORLD DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP & 2nd BACKGAMMON FESTIVAL AACHEN
July 16-22, 2025; Aachen, Germany
WORLD DOUBLES (42 teams): 4-Ralph Danielski (Germany) & Janette Hodgkinson (South Africa).
CHARLEMAGNE OPEN - INTERMEDIATE (30): 3/4-Danijela Johannessen (Norway) / Andreea Gabriela Paun (Romania).
PRO/AM DOUBLES (28 teams): 1-Finn Bahn (Denmark) & Katja Spillum (Norway), 3/4- Miranda Moulton (England) & Oliver Squire (England).
SPEEDGAMMON (48): 3-Pia Jeppesen (Denmark).
AMATEURS #1 (8): 1/2-Gabriela Förster (Germany) / Kristian Mitov (Bulgaria).
AMATEURS #2 (15): 1-Gabriela Förster (Germany).
TBT - 38th ISTANBUL REGIONAL BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP - WBF
July 11-13, 2025; Istanbul, Türkiye
"BALIM AYASLI MEMORIAL" LADIES PRIZE (7): 1-Gülderen Gücavli, 2-Birgül Önder.
"ABDULLAH SISMAN MEMORIAL" DOUBLES CONSULTATION (51 teams): 2-Gözde Diptas & Gülderen Gücavli,
1-POINTER (128): 2-Gülderen Gücavli,
43rd SWEDISH BACKGAMMON OPEN
July 9-13, 2025; Stockholm, Sweden
CHAMPIONSHIP (101): 5/7- Miranda Moulton (England),
LAST CHANCE (124): 3/4-Gitte Andersen (Denmark)
SUPER DOUBLES (49 teams): 1-Jan Bergström (SE) & Conny Eriksson (SE), 4/6- Luisa Ponzio (SE) /
LADIES (31): 1-Annelie Skoglund (SE), 2-Lena Sahlén (SE).
ABT - 50th MICHIGAN SUMMER BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIPS
July 2-6, 2025; Novi, Michigan
ABT OPEN (71): 3C/4C-Irina Litzenberger (VA)
ABT INTERMEDIATE (50): 4/5- Laura Granger (CO);
ABT LIMITED (9): 1C-Jeanna Kish (TX).
BOB STOLLER AMATEUR JACKPOT (20): 2-April Mesich (MN),
OPEN DOUBLES (32 teams): 1-Carol Joy Cole (MI) & Jeb Horton (NC),
LIMITED DOUBLES (6 teams): 2-Carol Exley (FL)
EMIL MORTUK MEMORIAL SENIOR JACKPOT (48): 3-Candace Mayeron (CA).
WOMEN'S WORLD OF BACKGAMMON FIREWORKS CUP (16): 1-Lynn Ehrlich (FL), 2-Irina Litzenberger (VA); 1C-Marcy Kossar (MD), 2C-Carol Kerr (NC).
$20 WELCOME WARM-UP (7): 1-Nancy Takala (MI)
ABT - SAINT LOUIS GATEWAY OPEN BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT
June 18-22, 2025; Saint Louis, Missouri
NOVICE (5): 1-Lois Green (IL).
PLAYERS CUP BMAB ST. LOUIS (17): 1/4- Irina Litzenberger (VA)
WHITTENBURG CHALLENGE OVERFLOW (4): 1-Kristen Westerman (TN).
WBIF TOUR LIVE FINALS / AUSTRIAN BACKGAMMON OPEN
June 18-22, 2025; Baden, Austria
DOUBLES (32 teams): 3/4-Marianne Bowen (USA) & Jürgen Schettler (Germany) / Eduardo Maciel da Costa (Brazil) & Flavia Petersen (Brazil).
AUSTRIAN OPEN (47): 2-Eva Zizkova (Czechia),
INTERMEDIATE (38): 1-Grethe Kvan Welle (Norway), 2-Zlatina Petrova (Bulgaria).
SENIORS (36): 1-Marianne Bowen (USA)
LADIES TOURNAMENT (8): 1-Lili Doubek (Austria), 2-Marianne Bowen (USA).
AMATEURS #3 (6): 1-Sylvia Wiesenhütten (Germany).
Recent WWB YouTube Videos
2025 WWB Doubles Event Round 1:
2025 WWB Doubles Event Round 2:
2025 WWB Doubles Event Round 3:
2025 WWB Doubles SEMI-FINAL:
2025 WWB Doubles FINAL:
Additional Informational Sessions:
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