May 2025 WWB Newsletter: Stepping Up
- womensworldofbackg
- May 20
- 11 min read
It used to be a big shock when a woman won a major backgammon tournament or beat one of the top male players. These days? It still turns heads—but it’s not such a surprise anymore.
There have always been talented women in backgammon, but many played in the shadows of their male counterparts. Carol Crawford, for instance, was a brilliant player in her own right, but was often introduced as the wife of John Crawford. Still, she won the Backgammon World Championship back in 1973 in Las Vegas—no small feat.
Then came Lee Genud, who shook things up in 1981 when she took down the better-known Joe Dwek in Monte Carlo. That made her the first woman—and the first American—to win the championship in its current Monte Carlo home. After that, it took 20 years for another woman to win: Katie Scalamandre, who took the crown in 2000.
And who could forget Akiko Yazawa? She charmed and conquered the backgammon world by winning the world title in both 2014 and 2018. Her powerful gameplay paired with her grace at the board made her one of the game’s true stars, someone who could take on the best and win.
Across Europe, more and more women are stepping onto the podium and claiming their trophies. And with every win, it’s becoming clear: excellence in backgammon isn’t defined by gender.
Pia Jeppesen from Denmark is the highest-ranked woman in the WBIF system for good reason. She regularly plays at a world-class level, both online and in-person.
Fast forward to today, and we’ve got Karen Davis earning a fiery new nickname—The Dragon Slayer! At the 2025 Nordic Open, she beat not one but two dragons: world champion Peter Jes Thomsen and reigning Nordic Open champ Hans Liby.
Last month, Maya Peycheva from Bulgaria rocked the backgammon world by winning the Istavder 17th Anniversary Feast Backgammon Tournament in Istanbul Turkey, the largest modern backgammon tournament on the circuit with 730 entrants!
It still makes waves when a woman wins a major tournament or defeats a leading male player – but it’s no longer rare or surprising.
So, what’s next?
Well, we’re looking ahead to the next big milestone, women reaching
Grandmaster status.
Let’s keep breaking barriers.
Karen Davis, Melanie Hughes, & Irina Litzenberger, WWB Board of Directors
Manopoulos
Woman-Run Backgammon and Chess Company
By Irina Litzenberger
At the 3rd Grand Prix in Kamena Vourla, Greece, something really special happened—yes, we had a fantastic turnout of women players, but that wasn’t all. One of the tournament sponsors was a woman-run factory that provided the most beautiful custom backgammon boards, including 30 commemorative boards designed exclusively for the Women’s Team competition. Georgia and Joanna Manopoulos weren’t just sponsors—they were also deeply involved in designing and producing the boards in collaboration with Tony and Maggie Diamantidis, working around the clock to make sure everything was ready in time for the WBGF Team Championship.
The story behind this business is a good one. It all began in 1970, when Costas Manopoulos handcrafted a bronze chess board for an art project at the University of Athens. It was so well received that he made another, and then another, and… well, here we are. He even made his first backgammon board by hand—and he still treasures it, proudly displaying it at the factory.
Today, Georgia and Joanna Manopoulos run the show. They’re now at the helm of Greece’s largest manufacturer of chess and backgammon boards. Watching them in action during the tournament—always on the move but never too busy for a warm chat—you couldn’t help but wonder: what’s it like being women business owners in the backgammon world?
Luckily, Karen Davis and I had the chance to sit down with them during the event. They shared their story with such pride and joy—it was infectious.
When I asked how they got started, Joanna didn’t skip a beat:
“It was a family thing,” she said. “We were always involved. After school, we’d pack boxes. My grandparents helped. The workshop and our house were basically the same.”
They spoke fondly of their parents and how they were raised with no limitations—especially not because they were girls.
“Their best lesson,” Joanna said, “was: don’t stop doing anything just because you’re a woman.”
Joanna went on to become a mechanical engineer, and Georgia studied business. Together, they modernized and expanded the factory, tripling both production and staff—from 15 to 45 workers. Today, at their facility in Thebes, Viotia, they can produce more than 10,000 boards, depending on the design and finishing. And that’s not even including their stunning chess sets, which feature everything from sleek walnut to warm, silky olive wood.
I asked if being women in leadership brought any challenges.
Joanna was candid:
“Being young and short in a factory was a challenge, especially because I’m naturally shy. But I got through it with kindness, and by showing I knew what I was doing.”
Georgia chimed in with admiration:
“She’s incredibly creative. For us, backgammon isn’t just a game—it’s a craft. We take it seriously as board makers. We listen to our customers, we talk to players, and we’re always looking to improve.”
I was curious how the tournament experience felt for them.
“It was amazing,” Georgia said. “We’d never seen so many of our boards being used live. We got great feedback and strong sales—it was all very motivating.”
So what’s next?
Georgia smiled:
“Honestly? I’m happy where we are. I love our product, I love the quality, and I love that our customers are happy. I don’t need to grow just to grow. I want to enjoy this.”
After the tournament wrapped up, my husband Roberto and our friend Matt Reklaitis joined me on a visit to their factory on the way to Athens. What a memorable experience. Costas Manopoulos was there, proudly showing us his original backgammon board—yes, the one he made by hand all those years ago. Learn more at www.manopoulos.com.
By Irina Litzenberger
The 4th Women’s World of Backgammon Doubles Tournament Is Underway!
We’re off and running! The fourth annual WWB Online Doubles Tournament kicked off on April 30, 2025, with 32 teams from 12 different countries joining the fun. It’s exciting to see how this event continues to grow — and this year’s lineup includes top-tier players like Grandmasters and Masters certified by the Backgammon Masters Awarding Body, as well as online Women’s World Champions.
The tournament isn’t just about competition (though there’s plenty of that). It’s also about learning, connection, and community. Here’s what it’s all about:
Sharpening skills through team play – Players get a rare chance to talk through cube and checker decisions with their partner, and even hear how their opponents think through tough choices.
Learning from the best – Many teams feature top-ranked players, and their in-match discussions are a great resource for those looking to improve their game.
Sharing the experience – We’re creating a whole set of videos on the WWB YouTube channel so players (and fans) can watch and learn anytime. You’ll find them at YouTube.com/@womensworldofbackgammon.
This year’s format is a single-elimination tournament with 9-point matches — one Championship division for all. Teams are either all-women or mixed (one woman and one man). Entry fees go straight back to the top four finishers, and the Women’s World of Backgammon is adding $1,000 to the prize pool. Matches take place in the WWB Doubles Tournament Room on Heroes3.BackgammonStudio.com.
More and more women are teaming up together — a sign of growing confidence and camaraderie in the backgammon community. This year, four teams feature two women players, and we expect that number to keep climbing.
Round 1 Wraps Up – Round 2 Begins
Huge thanks to Irina Litzenberger from the WWB Board for taking the lead on organizing this year’s Doubles Event. She’s made sure most of the Round 1 matches were recorded — and you can find them on our YouTube channel. If you haven’t checked them out yet, now’s a great time!
Round 2 is underway, and all matches need to be played by May 27. Pairings and progress can be tracked here, https://challonge.com/WWBDoubles2025Championship.
Interview with Maya Peycheva
Maya Peycheva, winner of the largest modern backgammon tournament on the circuit with 730 entrants in the Championship division, the Istavder 17th Anniversary Feast Backgammon Tournament, kindly agreed to answer questions from Karen Davis on the WWB Board by e-mail. Here are her responses.
Congratulations! It’s an amazing feat to win the largest modern backgammon tournament with 730 entrants in the Championship division of the Istavder Tournament, followed quickly by your winning the Sophia Open.
What do you attribute your success to?
Thanks a lot! I worked a lot for this success. Days before the tournament I even dreamed about it. On the way to Istanbul, I told my friends in the car — I used to go to this tournament to see friends, but now I'm going to win it. At the tournament itself, I was just having fun. I felt like the whole world was supporting me. It never crossed my mind that there was an option to lose. That security was because of the work, the support, the motivation to win. I was really having fun on the board.
In addition to Istavder, what have been your best tournament experiences?
The two super jackpots I won in Pasha, Cyprus. I think this success can also go down in history as a huge achievement. There were 64 and 32 players in them respectively.
Back in January–February 2014, PrimeTime Backgammon published an article on you where you talked about people like Falafel and Petko Kostadinov who were always willing to play you online and give you comments on your play. How have you benefited from playing with other great players? Who have been the most influential on your game?
I didn't learn from anyone. Yes, I've absorbed advice, but finally I created my own style of play. My matches with world stars helped me gain experience, confidence, and self-esteem. For them it might have been a waste of time, but for me these matches helped me tremendously. Yes, we have discussed the game and especially "Maya's cube." In the beginning, this cube was taken with derision, but in time it turned out to be quite profitable. When I played with Falafel, he would always ask me — is that Maya's cube now or is it an XG cube 😊? It was fun.
Otherwise, yes, there are players I respect a lot both as people and as competitors. Falafel was from another planet — the king of this game. But now I'm glad that Petko, Granstedt, Marcus Reinhard, and Ali Cetin Belene exist. They always answer if I ask them for advice. Tardieu also never denied me matches when he was at his peak as a competitor.
Today, how do you work on your game or prepare for major tournaments?
First, I start the mental preparation. It just requires a lot more time. Then I start working on the game, dividing it into parts. I play 2–3 games a day, analyzing them, paying special attention to the first five moves. Three days later I start paying attention to all the moves up to the cube. Another three days later, I'm looking at the whole games in detail, paying attention to even the smallest mistakes. A week before a tournament I start playing control matches. These include playing with world-class players as well as mid-level players. I also participate in local live tournaments, and there I try to adjust my game according to the opponent's game and psyche. As you know, there are aggressive and passive players. I don't want or need to play similarly against them; otherwise I will be a loser.
There are still only a few women playing in the Championship or Masters division. What advice would you give to women who would like to compete effectively at that level?
To mix matches with real opponents and with XG and analyze. To localize their weaknesses and strengths. To work on fixing their mistakes and try to make the most of their strengths. To develop and use their intuition, because with it we excel over men.
You are one of 10 women in the world with a BMAB Master certification. What made you pursue that qualification? Are you aiming for Grandmaster?
In fact, I didn't even work for that title. I went to BMAB to take a walk. But after Istavder, I started aiming for a better title. This one somehow doesn't suit me. 😊
To me, Grandmaster means something completely different. In this version, it should be rechristened "best technical player," because as it is known, in every sport, besides technique, there are also tactics, strategy, psychology. A Grandmaster must be a combination of all these components.
Tell us a little about your background and your interests in addition to backgammon.
I am a multi-faceted person. I have many interests in different fields, my biggest passion being volleyball. My daughter, 19, is currently competing for Saint Etienne, France, and is also coaching an amateur U18 girls team there. She and I discuss how training should go and we solve some volleyball cases together. This is very interesting for me. On the other hand, I'm revising my second book, which is about the mental preparation of backgammon players. I am also attracted to psychology, astronomy, physics, and the mathematics of the universe. I love listening to good music.
Winning Women Around the World
Women are increasingly placing in American Backgammon Tour and international events.
Several women had “breakout” victories in April-May.
Special kudos to: Maya Peycheva, 1st place in the Istavder 17thAnniversary Feast and 1st place in Sophia Open
Sabine Brinkman, 4th place in Championship of the Cherry Blossom
Maggie Sweeney, 4th place in the Intermediate Division of the Greek Grand Prix
Karen Davis, 4th place in Championship of the Nordic Open
2nd NORCAL BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP
May 2-4, 2025; Sacramento, California
NOVICE (12): 2-Mykayla McAroy (AZ); 1C-Marcia Mednick.
DOUBLES (8 teams): Nikky Firouzan & Maeis Petrosian, 2-Adriana Nguyen & Long Nguyen.
UKBGT - ST. ALBANS BACKGAMMON OPEN
April 26-27, 2025; St. Albans, England
SECOND CHANCE (16): 2-Kate Geddes.
REMAINDERS (8): 1-Hazel Harper
DISCONSOLATES (16): 2-Roni Sofronio.
FMBGT: ISTAVDER 17th ANNIVERSARY FEAST BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT
April 22-27, 2025; Istanbul, Türkiye
CHAMPIONSHIP (730): 1-Maya Peycheva (Bulgaria), 21/24- Eva Zizkova (Czechia);
CONSULTING DOUBLES (187 teams): 5/7-Petyo Marinov (Bulgaria) & Laura Marinova (Bulgaria) / Miriam Michel (Germany) & Thomas Orlt (Germany)
LADIES SPECIAL – SULTANS OF BACKGAMMON (64): 1-Ayla Karmen Aydin, 2-Reyhan Gemici.
TBT - 14th KOCAELI REGIONAL BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP - WBF
April 18-20, 2025; Kocaeli, Türkiye
LADIES PRIZE (5): 1-Gülderen Gücavli,
TRADITIONAL (43): 2-Gözde Diptas
Upcoming Events
April 30-June 18, Zoom – Women's World of Backgammon Doubles Event with 32 excellent teams from 12 countries competing; subscribe to receive notices of Zoom session Watch Parties of key matches
May 21-26, 43rd Chicago Open and Players Cup BMAB Chicago, Hyatt Rosemont O'Hare, IL, 617-699-9100.Click here now.
Sponsored by Women's World of Backgammon: 2025 U.S. Women's National Championship -- $500 added money or WWB Backgammon Board; two Belaire watches valued at $250 each donated by Alan and Joan Grunwald Fund for Main 2nd place and 1st place Consolation
June 11-15, 48th Los Angeles Open and Players Cup BMAB Los Angeles, Hilton LAX, Los Angeles, CA; Candace Mayeron producer, 310-422-1646, contact here
June 18-22, St. Louis Gateway Open and Players Cup BMAB St. Louis, Holiday Inn, St. Louis, MO, David Todd and Jim Feher directors, 314-749-9687, contact here.
July 1-6, Players Cup BMAB Michigan and 50th Michigan Summer Championships, Sheraton Hotel, Novi MI, Ben Friesen and Dan Minardi directors, 810-348-1695. Click here for more.
August 6-10, Players Cup BMAB Wisconsin and Wisconsin Championships, Best Western, Madison WI, Jack Edelson and Christina Elias directors, 516-650-4325.
August 27-September 1, Players Cup BMAB Minnesota and Viking Classic, Hilton, Minneapolis/Bloomington, MN, April and Michael Mesich directors, 612-703-3211. Click here for more.
September 10-14, Players Cup BMAB New Orleans and Gammon Geaux New Orleans, Kimpton Fontenot, Bill Riles and Tara Mendicino directors,
281-703-9304. Click here for more.
Recent and Upcoming WWB YouTube Videos
2025 WWB Doubles Event Round 1:
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