Women did exceptionally well in several events at the Cherry Blossom Backgammon Championship held April 17-21, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Dulles, Herndon, VA. Marcy Kossar (MD) made history by placing second in the American Backgammon Tour (ABT) Cherry Blossom Championship. She was edged out by the #1 U.S. Grandmaster, Victor Ashkenazi (NJ), in a very exciting final match. In another first, Irina Litzenberger (VA) served as Co-Commentator for the streamed match, which can be found on YouTube.
Lynda Clay (CO) tied for first place along with Albert Steg (MA) in another prestigious event, the Players Cup Backgammon Masters Awarding Body (BMAB-VA), with a perfect 5-0 win-loss record. She will receive a crystal bowl from Women’s World of Backgammon (WWB). Thirty-five players competed in the event, including four women. Lynda attributes her success in part to the adoption of a positive winning mindset! Proof-positive is that she also did well in three side events – finishing second in the DC Metro Open Championship, 1st in the Night Owl Jackpot Division 1, and tied for first in the WWB Cup Consolation.
Lynn Ehrlich (FL), organizer and director of the ABT New York Metropolitan Open Championship, won the Cherry Blossom WWB Cup. She was awarded a WWB prize backgammon board along with first-place prize money. Marianne Bowen (VA) finished second. Molly Anderson (WA) split the Consolation 1st place with Lynda Clay.
Candace Mayeron (CA), producer of two California American Backgammon Tour tournaments, finished first in the Nation’s Capital Doubles 32-team event with backgammon partner Kit Woolsey (CA). She also tied for third place in the ABT Advanced Division event!
Samra Hadden (GA) also tied for third place in the ABT Advanced Division event and won the Consolation of the Night Owl Jackpot Division 2 event.
Lili Iravani (DC) is on a high from a 3rd/4th place finish in the ABT Intermediate Division. She went home still riding the wave and promptly defeated top DC players to win the Consolation of a local DC-area tournament.
Karen Davis, WWB Co-founder, tied for 1st place in the Consolation of the DC Metro Open Championship Division.
ABT - CHERRY BLOSSOM BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIPApril 17-21, 2024; Herndon, Virginia
ABT CHAMPIONSHIP (96): 1-Victor Ashkenazi (NJ), 2-Marcy Kossar (MD), 3/9-Kent Goulding (MD) / John Klein (MD) / Roberto Litzenberger (VA) / Charlie Pipkin (FL) / David Shadi (NJ) / Jerry Shea (NY) / Chris Trencher (NY), 10/14-Alexander Abramenko (VA) / Alec Izzo (FL) / Dana Nazarian (CA) / Michael Urban (Germany) / Brian Vance (MI).
ABT ADVANCED (42): 1-Jerry Ungar (FL), 2-Bob Hathaway (VA), 3/6-Samra Hadden (GA) / Matthew Lundeen (MN) / Candace Mayeron (CA) / Alan Pruce (SC).
ABT INTERMEDIATE (19): 1-Andrew Keller (NC), 2-James Baumeister (WI), 3/4-Lili Iravani (DC) / Nick Saverino (VA).
BMAB PLAYER'S CUP VIRGINIA (34): 1/2-Lynda Clay (CO) / Albert Steg (MA), 3/8-Sean Garber (IN) / Kent Goulding (MD) / Julius High (GA) / Claude Landry (Canada) / Phil Perelmuter (MA) / Marty Storer (NH). PR winners: 1-Marty Storer (NH) at 2.56, 2-Charles Pipkin (FL) at 3.73, 3-John Klein (MD), 4-Roberto Litzenberger (VA) at 4.54, 5-Albert Steg (MA) at 4.94, 6-Kent Goulding (MD) at 4.98, 7-Avi Cohen (FL) at 5.96, 8-Jeb Horton (NC) at 5.98. Unlucky Dice prize: Roberto Litzenberger with a luck factor of -13.43.
CLASSIC SUPER JACKPOT (8): 1-Greg Merriman (MI), 2-Michael Urban (Germany).
MARTHA WASHINGTON MASTERS JACKPOT (64): 1-Chris Trencher (NY), 2-Kit Woolsey (CA), 3/4-Dennis Culpepper (VA) / Stepan Nuniyants (WA), 5/8-Mike Horri (GA) / Phil Simborg (FL) / Joe Urso (NY) / David Winn (TX).
SUSAN B. ANTHONY OPEN JACKPOT (32): 1-David Kettler (TX), 2-Avi Cohen (FL), 3/4-Scotty Kelland (CT) / Ray Spehar (FL).
SACAGAWEA ADVANCED JACKPOT (16): 1-Robert Ellis (TN), 2-Alec Izzo (FL).
DC*METRO OPEN - CHAMPIONSHIP (24): 1-Phil Simborg (FL), 2-Lynda Clay (CO); 1C/2C-Karen Davis (FL) / Jean-Guy Roy (Canada).
DC*METRO OPEN - ADVANCED (6): 1-Tom Jayne (VA).
NATION'S CAPITAL DOUBLES (32): 1-Candace Mayeron (CA) & Kit Woolsey (CA), 2-Avi Cohen (FL) & G.L. Harvie (VT), 3/4-Victor Ashkenazi (NJ) & Nick Ricciardi (MA) / Lina Nuniyants (DC) & Stepan Nuniyants (WA).
2024 USBGF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS (160): 1/5: Ed O’Laughlin (VA) / Kit Woolsey (CA) / Frank Raposa (VA) / Farhad Forudi (OH) / Jonah Seewald (CO).
2024 USBGF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS (8): 1-Kit Woolsey (CA), 2-Ed O’Laughlin (VA), 3/4-Dave Kettler (TX) / Bill Lonergan (NY), 5/8-Ray Fogerlund (NV) / Frank Raposa (VA) / Franklin Scott (MN) / Albert Steg (MA).
NOVICE TOURNAMENT #1 (6): 1-Gil Levit (NJ).NOVICE TOURNAMENT #2 (6): 1-Steve Smith (MA).NOVICE TOURNAMENT #3 (5): 1-Niko Keresteliev (NY).NOVICE TOURNAMENT #4 (6): 1-Gil Levit (NJ).NOVICE TOURNAMENT #5 (6): 1-Jose Altamirano (NC).NOVICE TOURNAMENT #6 (4): 1-Robert Fairchild (TX).NOVICE TOURNAMENT #7 (4): 1-Steve Smith (MA).
GAMMON GUYS BOARD EVENT (8): 1-Tom Kennedy (VA).
CHERRY BLOSSOM WOMEN'S WORLD OF BACKGAMMON CUP (8): 1-Lynn Ehrlich (FL), 2-Marianne Bowen (VA); 1C/2C-Molly Anderson (WA) / Lynda Clay (CO).
SUPER SPEEDGAMMON (8): 1-Rory Pascar (IL), 2-Kent Goulding (MD).
SPEEDGAMMON (16): 1-Michael Zakrajsek (DC), 2-Alexander Abramenko (VA).
NIGHT OWL JACKPOT DIVISION 1 (14): 1-Lynda Clay (CO), 2-Richard Munitz (NY); 1C-Sean Garber (IN).
NIGHT OWL JACKPOT DIVISION 2 (12): 1-Anatoliy Katsnelson (IL), 2-Jeremy Krieger (OR); 1C-Samra Hadden (GA).
NIGHT OWL NOVICE JACKPOT (8): 1-Robert Fairchild (TX).
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