Hanna Polyakova is a rising star in the backgammon world, known for her clever YouTube channel (@hanna_gammon) and, more importantly, for her ferocious commitment to learning the game. She bemoans a 7 PR during her interview, sharing that she is hoping for a 4. You will find her focus in all things to be admirable, and her start, which was in chess, is never a surprise for a backgammon player. #backgammon #hannapolyakova #backgammontournament CORRECTION: Christine mentions that chess will be played in the Olympics. It will NOT be played in this year's Olympics but has been designated as an Olympic sport.

After four months of top-caliber play, the third Women's World of Backgammon Mixed Doubles online tournament drew to a close Sunday, June 30. In all, 47 mixed doubles teams competed in the Championship and Intermediate divisions. Sixteen countries had players in the event. In this exciting final Championship match, Kara Schultz, winner of the 2023 Online World Women's Championship, and her backgammon partner David Vakil, a Backgammon Masters Awarding Body Master Class 2 and Karen Davis, WWB co-founder and Giant of Backgammon along with her backgammon partner Kent Goulding, both American Backgammon Hall of Famers, encountered numerous difficult decisions. You can watch the match here, https://youtu.be/Ui3IXhT_l1c In this video listen as these world-class players discuss cube and checker decisions with their backgammon partners. In this detailed post-match play-by-play analysis by Grandmasters Marty Storer and Kit Woolsey, aided and abetted by the players. It’s a lot of backgammon expertise and insight packed into these fascinating videos.

After four months of top-caliber play, the third Women's World of Backgammon Mixed Doubles online tournament drew to a close Sunday, June 30. In all, 47 mixed doubles teams competed in the Championship and Intermediate divisions. Sixteen countries had players in the event. In this exciting final Championship match, Kara Schultz, winner of the 2023 Online World Women's Championship, and her backgammon partner David Vakil, a Backgammon Masters Awarding Body Master Class 2 and Karen Davis, WWB co-founder and Giant of Backgammon along with her backgammon partner Kent Goulding, both American Backgammon Hall of Famers, encountered numerous difficult decisions. Listen as these world-class players discuss cube and checker decisions with their backgammon partners. In this detailed post-match play-by-play analysis by Grandmasters Marty Storer and Kit Woolsey, aided and abetted by the players. It’s a lot of backgammon expertise and insight packed into these fascinating videos. https://youtu.be/DZS2fzMMaeg

Learn how to Navigate the WBIF (World Backgammon Internet Federation) Women's World Championship. We had a full house to go over how to navigate playing in the WBIF's 2024 Women's World Championship. Thank you to Rory Pascar, who walked through the process of navigating both the WBIF site and Heroes. It's all here for you to watch in forty-five short minutes. A few takeaways.... You can register up until July 14; the start date has slipped to July 15 – but it’s better to go ahead now, especially if you’re not yet a member with funds in your account. This is a great way to get your feet wet in competition in a nurturing (and forgiving) platform and player group. It's a great way to meet players. There is flexibility to set up each match at a convenient time for both competitors. WWB is here to answer your questions along the way. #wbif #worldbackgammoninternetfoundation

Viewers were treated to a thrilling semi-final round of the Women's World of Backgammon Mixed Doubles tournament on June 11 between Karen Davis, WWB co-founder and Giant of Backgammon (#62), and Kent Goulding, American Backgammon Hall of Famer, against Steve Bibby, winner of multiple UK Championships as far back as the 1990s and the Nordic Open Doubles in 2002, and Jay Hayter, a newcomer to tournament backgammon with hugely impressive wins at Brighton and Manchester. Extensive expert commentary was provided by Grandmaster Tim Cross from the UK; Tim has served as UK Backgammon Captain in numerous successful team championships. He was joined by co-commentator Kit Woolsey, Grandmaster from the US; noted bridge and backgammon author, Kit Woolsey is one of backgammon’s leading experts on the doubling cube and tournament play. Also chiming in was Marty Storer, Grandmaster and Executive Editor of the stellar quarterly PrimeTime Backgammon. #backgammon #backgammonmatch #timcross #kitwoolsey #martystorer #backgammoncommentary #backgammonvideo #backgammontournament

The third Women's World of Backgammon Mixed Doubles tournament is drawing to an exciting close. Thirty-five Championship and Intermediate teams from 16 countries have competed in the event. In this Championship semi-final match on June 16, Kara Schultz and David Vakil from the U.S. won against Bernhard Mayr and Crista Groll from Austria. They will face American Hall of Famers Kent Goulding and Karen Davis in the final on June 30. Kara Schultz has skyrocketed to the top levels of backgammon since winning the California State Novice division in 2018. She won the WBIF World Women’s Championship in 2023 and the U.S. Women’s Online Championship in 2020. Her backgammon partner David Vakil is a BMAB Master Class 2. Bernhard Mayr, playing with Crista Groll from Austria, is President of the World Backgammon Federation, the World Backgammon Internet Federation, and the Backgammon Masters Awarding Body. He is a Grandmaster, Class 3. #backgammon #backgammontournament