18th December 2007

88 Entries, 12 Tournaments, 52 Players, £2720 Prize Fund,
Raj Jansari wins Jackpot.


How would the market stand two Bg in Camden evenings in one month? It's a question that many regular players thought they knew the answer to but it had never been put to the test. Until now. The answer, and yes many of you got it correct, was very well indeed thank you.

Only 3 less players than a fortnight ago and the numbers remained in the 50s. The Prize Fund dipped slightly to just (how dare I use such a term) £2720 - that's £870 less than that fortnight ago but still our 3rd highest ever prize fund. Tournament numbers rose back to 12 with a very respectable 88 entries to those tournaments. The format of the evening appears to be conducive to players taking part more frequently. That might suggest that it was the same players that came along this evening as did two weeks ago. Not so actually. Some same faces, others were semi-regulars who come along when the fancy takes them, some 2nd timers and 7 new members. Backgammon on Camden continues to go from strength to strength.


 
An Announcement:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am forced to announce the suspension of activity on Backpacker Backgammon.

It's about 8 years that it's been online and during that entire time I have struggled to keep it on air and for the bills to be paid from it's own pocket. In some years it has actually turned a slight profit but overall it's been a burden upon my purse. This can no longer go on. It's all very well having a costly little habit but habits are there to be kicked when they are surplus to requirement. For all those 8 years I have tried my best to respond to what I consider the market to be. Some of those endeavours have been popular and some have been downright disasters. They have all been, in one way or another, stimulating and I have learnt loads but that rarely fills my belly with food.

Those of that attended this latest BG in Camden were at what was probably the last ever Backpacker Backgammon event. I didn't want to tell you this during the evening for I didn't want this probable fact to mar your evening. My deep and sincere thanx to to every single player that has ever attended a BB event.

Another Announcement:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
in early 2008 I shall be launching a new backgammon website.

Due to the success of Bg in Camden I am now willing to open a new backgammon era in my life and with it I hope a new era in London players lives. Bg in Camden will remain "open for business" and be joined by other events around Town like it.

The intention is to have backgammon events in 4 venues around Town - each running once per month. In this way backgammon will be provided to most Londoners locally and those who wish to play weekly may do so.

The name of that website is not yet released -
that will happen when it's ready to be launched.

So Backpacker Backgammon is being moth balled but is also being replaced with a new and better coat. If this is of interest to you please, if you are not already, join the mailing list and you'll be one of the first of many to learn the full details.

 

So apart from all that how did the evening go? The Auctions happened considerable quicker this week because I offered players a choice 6 of entry fees. By doing this we found our 8 players in our Auctionable Tournaments within 10 minutes instead of about double that. However it lacked the usual drama and the entry fees didn't increase as they usually do. Maybe what is a slightly less efficient method for me is a preferable method for players. At 7.35 pm I asked Chrissi to walk around the bar and count how many matches were now in progress. All 23 were up and running.

This week we had PartyGammon polo shirts and hats to give away. And given away they were freely. You were not there? Ah well, you missed out then didn't you. But worry yee not - we've still a lot more and you can pick up yours at the next event that we'll be running.

The PartyGammon shirts gave rise to the conversation of the evening: As Chrissi asked Parvin what size blouse she would like Parvin told Chrissi "I've lost 25 pounds!" "Fantastic" replied Chrissi, "well done." "A perplexed Parvin shook her head and said "No no no, I lost in the first round of the 3rd Tournament which was a £25 entry." A few minutes later Parvin walked away with two blouses - of different sizes.

In his 4th maybe 5th time at Bg in Camden it was Raj Jansari who won the 1st Tournament of the evening. A nice little wrap to his year this for in January Raj won the Cotwolds Fireside Tournament. Bravo Raj. Talking of the Cotswolds Fireside I gather though the grapevine that it will not be happening in 2008. While it was one of the best tournaments on the UK Bg Calendar in the last few years it appears to me that it was not sustainable largely in part, in my view, that the entry fee did not warrant the considerable costs such an event incurs.

Simon Barget, a friend of Raj, has become a regular over the last 3 months and he got his reward to by winning T2. Mourad, another quality player, took T3. In the £10 entry Tournaments Monica yet again showed her tournament play skills by winning T4, once in a blue moon player Dave W took T5, 2nd time player and ex Doubles 5 Bg Club hostess Diana Sulmirski took T6, in our first £5er Tournament it was south Londoner James Grenier who took the honours and cash and in T8 was won by a re-entered Dave Moon. in T9 Steve Prior entered with £5 thrown into the optional pool, got knocked out in Round 1 so he came back in without entering the optional pool and won the Tournament though no cash. Was he happy? Oh yes - this was his first ever Tournament win. At 9.00 pm T10 open and was filled within 20 minutes and in due course won by Simon M over John B in a player agreed shortened match of 1 point. T11 was a 4 player and recent WSOB Doubles Winner Lawrence Powell won this. And stilll they wanted more so T12 happened. A 4 player, £5, 1 pointer this one and won by first time Bg in Camden player Nermin.

We were all wrapped by at 11.10 pm. Another gig over, the last of the year and probably the last Backpacker Backgammon event.


 
Tournament Charts


Summary:
So what news of the future? I'd love to tell you all of all the plans we have but that would be jumping the gun so for once I'll keep my trap shut for the time being. 2007 has been an excellent year for British Backgammon - The Cotswolds Fireside was probably the strongest field of players gathered in one place, Gammonitis and Biba both did their things as they have done for a number of years (Biba for donkeys), Bg in Camden ticked away nicely despite my absence (thank you Adam Tansley), Charity Bg events are on the increase and in vogue, Manchester and Liverpool held their annual events, The London Clubs Backgammon League is thriving, Bg Live in London had a record turnout and the WSOB came to these shores and gave us islanders the largest tournament in over 20 years and is placing backgammon on your TV screens. Surely British Backgammon is well set for 2008. Um, I hear that all is not so going so swimmingly well in all departments. Of note and hence concern is the future of Gammonitis. No dates have been published for 2008 and their online server is having problems. It is not for me to speculate as to why this might be; rather it is for Andrew Sarjeant to make a statement. I'm sure this will happen in the near future but I sincerely hope it is good news for them and hence British Backgammon. If we wish to move bg forward we need all guns blazing.

 



 

Mike Main
Report of next event.