2nd Nice Casino Ruhl Backgammon Open
September 5 - 7, 2008
Le Ruhl Casino Barrière de Nice - France

As you can see, the participation was only of 30 players, due at first to tournament change of dates (initially scheduled for the first week-end of July, 2008) and also caused by the very short time available to promote the tournament (only the month of August). All these changes killed a good promotion and we saw the results. Now the management of the Casino Ruhl understands the importance of closing the contract ahead of time (giving participants the chance to buy the flight ticket at a very good price). Therefore the third Nice Casino Ruhl Backgammon Open is scheduled the week-end before Monte-Carlo tournament, from Wednesday 8th until Sunday 12th July, 2009 (Main event 10th – 12th July, 2009).

I’m sure that the timely information and the satellite tournaments on the websites will probably grant us a large participation in this event. Additionally, the management of the Casino Ruhl decided also that next year we will play on the terrace, so also the smokers will have a place to play without restrictions.

I thank all the players who participated in 2008 tournament and the management of the Casino Ruhl and I hope to see you also in 2009!

In the meantime I remind you the XI Austrian Backgammon Open scheduled at the Hotel Veronika in Seefeld from 1st until the 5th October, 2008 (Main event 3rd – 5th October, 2008).


Winner takes 5.300 euro

Total money distribution 17.950 euro

Marco Fornasir, General Secretary of the Worldwide Backgammon Federation, has the pleasure to announce the results of the tournament:

Master flight - 19 players

    Main winner 21 - 15    Werner Schmuck - Austria
    Main finalist    Alex Lehmann - USA/France
    Main semi-finalist    Emmanuel David - France
    Main semi-finalist    Hamza Nar - Turkey

    Consolation winner 17 - 14    Hans Uli Koch - Germany
    Consolation finalist    Tassilo Rzymann - Austria
    Consolation semi-finalist    John Broomfield - UK
    Consolation semi-finalist    Kazuhiro Shino - Japan/UK

    Last chance winner 7 - 1    Nihat Sorgüven - Turkey
    Last chance finalist    Mehmet Güven - Turkey

    Ladies Prize    Not assigned


Intermediate  flight - 8 players

    Main winner 11 - 9    Renato Sovani - Italy
    Main finalist     Alfredo Sperti - Italy
    Main semi-finalist     Alberto da Pra - Italy
    Main semi-finalist     Maria Croce - Italy

    Consolation winner 13 - 3    Seda Koc - Turkey
    Consolation finalist     Alberto da Pra - Italy
    Consolation semi-finalist    Marilyn Gay Roberts - UK/Spain
    Consolation semi-finalist    Maria Croce - Italy

    Ladies Prize    Maria Croce - Italy


Double Consulting Tournament - 8 teams

    Winner 13 - 11    Werner Schmuck - Austria/Tassilo Rzymann - Austria
    Finalist    Arda Findikoglu - Turkey/Abdullah Sorgüven - Turkey


Ladies Tournament - 5 players
   Winner 9 - 6    Marion Bambi de Bruin - Germany/Spain
    Finalist    Maria Grigis - Italy
    Semi-Finalist    Nathalie Dhier - France
    Semi-Finalist    Maria Croce - Italy


Warm-up - 19 players

    Winner 5 - 3    Hans Uli Koch - Germany
    Finalist    Mehmet Güven - Turkey


Sperti Trophy - 16 players

    Winner 5 - 0    Arda Findikoglu - Turkey
    Finalist    Hamza Nar - Turkey


One Point Match Tournament - President’s Tournament

    1st One Point    Abdullah Sorgüven - Turkey

--- --- --- --- ---
    Master: 19 players
    Intermediate: 8 players
    Doubles not participating in others categories: 2
    Ladies not participating in others categories: 1    Total 30 players

    11 Countries: Afghanistan, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, USA

    Director: Marco Fornasir - Italy
Tournament Committee: Alberto da Pra (president); John Broomfield (UK); Arda Findikoglu (Turkey); Michel Serrero (France).