BGFed

Author: Michel Lamote

  • BMS: Red Beavers off to Montenegro with good PR’s under their belt.

    In preparation for the WBGF World Team Championship (8-10 April), Belgium’s four highest ranked players sparred in the Montenegro Challenge. Marc Van Damme, Geert Van der Stricht, Johan Huyck and Michel Lamote played six 13-pointers against each other in a round robin for a total of eighteen matches each. Here is how they did:

    PR Geert (18 x 13). Scores 10/18.

    Geert Van der Stricht won the Montenegro Challenge in convincing fashion with this excellent performance.

    After years of persistent study, weekly practice and in-depth analysing, Geert has made it to the top of the BMS Grading Table with a PR of 4,34 (600 EP). Fantastic achievement!

    PR Marc (18 x 13). Scores 11/18.

    Marc Van Damme won most matches, but came in second for the PR prize (which was what this Montenegro Challenge was all about). Still, this is a solid performance, more than good enough to compete confidently with the best in the world.

    PR Michel (18 x 13). Scores 5/18.

    Coming out of hibernation, I could not find my best form and have to be satisfied with this average PR… Hopefully I can lift my game a bit in Montenegro…

    PR Johan (18 x 13). Scores 10/18.

    Johan would have loved to play below-5, but made just one or two errors too many. Looks like Belgium will soon have a confident quartet of below-5 players.

    Team PR (36 x 13).

    We had set it as our goal to play collectively below 4,5 PR, but narrowly missed the mark.

    The WBGF World Team Championship starts on Monday 8 April and will be played over three days in Budva, Montenegro. 27 countries have entered, with Japan, Denmark, Germany and the USA as the teams to beat. Belgium will be represented by a team of six “Red Beavers”: the four players mentioned above together with Johan Segers and Guy Van Middelem. Also Paulus Van Rooijen and Paul Van Dijke will be present, but sadly they could not find enough teammates to form a team for the Netherlands. They will compete in the 4th Merit Open Montenegro Grand Prix, however, which starts on Wednesday 10 April and finishes on Sunday 14 April.

  • BMS: Robin does well in Master Series.

    Over the past weeks, Geert Van der Stricht and Robin Bilderbeek played, recorded and transcribed eight 9-point matches. Here is how they did:

    PR Robin (8*9). Robin loses 2-6.

    A very strong statement by Robin, whose diligent work with XG are bearing fruit. Robin’s sometimes virtuoso checkerplays combine imagination with accuracy, but his cube-handling is still erratic. All in all an encourageing performance.

    PR Geert (8*9). Geert wins 6-2.

    Geert could not find his best form in this Master Series and as a consequence fails to improve his standings on the BMS GT.

  • BMS : two major changes.

    The BMS Committee (Geert Van der Stricht, Johan Huyck, Paulus Van Rooijen) announce that two major changes will be implemented. Johan Huyck, who is responsible for the BMS Grading Table (registering applications, re-analysing XG-files, processing the data, updating the GT, etc.) explains :

    Johan: On 1 February 2019 , the Rolling EP was reduced from 750 to 600. This means that the published overall PR of a player is now based on his performances in the most recent 600 matchpoints.

    M: Why this adjustment?

    Johan: Well, 600 is still a lot of course. It is the equivalent of forty-seven 13-point matches. This relatively high number is needed to reduce volatility and maximise reliability. On the other hand, it gives players the opportunity to shed a bad PR a little more quickly than before. With 750 EP, it could take a player one or two years to leave a bad result behind, a prospect which could potentially have a demotivating effect. With 600 EP a moderately active BMS player should be able to shed a horrendous PR within 10 to 12 months.

    M: Makes sense. Has this adjustment caused major changes on the BMS GT?

    Johan: Not at all. The impact of this recalibration has been fractional. The maximum deviation has been 0,10 PR.

    M: OK. What is the second change?

    Johan: Well, as of 1 April 2019 the BMS Committee will charge a processing fee for BMS GT matches.

    M: Fair enough. How will that work?

    Johan: First of all, there will be no fee for BIC and Four Cubes matches, nor for matches played for the national team at international team events. For other matches, there will be a 2€ fee, regardless of match length. If both players are applicants they would each have to pay 1€ per match.

    M: Sounds very reasonable. So, if I play a Master Series of six 11-point matches against Geert, we would each have to pay a 6€ processing fee?

    Johan: Correct. Let me give a couple of other examples. Let us say that Player A plays a tournament abroad and applies for BMS validation [known as a Master Series 2]. If he then plays four 13-pointers in the Main, three 9-pointers in the Consolation, and two 5-pointers in the Last Chance, his fee would be 18€.

    Sometimes, however, there can be duplication. If players A, B and C apply for BMS validation for the Gent Open (seven 7-point matches), this does not automatically mean that each player has to pay 14€. If, for instance, A has a bye, and A and B have a mutual encounter (= duplication), then the fees would be: A 11€, B 13€ and C 14€.

    In case of a BMS event, the Xmas Trophy for instance, ALL matches are duplicated since ALL the participants are BMS applicants. This would mean that the fee would be 1€ per player per match or 5€ , since the event consists of five 9-point matches.

    M: And what with BMS GT players who encounter a BMS applicant during an event, but have not filed an application themselves?

    Johan: They do not have to pay, of course. Only the applicants have to cough up the fee.

    M: Right. And how are players supposed to know what they owe and when to pay?

    Johan: To keep it simple, players will not be charged per event, but over a 6-month period. I will send them a mail with an overview of the costs and expect them to pay one way or another within a reasonable timeframe.

    M: Sounds good. Thanks for the information, Johan. And for the all the time and effort you put into this.

  • 3rd BMS Xmas Trophy won by Ronny Conaert (result) and Michel Lamote (PR). Now with complete PR ranking.

    On Saturday 29 December 2018, fourteen players competed in the Sandeman Club in Gent for the 3rd BMS Xmas Trophy. Almost the complete top-12 of the BMS  Grading Table was present to try and play as best they could.

    After 5 rounds of play (9-point matches), Ronny Conaert was the last man standing with 5 victories, followed by Geert Van der Stricht and Johan Huyck with 4 wins:

    Ronny with the Xmas Trophy (l) is congratulated by organiser Geert (r) (photo : Robin Bilderbeek)

    Ronny has been a dedicated backgammon student and expert player  for years. Recently he has upped his efforts to improve by playing challenging Master Series against strong opposition. On Saturday, he proved his mettle by winning five medium-length matches in a row, showing stamina and will to win. Congratulations, Ronny!

    The Xmas Trophy is also a BMS event. All 35 matches are recorded and XG-transcribed.  In this contest, Michel Lamote came out on top. Geert Van der Stricht and Marc Van Damme also managed to play below-5:

    PR 1. Michel (5 x 9). Scores 2/5.

    PR  2. Geert (5 x 9). Scores 4/5.

    PR  3. Marc (5 x 9). Scores 2/5.

    A good PR not only depends on skill, but also on circumstantial luck. There are easy matches and difficult ones, matches with a high DD (= degree of difficulty) and with a low DD. If you have the bad luck of finding yourself in backgames or notoriously difficult prime-vs-prime positions, you may well see your PR deteriorate quickly. This may explain  the reverse order of this top-3, where Michel played 0,5 PR better  and Marc 0,5 PR worse than their true PR.

    Just behind this trio come 4. Misja Alma (N) (PR 5,06) and 5. Tilman Söhnchen (GER) (PR 5,16).

    Then we find the four players who occupy places 4 to 7 on the BMS GT: 6. Paulus Van Rooijen (N) (PR 5,65), 7. Johan Segers (PR 5,70), 8. Paul Van Dijke (N) (PR 5,90) and 9. Johan Huyck (PR 5,91). These are excellent PRs by all four, indicative of significant progress and sustained focus on the day.

    Also 10. Luc Palmans (PR 6,53) and 11. Ronny Conaert (PR 6,96) did not disappoint and can be proud of their performance. 12. Guy Van Middelem (PR 7,92) comfortably played at par, but somehow seems to have missed an opportunity to excel.

    13. Robin Bilderbeek (N) (PR 8,70) appears to be the only player in the field who  failed to impress. Robin certainly made progress in recent months, but could not find his best form.

    14. Steven Hoeylaerts (PR 9,39) certainly deserves praise for this performance. Having picked up the game less than a year ago, his learning curve has been steep and this below-10 PR is proof of that.

    All in all, this field of ambitious students of the game played extremely well, achieving an average PR of 6,16 (35 x 13). Belgium’s top-3 were able to stave off a valiant assault by two accomplished Dutch and German competitors as well as by their four closest pursuers on the BMS GT. Below them, Luc, Ronny and the others confidently consolidated their top-10 status. Check the BMS GT in the black banner above to see the current standings.

    The event was a great success. Guy Van Middelem, President of BgFed.be, thanked Geert, Johan Huyck and Paulus Van Rooijen for the hard work and magnanimously called the organsition “perfect”. That was the sign for all present to move from the  playing room to the more dyonisian bar area, where many a word was said in jest and otherwise…

     

     

     

     

  • Johan Huyck (Gent BC) wins high-quality BIC Final.

    The 2018 BIC Final between Johan Huyck and Paul Van Dijke (Brugge BC) started punctually at 6 PM. Johan won the first 13-pointer quite easily with a 7+ luck rate and an astonishing below-3 PR, but Paul managed to win the second match to draw level. The  third and decisive 13-pointer was again a one-sided affair with Johan coming out on top.

    Johan (l) and Paul (r) before start of play. XG transcriber Robin can be detected in the background.

    The encounter was filmed and transmitted on a screen in the adjoining bridge playing room, with commentaries by Geert Van der Stricht, Marc Van Damme, Paulus Van Rooijen and myself. Robin Bilderbeek transcribed live so the spectators (all five of them…) could enjoy immediate feedback by the computer programme Xtreme Gammon. To everybody’s astonishment, both players rose to the occasion and found their best playing skills. Here are their excellent PR’s :

    PR Johan (3 x 13). Johan wins 2-1.

    PR Paul (3 x 13). Paul loses 1-2.

    Congrats to both for a well-played, high-level match. A video of the complete final (with XG and commentary) will soon be made available on YouTube thanks to the dedication and efforts of Robin Bilderbeek.

    Johan presenting the 2018 BIC trophy.

  • Johan Huyck and Paul Van Dijke play BIC Final on Friday 21 December in Gent.

    (Image made by: Robin Bilderbeek)

    For the second time in two years, Johan Huyck (Gent BC) has reached the final of the BIC competition. Last year he lost to current BIC Champion Metin Ates, but he gets a second chance to take the title this year. His opponent is Paul Van Dijke (Brugge BC), who made it to the final after a long campaign which started in Division II.

    The match will be played on Friday 21 December at the Sandeman in Gent. The first player to win two 13-point matches will be crowned BIC Champion 2018. Start of play is   6 PM. The players will play in the bar area and the match will be transmitted on a semi-large screen in the bridge area. Robin Bilderbeek will do live XG transcribing and the action will be commentated on by Michel Lamote, with Geert Van  der Stricht and Marc Van Damme as guest commentators.

    Everybody is welcome to come and witness the climax of this prestigious competition. All spectators will have to take a seat in the bridge area, as no kibitzers will be allowed in the playing area. Income is free.

     

     

     

     

  • BMS : Master Series 0062 and 0064 wrapped up.

    In a continued effort to improve their game, Geert Van der Stricht, Johan Huyck, Robin Bilderbeek and Michel Lamote played, recorded and transcribed ten 13-point matches. Over the past years it has become clear that PR’s achieved in Master Series of that length do not deviate much from the players’ actual playing strengths and thus provide a good indication of where they stand as far as intrinsic skill is concerned :

    PR Geert (10*13). MS1 0064 is drawn 5-5.

    PR Johan (10*13). MS1 0064 is drawn 5-5.

    PR Robin (10*13). MS1 0062 is drawn 5-5.

    PR Michel (10*13). MS1 0062 is drawn 5-5.

    Encourageing PR’s by all four players. Geert (3), Johan (4) and Michel (2) solidify their BMS ranking, while Robin (9) is edging closer to below-7 status.

  • Johan Huyck is off to Cyprus with good PR’s under his belt.

    The 6th Merit Open International Backgammon Championship is a monster event in Cyprus (40.000€ added prize money) which starts on Wednesday 31 October. Johan Huyck will be the only BgFed.be member present. The strike by the luggage handlers in Zaventem forced him to make a costly detour to Warshau, but there is no doubt Johan will be well-rested and eager to perform when he appears at the board on Day 1 (Wednesday, 2 pm).

    Johan has been making progress lately. Long stranded with a 6+ PR on the BMS GT, he is now slowly making his way to the 5,50 PR region. Over the past two months, Johan played two Master Series, assembling 188 EP in the process. Here is how he did in the first one, against Paul Van Dijke :

    PR Johan MS1 0061 (6*13). Johan wins 4-2.

    PR Paul MS1 0061 (6*13). Paul loses 2-4.

    These PR’s are a clear indication that Johan is establishing a significant skill gap between himself and his his closest pursuer, Paul Van Dijke.

    In the same period, Johan played another Master Series against Geert Van der Stricht, currently Belgium’s second-highest ranked player (PR 4,81).  This series consisted of ten 11-pointers:

    PR Johan MS1 0063 (10*11). Johan draws 5-5.

    PR Geert MS1 0063 (10*11). Geert draws 5-5.

    Again the skill difference is clear. One PR point is close to indisputable in a Master Series of 110 EP. Johan again manages a below-6 PR and seems to have found some solidity in his performances. So has Geert, of course, who will surely dip below 4,50 PR in the months leading up to the European Team Championship in Montenegro next year (8-10 April 2019).

    Johan is now firmly positioned on spot 4 on the BMS Grading Table with 5,60 PR.

  • BMS : PR’s from BMAB event in Nottingham (UK)

    On 15 and 16 September 2018, 26 players competed in a BMAB event in Nottingham. Typical for these BMAB events is that ALL matches are filmed by the tournament organization (i.c. Rick Janowski) and that the overall PR’s of all players are incorporated in the International BMAB list.

    Eager to make progress on that list, Geert Van der Stricht and I made the trip. Geert took a Friday night flight and I went by ferry and car on Thursday. Afterwards we were both happy. Geert won the event with 5 victories out of 5 matches (Geert was tied first with Lawrence Powell, but won the 1-point decider for the trophy) and I shared 2nd prize in the PR contest with a morale-boosting performance. Also part of our satisfaction was the fact that the hotel is supremely located close to Midlands Airport, offers great rooms  for about 65€ (with English or continental breakfast) and is organized with strict adherence to the schedule.

    Geert (r) and Lawrence (l) present their BMAB certificates.

    The PR prize was won by GM Sebastian Wilkinson from England (aged 28) with a PR of 3,2 or thereabouts. For Geert, cube actions in lopsided scores against inferior opponents proved to be a delicate balancing act and this is reflected in his PR. As we can see from the Player’s Profile below, Geert’s cube play suffered greatly from the fact that he was mostly far ahead in matches against weaker players. Adjusting with the cube is the first thing you should consider if there is a significant skill disparity and you play to win, but if you play for PR at the same time, this can have a ruinous effect on your Cube PR. Also Geert’s Checker Play PR, while very strong, is slightly below what he is capable of :

    PR Geert (5*13). Won 5/5.

    In that respect, I had an easier task. I lost my first round match and could bury my hopes of winning the tournament. I could take the factor “winning” out of my decision-making process and focus solely on making the objectively optimal choices. This benefitted my PR greatly :

    PR Michel (5*13).  Won 4/5.

    After this event, Geert and I remain in close proximity on the BMS Grading Table. We are both about 0,4 PR point behind Belgium’s uncontested number 1, Marc Van Damme.

  • BMS : Nick, Paul, Geert and Michel complete Master Series.

    Nick De Ruyck and Paul Van Dijke played, recorded and transcribed six 13-point matches over the past months (MS1 0053). Here is how they performed :

    PR Nick (6*13) loses 1-5

    A great PR for Nick, who is currently ranked as an Intermediate player on the BMS GT. This corresponds to a 10+ PR. Scoring an Advanced PR of 8,64 in six 13-point matches can’t be coincidental. Nick has been filming and transcribing his matches for more than a year now and it is encourageing to see that all this hard work is paying off. If Nick can keep up this consistent dedication, he will surely join Belgium’s small group of Advanced players in the near future. And who knows where he will go from there…

    Marc Van Damme (middle) gives Nick (left) a well-deserved thumbs up!

    Nick’s opponent was Paul Van Dijke, ranked 6 on the BMS GT. Paul’s current overall PR is 6,25, which gives him Master Class 3 status :

    PR Paul (6*13) wins 5-1

    Not a bad PR, but probably slightly disappointing for an ambitious player who is determined to improve. Paul has already scheduled a couple of other Master Series, so we will know soon enough if he can make a step forward.

    Paul in recreational mode at a BMS event in Brugge.

    Geert Van der Stricht and I also wrapped up a 6*13 Master Series (MS1 0058) :

    PR Geert (6*13) loses 2-4

    Another top-notch PR for Geert, who keeps performing at World Class level. He has now tentatively established himself as Belgium’s number 2 on the BMS GT.

    PR Michel (6*13) wins 4-2

    Lackluster performance by me and a serious setback ( “for an ambitious player who is determined to improve”). I was hoping to consolidate my Master Class 1 status, but things are going the other way… Hopefully my next MS1 (10*13 against Robin Bilderbeek) will be better.

  • Johan H. and Michel confirm current status in Master Series.

    Johan Huyck and I played, recorded and transcribed ten 11-point matches over the past months. This is how we performed :

    PR Johan (10*11). Johan loses 2-8.

    Johan has nestled himself in pole-position to turn Belgium’s below-5 trio into a quartet. Some consistence will be required to achieve this, of course.

    PR Michel (10*11). Michel wins 8-2.

    As for me, I will have to keep putting in the dedicated practice if I want to continue making progress. Needless to say that this is true for all of you readers out there…

  • Great stuff by Geert and Johan in 56th Master Series.

    One of the best ways to learn and improve your game is to record your matches, transcribe them into XG and study your mistakes carefully. This is what the best players in Belgium have been doing for some years and the results are there for all to see.

    Over the past month, Geert Van der Stricht (BMS GT : 4,67 PR, ranked number 2) and Johan Huyck (BMS GT : 5,67 PR, ranked number 4) played, recorded and transcribed six 19-point matches. This 56th Master Series ended in a 3-3 draw, but more important is how  both players performed :

    PR Geert (6*19)

    Geert’s dedication and hard work are bearing fruit. XG’s evaluation (“World Class”) is not just a flattering epithet. It is a reliable and accurate reflection of a player’s skill level. True, in a Master Series, there is not much at stake and players can approach the challenges on the board in a purely academic fashion, but have a look at how Geert did in Monte Carlo, during the most recent World Championships :

    Geert’s overall PR at the World Championship in Monte Carlo 2018 (67 EP)

    This is a pretty strong PR, bearing in mind that these matches were played under high-pressure conditions with the prestigious title of World Champion at stake. It was certainly not for lack of skill that Geert was eliminated in the early rounds of the Championship…

    Also Johan Huyck excelled in this Master Series :

    PR Johan (6*19)

    After some months away from the game, Johan seems to have come back refreshed and eager to improve. This encourageing PR may well be the boost Johan needed to continue his progress towards the 5 PR boundary. Especially his Cube Play in these long matches is worth noting.

     

     

  • Sonja Custers becomes Beginners World Champion in Monte Carlo.

    Four consecutive victories (9-point matches + 11-point final) gave Sonja Custers (Leuven BC) the title of World Champion (!) in the Beginners Division.

    The final against a female player from Russia was a particularly tense affair. Sonja was able to come back from 0-6 down to reach equality at 9-9. In an unbearably exciting DMP-game, Sonja was able to keep a cool head under time pressure and eventually won after some gruelling swings of fortune.

    Although the playing field was small and the opposition modest, this title has a prestigious ring to it and should give Sonja the motivation and confidence to continue her dedicated efforts to improve her game. She will of course from this day forward no longer be allowed to compete with the Beginners, but will have to defend her colours in the Intermediate divisions. Surely a fine achievement after barely one year of study.

    Congratulations, Sonja!

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Belgium fails to qualify for Final Four.

    In a tie-break with Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the UK, Belgium could not win sufficient 1-point matches to reach the Final Four.

    Currently, Sweden and Denmark are playing 1-point matches to see who will join Austria, Germany and Italy in the Final Four.

     

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Belgium loses to UK 2-3 and becomes joined 4rth.

    With 19 victories, Belgium will have to play a 5-team play-off to decide who qualifies for the Final Four.

    Results :

    Marc Van Damme v Gaz Owen 1-0

    Michel Lamote v Raj Jansaari 1-0

    Geert Van der Stricht v Sebastian Wilkinson 0-1

    Johan Huyck v Tim Cross 0-1

    Guy Van Middelem v Eric McAlpine 0-1

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : 4-1 victory against Turkey keeps Red Devils in title race.

    Results :

    Marc Van Damme v Kader Turk 1-0

    Michel Lamote v Gural Bulut 0-1

    Geert Van der Stricht v Arda Findikoglu 1-0

    Johan Huyck v Gökhan Günes 1-0

    Guy Van Middelem v Fatih Simer 1-0

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Belgium lose against Germany 2-3…

    The results :

    Marc Van Damme v Dirk Schiemann 0-1

    Michel Lamote v Tobias Hellwag 1-0

    Geert Van der Stricht v Jürgen Orlowski 0-1

    Johan Huyck v Volker Sonnabend 0-1

    Guy Van Middelem v Andreas Hoffman 1-0

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Red Beavers beat Denmark 3-2 in Round 4.

    After Day 1 (four rounds played) Belgium have won their third victory of the day. With three rounds to play, a spot in the Final Four is within reach.

    Walter Meuwis was the Player of the Day with 4 out of 4.

    The results :

    Marc Van Damme v Thomas Kristensen 1-0

    Michel Lamote v Thomas Myhr 0-1

    Geert Van dder Stricht v Steen Gronbech 1-0

    Johan Huyck v Karsten Bredahl 0-1

    Walter Meuwis v Peter Friberg 1-0

    Round 5 is scheduled for 10 am tomorrow. Opponent will most likely be Germany, who lead the pack.

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Red Beavers beat Norway 3-2 in Round 3.

    The Belgium Backgammon team beat current European champions Norway in thriller.

    The results :

    Michel Lamote v Dagfinn Snarheim 1-0

    Geert Van der Stricht v Hans Liby 0-1

    Johan Huyck v Sandre Rike 1-0

    Guy Van Middelem v Rune Faerewag 0-1

    Walter Meuwis v Kim Nordberg 1-0

    With 8 victories and 5 losses, Belgium remains in contention for a Final Four spot.

    Round 4 will be played after the World Cup semi-final between Belgium and France.

     

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Belgium loses to Italy 2-3.

    The results :

    Marc Van Damme v Daniel Tudose 0-1

    Michel Lamote v Giorgio Castellano 1-0

    Geert Van der Stricht v Edmond Mezini 0-1

    Johan Huyck v Fabrizio Lo Surdo 0-1

    Walter Meuwis v Laura Monaco 1-0

    Round 3 will be played at 6 pm. Guy Van Middelem will take the place of Marc Van Damme.

  • EUBTC Gibraltar : Red Beavers defeat Sweden in Round 1.

    Results :

    Marc Van Damme v Thomas Tenland 0-1

    Michel Lamote v Kim Westerlundh 1-0

    Geert Van der Stricht v Johan Bynell 0-1

    Johan Huyck v Conny Eriksson 1-0

    Walter Meuwis v Sven Olav Norén 1-0

    Round 2 : Belgium v Italy.

    The match between Michel Lamote and Girogio Castellano can be watched live on : Gibraltar backgammon.com.

     

     

  • Red Beavers are off to Gibraltar for EUBTC.

    After valiant campaigns in Hungary (2015), Denmark (2016) and Iceland (2017), the Belgium Backgammon Team will compete in the 2018 European Backgammon Team Championship in Gibraltar with 6 of our best players.

    Due to the fortuitous scheduling of the event in early July, the complete top-5 of the BMS Grading Table will represent Belgium at this high-level event.  Only Johan Segers (ranked 6) will be absent due to an overlapping family holiday. Fortunately Guy Van Middelem was able to make himself available to complete the team, notwithstanding loads of other responsibilities and commitments.

    The event consists of 7 rounds. In each round, 5 Belgian players will each play a 13-point match against 5 players from another country. After 7 rounds, the four highest ranked countries will play in a Final Four knock-out phase.

    This is the Belgium Team : 1) Marc Van Damme 2) Michel Lamote 3) Geert Van der Stricht 4) Johan Huyck 5) Walter Meuwis 6) Guy Van Middelem.

    The playing schedule : on Tuesday 10 July four rounds will be played (11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, and 9 pm) and on Wednesday 11 July rounds 5 to 7 are scheduled (10 am, 1 pm, and 4 pm).

    The Final Four will play semi-finals on Thursday 12 July at 10 am and the final at 3 pm.

    Needless to say that this is an extremely demanding and challenging format staged in a prestigious international arena.  Our players will have to find their best form in three to four 13-point matches a day and be able to hold their nerve under pressure-cooker conditions. Not only skill, but focus and stamina will be required to achieve success. Nobody can afford to play casually, since all 35 matches (or more…) of Belgium’s Best will be recorded and open for scrutiny.

    Could 2018 be our year?

  • BMS : Marc Van Damme edges closer to Grandmaster status.

    The 51st Master Series was played between the BMS ranking’s numbers 1 and 3, Marc Van Damme and Geert Van der Stricht. They played, recorded and transcribed nine 13-point matches in the course of January and February. Here is how they did :

    PR Marc (MS1 0051 : 9*13). Marc loses 3-6.

    This performance confirms Marc’s imminent rise to Grandmasterdom. Needless to say that playing better than your opponent is never a guarantee for victory in a capricious game like backgammon.

    PR Geert (MS1 0051 : 9*13). Geert wins 6-3.

    Geert will not be happy with this PR. Sometimes, however, a combination of factors (complex positions, awkward dice rolls, lack of focus after a hard day’s work, etc.) can lead to below-par PR’s. My bet is that Geert will overcome this setback with a vengeance in the months to come.

  • BMS : Fine PR’s by Johan H. and Michel in Four Cubes encounter Gent-Brugge (3-6).

    The Four Cubes encounter between Gent and Brugge was validated as a BMS-event after both TC’s ( = Team Captains), Geert Van der Stricht (Gent) and Guy Van Middelem (Brugge), agreed to record and transcribe all 9 matches. The players had all the matches transcribed within 48 hours and Johan Huyck re-analysed the matches and processed the data within a day.

    Here is how the players did (in brackets is the number of victories, followed by the overall PR, the checkerplay PR and the cube PR) :

    Michel Lamote (3)                3,84     3,58     5,21

    Johan Huyck (1)                    4,30     4,26     4,48

    Geert Van der Stricht (1)     6,21     5,14      10,40

    Guy Van Middelem (2)        7,15     6,59      12,02

    Bert Van Kerckhove (1)        8,13     4,46     23,30

    Paul Van Dijke (1)                 8,39     5,31     21,54

    These PR’s show that it is not easy to play well after a hard day’s work and that it is difficult to achieve a below-10 PR in cube handling. Johan H. and myself were the exceptions.

    I also campaigned in Gibraltar. I got off to a bad start in the 11-pointers (1/4), but managed to string 3 wins together in the Consolation (9-point matches). I filmed all my matches and came up with this encourageing result :

    PR Michel in Gibraltar (4 x 11, 4 x 9)

     

     

     

     

  • Marc Van Damme baffles international backgammon community in Gibraltar.

    The international backgammon event in Gibraltar (8-10 February) ranks among the most prominent tournaments in the world. Top players from all over the globe compete for victory. Several grandmasters from Denmark are present (Trabolt, Noehr, Myhr, Bredahl, …), as well as the crème de la crème from Germany (Orlowski, Papachristopoulos, Jonas, Söhnchen, Sonnabend, …), the UK (Wilkinson, Bennet, Hurst, McAlpine, …), the USA (McLaughlin, Edilson, Bauer, Matig, Neagu, …), Japan (Akiko, Kenji), Norway (Snarheim, Liby, Farewag, Kritikos, …), and other countries like Switzerland, France, etc.

    Marc in the semi against Jack Edilson (r)

    In this eminent and tough field, Belgium’s number 1, Marc Van Damme, succeeded in excelling. He won 5 matches in a row in the preliminary round of 11-pointers, thus gaining a bye in the final sheet of the last 32. There he eliminated the recent winner of the New York Metropolitan Open, Kimon Papachristopoulos in a crazy 15-pointer which took 21 games and culminated in a thrilling DMP-game. In the 1/4 finals Marc swept Rune Farewag (NO) off the table with exciting, aggressive play (and some luck, of course…), only to succumb to Jack Edilson (USA) in the semis. Marc reached a 15-11 lead (match to 17), but eventually saw victory slip away.

    Marc’s matches against Farewag and Edilson can be watched on YouTube.

    Great job, Marc!

     

     

  • BMS : Dirk Schiemann (GER) wins PR prize at 2nd Xmas Trophy.

    Spurred on by Tournament Director Geert Van der Stricht, the 12 participants transcribed all thirty 9-point matches within 48 hours, an unprecedented achievement. Here are the results :

    The field consisted of 7 Belgian players, 3 Dutch players and two German players. It was Dirk Schiemann from Germany who took the PR prize with a grandmasterly performance of 3,85 PR. Marc Van Damme and myself did our best to play like a grandmaster… but could not quite pull it off. Still, our PR’s promise good things for the future.

    All in all, the level of play at this tournament was very decent. The average PR of all players combined was 6,01. Most players played slightly better than their current BMS rating, which deserves praise. Funnily, the bottom 6 players on the PR list scored the most wins, namely 16 versus only 14 for the top 6. Most victories were scored by Paul Van Dijke (4 wins : winner of the Xmas Trophy) and Johan Huyck (4 wins : runner-up).

    Playing conditions in the Sandeman Club in Gent were excellent. The schedule was meticulously respected and the catering and service were top. BMS(BE) would like to thank all participants for their sportsmanship and transcribing zeal. Many thanks also to Geert and his team (Johan Huyck and Paulus Van Rooijen) for making this great event happen. The 3rd Xmas Trophy will be held at the same location somewhere in the last week of 2018.

  • BMS : Marc Van Damme in grandmaster form!

    Days before the last important BMS event of the year, the 2nd Xmas Trophy, Marc Van Damme en Geert Van der Stricht wrapped up another Master Series. They played, recorded and transcribed nine 9-point matches. Marc produced some high quality backgammon and came up with this groundbreaking result :

    PR Marc (MS 0049 9*9). Marc loses 4-5.

    This is by far the highest level of backgammon ever played in Belgium by a local player. Undoubtedly the result of hard work and daily practice. Marc hereby confirms his unchallenged number 1 spot in Belgium and looks poised to aim for Grandmaster status in 2018. Congratulations, Marc!

    Geert was not able to match this ferocious form and failed to improve on his BMS standing. Still a very worthy performance of course :

    PR Geert (MS 0049 9*9). Geert wins 5-4.

  • BMS : fine PR’s by Marc and Michel.

    Marc Van Damme is currently the highest ranked player on the BMS Grading Table. Only spectacular improvement by his two closest pursuers, Geert Van der Stricht and myself, could pose a threat to Marc’s dominant position.

    Some cracks in Marc’s armour showed in our most recent Master Series (MS 0049). In six 13-point matches, Marc played a bit below his known skill level, whereas I was able to slightly outperform myself :

    PR Marc (MS 0049 6*13). Marc wins 4-2.

    PR Michel (MS 0049 6*13). Michel loses 2-4.

    The 2nd Xmas Trophy, which will be held on Wednesday 27 December, will pit the vanguard of Belgian backgammon against each other at the Sandeman Club in Gent. 12 players will play five 9-point matches. Start of the first round is 10am. A report on ALL players’ performances will be published on this website before 10 january 2018.

    Keep learning!

  • BMS : consistent progress at the top.

    Recording your matches with a webcam (or otherwise), transcribing them in XG and afterwards studiously analysing your errors, is a very efficient and fun way to get ahead in backgammon. This is demonstrated by the significant progress made by those who invest time and effort in this exercise.

    Geert Van der Stricht and Robin Bilderbeek played, recorded and transcribed six 13-point matches over the past month. Here is how they did :

    PR Geert (MS 0043 6*15). Geert wins 4-2.

    PR Robin (MS 0043 6*15). Robin loses 2-4.

    It looks like the days of 5+ PR’s are over for Geert. Nothing more or less than the result of sustained study. The same can be said of Robin, who has taken spectacular steps forward in the past year :

    Robin pondering a backgammon position at the recent Gent Open

    Geert played another Master Series against Belgium’s star attraction, Marc Van Damme, currently our undisputed number one. They played ten 13-point matches :

    PR Geert (MS 0046 10*13). Geert wins 6-4.

    PR Marc (MS 0046 10*13). Marc loses 4-6.

    Pretty solid stuff by both players. True, the absence of pressure (there is no pecuniary reward at stake) may cause these PR’s to be slightly inflated and thus a bit flattering, but it is my guess that they will not diverge by more than 0,3 PR from both players’ real playing strengths.

    I also played a Master Series. I travelled to Dubrovnik (Croatia) and took part in the tournament there. I played two 13-pointers in the Main Flight, four 9-pointers in the Second Chance, and one 5-point match in the Last Chance. I filmed and transcribed all my matches and came up with this PR :

    PR Michel (2*13, 4*9, 1*5).

    One can always hope for more and better, but all in all that is a satisfying PR for matches played in tournament conditions.

    Next challenge on the agenda is the 2nd Xmas Trophy, which will be held on Wednesday 27 December 2017 at the Sandeman Club in Gent. Among the contenders are almost the complete top-10 of the BMS GT and … the winner of the Dubrovnik Open 2017 : Tilman Söhnchen from Berlin (GER). Also attending is the German top player (GM?) Dirk Schiemann.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Paulus wins Speedgammon event in Dubrovnik!

    Paulus (l) with tournament Director Arda and opponent Vincent.

    64 players entered the Speedgammon event in Dubrovnik, Croatia. In Speedgammon, players get 2 minutes  thinking time with 10 seconds increment for a 5-point match.

    Paulus Van Rooijen (Brugge BC) was able to string 6 victories together, winning the final against Vincent De Nardi (Fr).  A more than noteworthy achievement!