Category Archives: BMS(BE)

After an absence of many years, Marc Van Damme has catapulted himself to the number 1 spot in Belgian backgammon. In his slipstream follow Geert Van der Stricht and Michel Lamote, trying to benefit from the leader’s pull. Marc and … Continue reading →

In the more rarefied regions of Belgian backgammon, persistent efforts are being made to notch up the level of play. Marc Van Damme and Geert Van der Stricht, the current numbers 1 and 2 in the BMS realm, scored ringing … Continue reading →

If you play a pre-designated number of medium-length matches, say eight matches to 9 points, you can be pretty sure that your overall PR will give a reliable idea of your true playing strength. That is, if you make an … Continue reading →

Back in 2001, when I was a novice to the game, Marc Van Damme (47) was already a player of some stature. In Paris, where Marc had shown up with Bert Van Kerckhove, Marc reached the finals of the Advanced … Continue reading →

Walter Meuwis and Ronny Conaert played, recorded and transcribed six 15-point matches in the course of the past 3 months. These matches were played in the cosy surroundings of Walter’s Hasselt home. With no money, shiny trophies or prestigious titles … Continue reading →

Spread over four Fridays in March,  Robin Bilderbeek and I played eight 13-point matches, which we recorded and transcribed. Robin was eager to test his new-found skills against a better opponent and I desperately needed some better-than-average PR’s to give … Continue reading →

Watching a backgammon match can be fun and entertaining, especially when both players play at World Class level and  there is something at stake. When I am out of a tournament, I never play side-events.  I go and watch a … Continue reading →

At the top of Belgian backgammon, there is little room for sloppiness. Playing a demanding Master Series of six 17-point matches with less than optimal focus can have unpleasant consequences. I started off this MS1 with another clock violation. My … Continue reading →

Losing a backgammon match can be a frustrating affair. You feel you played better than your opponent, but still ended up losing. Fortunately, some satisfaction can be derived from the computer’s evaluation of your stellar performance. The other side of … Continue reading →