2020 UK Open-Online

August 29-31 (Bank Holiday Weekend)

Register NOW – priority for UKBGF Members

The UKBGF, in association with Arda Findikoglu, is proud to present a feast of online events during August: the 2020 UK Open online and the UK Legends Invitational. For full details and tournament flyers for each event, click on the above links.

Although this year’s live UK Open at Woodland Grange has been cancelled, we are very happy to be able to offer members some exciting online backgammon action in the shape of the UK Open Online, with great prizes, and for very little outlay. Geoffrey Parker Games is generously donating a Professional Roll-up board to be presented to the winner of the Intermediate flight, and the Masters winner will receive free entry into one of Arda’s legendary live tournaments (value €500). In addition the best performing UKBGF member in both the Masters and the Intermediate flights will receive a bespoke P-40 board. See the UK Open – online page for details of other prizes including chances to improve your skills with Backgammon Workshop. Thanks also to Woodland Grange Hotel and Conference Centre, and to Andrew Selby of Backgammon London for prize donations.

Both the UK Open Online and the UK Legends Invitational are being organised and directed by Arda, with the assistance of Andrew Selby, David Potter and the UKBGF Board. UKBGF members should register for the UK Open Online as soon as possible, during the initial exclusive ‘priority period’ which ends at midnight BST on 22nd July. Places are limited to 128 in each flight, and after the priority period registration will be open to all players in any country, regardless of UKBGF membership status. If you are not a current UKBGF member, you may still register during the priority period if you join (or renew your membership) here first.

Eligibility for the Intermediate flight will be as defined for the (cancelled) UKBGF Live tour. This method may not be applicable for some players (for example those without a UKBGF rating), and in such cases other ELO rating lists will be consulted (rating should be <1600 to qualify) or, failing that, the Tournament Director will exercise discretion.

Both Masters and Intermediates are double-elimination formats and the schedule requires four rounds of play per day, starting at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm, on the Backgammon Studio Heroes platform. There will be a dedicated ‘tournament room’ on Heroes for all players, with preset match times. Please note in particular that the clock settings in both Masters and Intermediate flights are one minute per point plus 10 seconds delay throughout the tournament. These allowances are significantly shorter than for live play, but the shorter time settings are necessary for an online event with high entry numbers played over a relatively short time frame. This will of course be partially offset by the fact that no time will be lost for cocked or dropped dice or for pip counts. ‘Trying out’ a move is also a faster process online than in live play. However, if your time runs out you will automatically lose the match and any appeal or claim of unawareness is likely to fail.

To reserve your place in either event, please email [email protected] before making any cash transfer, stating whether you wish to play in the Masters or Intermediate flight (and/or the UK Legends). If you are in time, you will be sent a confirmation email with payment instructions. Registrations for the UK Open online opened six days ago, when the July members’ update email was issued, and already the Masters is nearly half full. So register NOW to avoid disappointment!

Players may enter both the UK Open Online and the UK Legends Invitational. The registration procedure is the same for both.

For avoidance of doubt, matches in the both UK Open Online, and in the UK Legends Invitational, will not be UKBGF rated.

We hope that all participants in these events, and especially UKBGF members, have a great tournament!

Source: ukbgf.com