ABT Online!
The U.S. Backgammon Federation (USBGF) is pleased to announce the launch of the ABT Online! Tour. Similar to the American Backgammon Tour, players entering ABT Online! Tournaments will earn points toward ABT Online! rankings.
The ABT Online! is a complement to the in-person American Backgammon Tour. The 2020 ABT points race has been canceled because of shelter-in-place orders. However, points earned in any 2020 ABT event will be banked in a player’s lifetime achievement total.
The 2020 ABT Online! points leader will be crowned Champion at the annual USBGF Awards Dinner to be held in 2021. Trophies will be awarded to the top three points leaders. The top 20 leaders will receive certificates of recognition.
Results of each ABT Online! the tournament will be announced on the USBGF and ABT Facebook pages, the USBGF website, and PrimeTime Backgammon magazine. Key matches from the ABT Online! tour will be featured in PrimeTime with analysis by expert players.
USBGF membership is required to play in the ABT Online! tournaments. A USBGF tournament fee of $6 per player will be assessed to cover USBGF ABT Online! tour costs.
A USBGF Basic membership is available for as little as $10 every three months. Purchase through PayPal is required for a quarterly Basic membership. Members have access to the following benefits:
- The USBGF Online Tournament Circuit. Members may play in more than 100 online tournaments a year.
- Chris Bray’s Learning Curve column.
- The Online Match Series, where members play collectively play against all-time ABT points leader Neil Kazaross by voting on checker plays and cube decisions.
- Over 200 teaching videos.
Premium membership is available quarterly for $15. Benefits include electronic access to PrimeTime Backgammon magazine and select online tournaments.
To join the USBFG go to the USBGF website at Join/Renew
ABT Online! tournament formats, entry and registration fees, payouts, and technical requirements vary by each event and are generally decided by collaboration between the tournament directors and Ben Friesen, ABT Online Tour Director.
The USBGF has established anti-cheating procedures for ABT Online! tournaments. The USBGF and tournament directors reserve the right to exclude any player from participation without giving a reason.
The goals of the ABT Online! Tour are to:
- Build community through online backgammon.
- Add value to current USBGF memberships by expanding our online tournament playing opportunities.
- Create and sustain a new tournament circuit as another product from the ABT brand. The ABT Online! tournaments will continue even after the COVID-
- 19 shelter-in-place orders are taken down.
- Develop & expand partnerships with ABT and ABTOnline! event organizers.
- Build the USBGF membership base.
Upcoming ABT Online! Current Tour Schedule:
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- 4/25 – 4/26, 2020…Cherry Blossom Online – concluded
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- 5/18 – 5/24, 2020…Chicago Open Online
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- 6/5 – 7/2, 2020…Los Angeles Open Online
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- 9/12 – 9/13, 2020…Denver Open Online – warm-up for the live Denver Wild West ABT
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- 10/3 – 10/4, 2020…Sunny Florida Online – warm-up for the live Sunny Florida ABT
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- TBD – USBGF Online Championships
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- John Pirner
- President and Executive Director
- US Backgammon Federation
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