Two keen locals got to play backgammon to their hearts’ content recently during a “fabulous” weekend across the ditch at the Australian Open – and one even came away with a share of the prize money.
Read more: Mixed fortunes for keen Raglan pair at big Aussie backgammon tourneyOne-time Raglan BnB operator Amanda Cron, who admits to being “very competitive”, was in the money after winning four straight matches to make the Sunday semifinals.
Fellow Raglan competitor Dermot Murtagh wasn’t quite so lucky. “I was a loser,” he confessed jokingly back home at Moonlight Bay. “I ate lots of humble pie.”
Amanda and Dermot – along with New Zealand backgammon “guru” Grant Hoffman – were the only Kiwis among the 90 entrants who converged on Tweed Heads, in northern New South Wales, for the backgammon champs.
In all 392 matches were played at the Twin Towns Conference & Function Centre over the three days, with $30,000 prize pool money up for grabs. “It’s pretty serious for the big boys,” says Amanda. “They wanna win that money.”
But becoming too serious about the game is not for Dermot, who set up Raglan’s backgammon club four years ago. “That would take the fun out of it,” he reckons.
The retired mortgage broker finds playing backgammon is a great way to meet “a whole bunch of amazing characters” and to make new friends. Never mind getting beaten savagely at the champs, he laughs. “You have to learn to lose gracefully.”
The board game – which dates back to ancient times – can be frustrating, Dermot admits, but it’s the mix of luck and skill from rolling dice that gets players hooked.
Raglan’s backgammon club – which meets at the Old School in Stewart St the last Friday of every month – has had more than 200 people through all up, he estimates. Typically it attracts 20-odd players on a “good night” and a dozen or so on a regular basis.
Fostering camaraderie between players is a feature of the club which caters for all skill levels including beginners, says Dermot. “There are a lot of smart people here and backgammon adds a bit more to the flavour of our community.”
And while it’s quite a basic board game, he says, local players are also encouraged to use the ‘doubling cube’ which multiplies the skill level. Not that it’s a must-do, he adds – backgammon nights are simply “fun, social evenings” with old hands like himself and Amanda happy to support the newbies.
Raglan now regularly hosts the North Island champs, attracting 40 to 50 enthusiasts from clubs around New Zealand and Australia. Someone even came from the UK last year, Dermot recalls.
A tournament like this typically sees players set up on tables in Volcom Lane, adding colour and interest to the weekend vibe downtown.
* Backgammon is played the last Friday of every month at the Old School Arts Centre in Stewart St, 5pm-8pm. All welcome. Contact Dermot for more information: 027445232.
