The 5th Cotswold

Fireside Backgammon Tournament

Current Champion: Stuart Mann

26th, 27th and 28th January 2007 at the Bear of Rodborough Hotel, Stroud, Glos

Having outgrown the Crown Inn Blockley, the Cotswold Fireside Backgammon tournament is moving to a new home for its fifth incarnation in 2007.

The Bear of Rodborough Hotel is a former coaching inn set in a stunning location high above Stroud, surrounded by 300 acres of National Trust owned common land.

              View of Stroud from Rodborough Common                                                             The Bear of Rodborough Hotel

The hotel has a fantastic character, all wood-panelled nooks and crannies, antique furniture, open log fires and comfortable sofas and arm-chairs. We will have the use of a dedicated (non-smoking) playing room and numerous other rooms, including the residents’ lounge.

The restaurant is one of the best in an area known for its good food, making full use of locally sourced ingredients, and the package I have negotiated includes table d’hote dinner and breakfast. Lunch is also available in the bar at very reasonable rates.

The larger venue (46 bedrooms at the Bear and plenty more locally) has allowed me to dispense with the limit on numbers and to offer three flights of backgammon: Champion, Intermediate and Amateur. The Amateur flight is introduced to encourage occasional players, especially the partners of more experienced players, and in this flight matches will be played without the use of the doubling cube. I hope that this will encourage people to bring partners with them to share what should be a fantastic weekend, especially as single bedrooms at the Bear are few in number, and the single-occupancy rate for a double room is rather pricey.

There will also be the usual programme of poker tournaments as well as evening jackpots.

Hotel rates

All prices are per person, per night dinner, bed and breakfast.

Single rooms at £69 (please contact me immediately if you want one)

Single occupancy of a double room is £100

Two sharing a double room is £55

Two sharing a twin room is £59

Tournament Formats

100% of all entry fees are returned in cash prizes to players. There will be main and progressive consolation tournaments in all flights, given sufficient numbers. On Sunday there will be a single Handicap Last Chance tournament, open to players in any flight.

Given the extra numbers expected and the complexity of running three flights I will need to draft in administrative assistance. Reluctantly, therefore, I will have to charge a £10 registration fee this year on the Championship flight, and £5 registration on the Intermediate and Amateur flights.

The Championship flight is Open and will comprise best of three 7pt matches throughout, entry fee £140+£10.

The Intermediate flight is restricted to players who have never won the main or intermediate flight of a national or international tournament and who have never been ranked at ELO 1700 or more in BIBA or Gammonitis rankings. It will comprise a series of best of three 7pt matches throughout. Entry fee of £45+£5.

The Beginner flight is restricted to players who have never won any flight of a national or international tournament and who have never been ranked at ELO 1550 or more in BIBA or Gammonitis rankings. It will consist a single 5pt match through to the final which will be a single 7pt match. Matches will be played without the cube but gammons and backgammons will score in the normal way. Entry fee of £20+£5.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to exclude any player from the lower flights if information comes to light suggesting that he or she is attempting to play below his or her level of ability. Please ask if you think there may be doubt in this respect.

Tournament Programme

Friday 26th January

2pm to 7pm         Quarter and Eighth entries by demand and registration for all flights

7.30pm                Dinner

9.30pm                £200 entry backgammon Super jackpot

10.00pm              £10 rebuy no limit Texas Hold’em tournament

Saturday 27th January

10.30am              Registration closes

10.35am              Auction of Championship players

10.50am              Public draw of all flights

11.00am              Play commences

7.30pm                Dinner

9.30pm                £20 rebuy no limit Texas Hold’em tournament (Champion: Tony Lee)

9.30pm                Backgammon jackpots by demand

Sunday 28th January

11am                   Play continues all flights main and consolation

11.30am              Last chance open 64 draw with 1 rebuy. This is open to players of all flights and will be 7pt matches throughout. Amateurs will receive a 2pt start and Intermediates a 1pt start.

7.30pm                Dinner and prize giving

9.30pm                £50 double chance freeze-out Texas Hold’em no limit poker tournament