BACKGAMMON'S GOLDEN LIST OF CHAMPIONS

Masayuki Mochizuki (Japan)

In the 1960's, the game of Backgammon experienced a huge surge in popularity that extended in the next decade and beyond. An annual international tournament was created to determine who was the best player in the world. Below you will find a list of these champions dating back to 1967.

Apparently some of the earlier years are missing because there was no World Championship at the time while from 1976 to 1978 two World Championships were held, one in Monte Carlo and another in the Bahamas.

While many players dispute that some of these champions were not the best but the luckiest at the moment, one way or the other, they deserve their titles for they had the passion to set a goal, travelled to the event and won against all other competitors.

The discussion goes on today, who is the best player in the world? Many believe that Jerry Grandell of Sweden is the man, while others side with Nack Ballard of the USA. A lot of other names come up in these debates but the truth is that even if the best player decides that "this is the right move" in a given position on the board, at that particular instance the element of the luck of the dice can prove otherwise.

Here are some links to lists that rank the top players in the world today:

The Faces Of The Giants
32 Giants of Backgammon
KG's Ranking List

Tournament Director Bill Davis, Editor of the Chicago Point newsletter, has published on his website an All-Time Standings list of more than 1200 players of the American Backgammon Tour (ABT) that have earned points since 1993. The current standings of the ABT so far this year are here.

If you visit some of the websites in our Backgammon Associations section, some of these also maintain a rankings list of players in their organizations.

Photo Copyright © by Michael "Max" Maxakuli
from his Backgammon Photo Album on ChicagoPoint.com

Golden Champions of the World

World Championships

2009 - Masayuki Mochizuki (Japan)
2008 - Lars Trabolt (Denmark)
2007 - Jorge Alberto Pan (Argentina)
2006 - Philip Vischjager (The Netherlands)
2005 - Dennis Carlston (USA)
2004 - Peter Hallberg (Denmark)
2003 - Jon Røyset (Norway)
2002 - Mads Andersen (Denmark)
2001 - Jorgen Granstedt (Sweden)
2000 - Katie Scalamandre (USA)
1999 - Jorgen Granstedt (Sweden)
1998 - Michael Meyburg (Germany)
1997 - Jerry Grandell (Sweden)
1996 - David Nahmad (Italy)
1995 - David Ben Zion (Israel)
1994 - Frank Frigo (USA)
1993 - Peter Jes Thomsen (Denmark)
1992 - Ion Ressu (Rumania)
1991 - Michael Meyburg (Germany)
1990 - Hal Heinrich (Canada)
1989 - Joseph Russell (USA)
1988 - Phillip Marmorstein (Germany)
1987 - Bill Robertie (USA)
1986 - Clement Palacci (Italy)
1985 - Charles-Henri Sabet (Italy)
1984 - Mike Svobodny (USA)
1983 - Bill Robertie (USA)
1982 - Nack Ballard (USA)
1982 - Jacques Michel (Switzerland)
1981 - Lee Genud (USA)
1980 - Walter Coratella (Mexico)
1979 - Luigi Villa (Italy)
1978 - Paul Magriel (USA)
1977 - Jean Noel Grinda (France)
1977 - Ken Goodman (USA)
1976 - Joe Dwek (UK)
1976 - Baron Vernon Ball (USA)
1975 - Billy Eisenberg (USA)
1974 - Claude Beer (USA)
1973 - Carol Crawford (USA)
1972 - Oswald Jacoby (USA)
1971 - Tim Holland (USA)
1968 - Tim Holland (USA)
1967 - Tim Holland (USA)

Worldwide Backgammon Federation Champions of Europe

Michel Serrero
2006 European Champion

2009 - Christos Groutsos (Greece)
2008 - Fernando Braconi (Italy)
2007 - Schmucki (Austria)
2006 - Michel Serrero (France)
2005 - Francois Tardieu (France)
2004 - Francois Tardieu (France)
2003 - John Slattery (Scotland)
2002 - Katja Spillum (Norway)
2001 - Francois Tardieu (France)
2000 - Harald Johanni (Germany)
1999 - Mario Sequeira (Portugal)
1998 - Elio Hamoui (Israel-Italy)
1997 - Michael Löfblad (Sweden)
1996 - Nicholas Kitt (Romania)
1995 - Evert van Eijck (Holland)
1994 - Ion Ressu (Romania)
1993 - Matthias Körner (Germany)
1992 - Ion Ressu (Romania)
1991 - Michael Meyburg (Germany)
1990 - Thomas Lumper (Germany)