Replay some annotated matches.
The relatively big number of 32 players turned up in the Belgian city of Antwerp for the 5th Backgammon Masters Open International Edition, a two day event with a Swiss System format (which is frequenly used in chess). Among them were threefold Dutch National Champions Rogier van Gemert and Jeroen Sikkema, plus many other strong players to make up a very strong field, competing for the official Open Championship of the Low Countries.
A total of 9 rounds were played using electronic clocks, with a time limit of 15 minutes global time plus 15 seconds free time for each move (Bronstein system). Every round consisted of a 9 point match against a player with (approximately) the same number of matches won. In this system a player who loses a match may still win first prize if he wins enough matches in the other rounds. In other words, the Consolation and Last Chance are integrated in the same tournament.
Because last year's winners Marcel Nabarro and Rogier van Gemert both suffered first round losses, it was completely open who would take the title this time. After 4 rounds only Rida Hassan from The Netherlands and Luc Palmans from Belgium had won all their matches. The crucial 5th round match between the two leaders was won by Palmans, who took a one point lead as a result. Among the group of five players in direct pursuit was Marcel Nabarro, who had been scoring straight wins after his first round loss. He went on to win in round 6, thereby joining the lead, together with Hassan and Johan Segers from Belgium, who had beaten Van Gemert.
Round 7 saw Nabarro running out of steam against Hassan, while Palmans suffered another loss against dangerous outsider Dirk Provoost from The Netherlands. Segers meanwhile defeated Michael Lewicki to share the lead with Hassan.
As is so often the case in Swiss System events, the penultimate round was the crucial one. Segers beat Hassan to take a one point lead over a pack of four players who were fighting for their last title chance. These four could now battle it out against each other in round 9, because Segers, who had already met all four of them, was paired against Ed Baars who had only 5 points.
Dan Pascu beat Luc Palmans, thereby taking third prize. Rogier van Gemert beat Rida Hassan to take second prize. The prize money was shared, however, because of the equal number of 7 matches won.
Johan Segers finished his convincing performance by winning his last round match to take the Masters title with 8 points. This is certainly a very nice first big tournament win for Johan. Although it seemed to come as a big surprise for him, very likely more good results will follow.
Ranking and Games after 9 rounds of 5th Backgammon Masters International Open Edition 2009
Place No. Name R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Score
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1. 11 Johan Segers 27 W 31 W 3 W 7 L 5 W 1 W 29 W 26 W 9 W 8
2. 1 Rogier van Gemert 17 L 19 W 16 W 14 W 18 W 11 L 24 W 8 W 26 W 7
27 Dan Pascu 11 L 15 L 21 W 17 W 6 W 9 W 18 W 2 W 7 W 7
4. 7 Luc Palmans 23 W 24 W 18 W 11 W 26 W 2 L 8 L 19 W 27 L 6
26 Rida Hassan 10 W 14 W 6 W 9 W 7 L 8 W 2 W 11 L 1 L 6
24 Paul van Dijke 8 W 7 L 4 W 6 W 2 L 3 W 1 L 14 W 19 W 6
8 Dirk Provoost 24 L 23 W 20 W 30 W 9 W 26 L 7 W 1 L 3 W 6
2 Marcel Nabarro 18 L 21 W 17 W 15 W 24 W 7 W 26 L 27 L 29 W 6
9. 9 Ed Baars 25 W 29 W 28 W 26 L 8 L 27 L 30 W 16 W 11 L 5
3 Misja Alma 19 W 17 W 11 L 18 L 23 W 24 L 12 W 28 W 8 L 5
14 Paul van Koningshoven 30 W 26 L 31 W 1 L 22 W 29 L 5 W 24 L 15 W 5
19 Ruud Kallenbach 3 L 1 L 32 W 31 W 30 W 5 W 15 W 7 L 24 L 5
29 Michael Lewicki 13 W 9 L 15 L 20 W 16 W 14 W 11 L 4 W 2 L 5
5 Michel Lamote 21 W 18 L 25 W 28 W 11 L 19 L 14 L 17 W 6 W 5
15. 18 Marc Steyvers 2 W 5 W 7 L 3 W 1 L 15 W 27 L withdrawn 4
6 Jean Lewicki 22 W 20 W 26 L 24 L 27 L 23 W 28 L 30 W 5 L 4
15 Rob Willems 31 L 27 W 29 W 2 L 28 W 18 L 19 L 12 W 14 L 4
16 Serge Alard 32 W 28 L 1 L 25 W 29 L 22 W 20 W 9 L withdrawn 4
28 Hans Willem Capel 12 W 16 W 9 L 5 L 15 L 17 W 6 W 3 L 30 L 4
30 Bert Van Kerckhove 14 L 10 W 12 W 8 L 19 L 21 W 9 L 6 L 28 W 4
23 Nardy Pillards 7 L 8 L 13 W 4 W 3 L 6 L 21 W 22 L 12 W 4
22 Christos Groutsos 6 L 4 L 10 W 12 W 14 L 16 L 17 L 23 W 25 W 4
32 Susan van der Heijden 16 L 12 L 19 L 13 L 10 W 4 L 31 W 21 W 17 W 4
24. 17 Hans Böhm 1 W 3 L 2 L 27 L 25 W 28 L 22 W 5 L 32 L 3
4 Jeroen Sikkema 20 L 22 W 24 L 23 L 21 L 32 W 25 W 29 L withdrawn 3
12 Lex Coesèl 28 L 32 W 30 L 22 L 20 W 31 W 3 L 15 L 23 L 3
20 Erik Knoppert 4 W 6 L 8 L 29 L 12 L 13 W 16 L 25 L 21 W 3
25 Peter Gelpke 9 L 13 W 5 L 16 L 17 L 10 W 4 L 20 W 22 L 3
29. 21 Walter Meuwis 5 L 2 L 27 L 10 W 4 W 30 L 23 L 32 L 20 L 2
31 J.B. Camelia 15 W 11 L 14 L 19 L 13 W 12 L 32 L 10 L withdrawn 2
10 Guy van Middelem 26 L 30 L 22 L 21 L 32 L 25 L 13 W 31 W withdrawn 2
32. 13 Maurice Kemmann 29 L 25 L 23 L 32 W 31 L 20 L 10 L withdrawn 1