World Backgammon Association
World
Backgammon
Association
The World Backgammon Association (WBA) was founded in 2001 in Beverly Hills / California by Chiva K. Tafazzoli and operates from its Headquarters in Malta. World Backgammon Association is dedicated to the game of Backgammon and has become the leading authority of the game.
WBA not only has close personal contact to the best players in the world, but also provides with an excellent network within the backgammon circuit and related medias.
Backgammon
Events & News
Protected Brands, Names and Logos
The name and logo of World Backgammon Association, Backgammon World Cup, European backgammon Tour, World Backgammon Tour, are registered, copyrighted and owned. Prior written consent is needed for useage.
World Backgammon Day - 21st March 2026
21st March is "World Backgammon Day"
For over 10 years, we have been encouraging the backgammon community to celebrate the World Backgammon Day by gathering, playing, organizing tournaments and enjoying the game, especially on March 21st. An application at UNESCO for the officialization of this "World Backgammon Day" has been made and is ongoing.
New World Record to be set in Istanbul
The Anniversary Tournament of ISTAVDER in Istanbul (Turkey) is a must attend in terms of space, equipment, organisation and format. It has been attracting more and more players in the history of is existence.
General Rules updated - January 2024
The number of breaks during a match has been changed.
Breaks are now added to the time bank of each player when a clock is in use. Clocks are NOT to be stopped during the breaks and the time will be running on the player on break. Please check General Rules section for the updates.
Changes have been made in the section of rolling dice and cube action in situations with and without cube.
The Chaos of the Dice - Falafel
In order to meet Falafel, the highest ranked backgammon player in the world, I took a Greyhound bus to Atlantic City, and then hopped a jitney to the Borgata Hotel. Falafel’s real name is Matvey Natanzon, but no one calls him that, not even his mother, who calls him Mike, the name that he adopted when they emigrated from Israel to Buffalo—one leg in a long journey that began in Soviet Russia. Now even Falafel calls himself Falafel...
SassanGammon
So everyone knows backgammon, played with 2 dice. But who knows and enjoys SassanGammon, the variation played with 3 dice?
New Pipcounting Method Released
Axel Reichert, a software programmer and analytic backgammon player from Munich, has analyzed several pip-counting methods and developed a few of them for a more simple but efficient use during matches.
WBA is now BMAB Partner
WBA Events in 2016 are in accordance with BMAB Partnership Program.
Recording is allowed. Matches of the players wanting to be rated and ranked for BMAB will be accepted as such in accordance with the BMAB rules.
The tournaments in Munich, Köln, Portugal, Frankfurt and Prague will be BMAB labelled.
Michi´s Tribute to Falafel
While the passing of Matvey Mike Natanzon aka "Falafel" has got the entire backgammon community mourning, his Japanese friend and backgammon Giant Michihito Michi" Kageyama has written a wonderful tribute to the late hero.