8 difficult backgammon problems given in the seminar at the 7th Merit Open 2019 in North Cyprus. Players are given 15 min for 8 problems in the beginning of the seminar, then we went through all problems with guest speakers. 100+ people (including the guest) took the test. The best score at the seminar was 8 scored by David Presser!

1. MOCHY’S EIGHT
BACKGAMMON
PROBLEMS
9TH NOV 18:30PM-19:30PM
THE 7TH MERIT OPEN 2019

2. IN MEMORY OF
GIORGOS KLEITSAS
• This quiz seminar is
dedicated to Giorgos
Kleitsas, who was an
excellent backgammon
player and good friends of
all of us.
• He gave 100 difficult
problems to a few top
players in 2016 in Merit
Open. I picked 8 good
problems from them.

3. RULES OF THE COMPETITION
• 15min for 8 problems.
Positions are money games without Jacoby
rule.
• Write your answer (A,B,C,D) in the answer
sheet and submit to the staff.

4. PRIZE AWARD
<Guest Speakers>
• 1st : 250euro
<Audience>
• 1st: 250euro
* In case of a tie, money will be split

5. GUEST SPEAKERS
Tenland Sabri David Wells
(Sweden) (Turkey) (USA)

6. GUEST SPEAKERS
Mislav
(Croatia)
David Presser
(Israel)

7. SPONSORS OF THE SEMINAR
Arda FindikogluMarco Fornasir

8. SPONSORS OF
THE SEMINAR

9. SPONSORS
OF THE
SEMINAR

10. PROBLEM 1
A, Bar/20 24/23 C, Bar/20 6/5
B, Bar/20 11/10 D, Bar/24 13/8

11. C, BAR/20 6/5

12. PROBLEM 2
A, Bar/23 6/5(2) C, Bar/21*
B, Bar/24 6/5(3)

13. C, BAR/21*

14. PROBLEM 3
A, 4/3 4/1 C, 6/2
B, 22/18

15. B, 22/18

16. PROBLEM 4
A, 22/16 C, 13/8 6/5
B, 22/21 13/8

17. B, 22/21 13/8

18. PROBLEM 5 A, 13/10 13/8 C, 8/5 8/3*
B, 16/13 16/11

19. C, 8/5 8/3*

20. PROBLEM 6
A, 11/5 6/1* C, 8/2* 7/2
B, 7/1* 6/1 D, 23/18 11/5

21. C, 8/2* 7/2

22. PROBLEM 7 A, No Double / Take B, Double / Take
C, Double / Pass D, Too good to Double / Pass

23. A, NO DOUBLE / TAKE

24. PROBLEM 8
WHICH IS THE WORST ROLL?
A, 44 C, 41
B, 11 D, 55

25. A, 44
• 44: 24/16 8/4 6/2 (-
0.257)
• 11: 7/4 6/5 (-0.162)
• 41: 8/4 5/4 (-0.162)
• 55: 20/15(2) 13/8 7/2
(-0.171)

26. THANK YOU FOR COMING!
GOOD LUCK IN THE TOURNAMENT!