Professional Roll –Up Boards for Novice Winners
In a little under four months backgammon players from around the UK – plus a good few from overseas – will converge on the Legends Lounge at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry for the first UK Open. Thanks to our sponsor Geoffrey Parker Games Ltd, two beautiful Professional Roll-up backgammon boards, (similar to the one illustrated) are among the prizes to be won in the Beginners events. Added money from another sponsor, Grosvenor Casinos, has been allocated to both the Championship and Intermediate flights.
So far, one hundred and ten players have signed up to play in the Open including (at the time of writing) exactly 64 Championship players. We are not yet closing registration for the Champs and will continue to accept registrations for all three flights. However players are strongly advised to register in advance – if you wait you may end up being disappointed. The constraint on total numbers is determined by the size of the Legends Lounge which will accommodate in the region of 180 players.
Because of the phenomenal support for the Open and the resultant demand for hotel accommodation, our initial allocation of rooms at the DeVere Hotel at the Ricoh has been exhausted. If you still need a room, please check the Venue page for the latest information, and also subscribe to this blog where comments will be added as updates become available.
One way to guarantee both your seat in the Championship Flight and a free night at the Devere Hotel is to win one of the four remaining Grosvenor Qualifiers. The next Qualifier is at the Victoria Casino this Saturday, 31st May. This event is now fully subscribed with 64 pre-registered players, but a waiting list exists in case of cancellations. Should you wish to put your name on this list please email peter@ukbgf.com as soon as possible.
After the London Qualifier, there will be three more Grosvenor Qualifiers between now and September. The first of these is at the Grosvenor Casino at the Ricoh itself on Saturday 28th June. Take a look at the Ricoh Area and enter a Qualifier at the same time! To pre-register for this Qualifier email phil@ukbgf.com.
The Ricoh Qualifer is followed by Manchester (Didsbury) on Sunday 3rd August, and Newcastle on Saturday 23rd August. This last Qualifier in Newcastle offers players amazing value because both finalists will receive a £250 seat in the UK Open Championship flight. That’s not all: if at least 25 players enter the Qualifier, both finalists will also receive one free night’s accommodation at the Devere Hotel at the Ricoh. Don’t miss this two-seat giveaway! For more details see the Newcastle Grosvenor Facebook event.
Finally, you might be a seasoned player all set to compete in the Intermediate or Championship Flight. But maybe you have a partner, relative, friend or neighbour who knows how to play but doesn’t (yet) devote as much time to the game as you do. If that’s the case, ask them to come along to the Ricoh for a one-day Beginners competition on either Saturday 20th or Sunday 21st September. He or she might just walk away with a great prize….which you may want to borrow!
Peter Bennet says
Further to the above post we have today secured a few additional rooms at the DeVere Hotel at the Ricoh, and also at the Novotel Coventry which is about 15 minutes’ walk from the Ricoh. For details select Events/UK Open 2014/Venue.