A pioneer for the women’s game
For some 35 years, with breaks in regular programming, Anna Price has been one of the all-singing, all-dancing, all-barking gaffers of the women’s game. It has been a lonely road at times as backgammon didn’t quite make the best of a lasting job for a 70-odd year period between 1920-1990 with promoting the game to women. Matters were not helped by numerous social clubs – some of which remain today – excluding women. I am pleased to report my club, the MCC, finally rescinded their 211 year ban on women in 1998. But with a thick skin, and an Iron Lady-like resolve, often with only Rachel Rhodes for company back in the day, Anna has watched with pride as the UK women’s game has blossomed to be one of the finest on the world stage. Attending tournaments and club nights is now a delightful menagerie in the ‘battle of the sexes’, and a brief glance at my local club Fulham’s ladder shows one-third of the 75 are female.
Long gone are the days when Anna could simply walk into the UK team. Now it requires real training and a low PR – she recently played off 6 in a long match with Pete Heskett. No-one will be more satisfied than Anna with the array of talent vying to take her spot in the squad. But it all started nearly 60 years ago…
Anna’s BG roots
Anna writes: I can’t remember a time when BG wasn’t a part of my life. My father taught me to play Tavli [the Cypriot version] when I was 5 or 6 years old. As a kid, one of my older brothers used to supplement his Saturday job income by playing me ‘2 bob a point’….I was 8, he was 13. He always won in record time – usually 5 straight games and half of my pocket money was gone. He was savvy enough to stop after 5 straight wins, leaving me with the rest because then no one would question why I didn’t have money for sweets. There was no cube, no Crawford rule – just straight bg (and the bar point was considered to be the golden point). Even though I always lost, I still begged him to play me ‘coz he was the only one around who would play and if losing half my pocket money was the price – so be it!
I’ve offered to play him as an adult, but he’s always refused…
The acorn starts to grow
I found real BG around 1991 when I saw a four line ad in the local paper advertising a bg club. It was run by a lovely old guy called Cliff Connick who didn’t approve of gambling, and I think we just paid £2 subs. (He passed away aged 99, years later and when he was in his 80s I used to go to his house to play him when he was too frail to go out but he still wouldn’t play for money!)
At the club I met Martin Barkwill and a few others who are still around but not as infamous ;). Someone told me about BIBA – said there was a tournament in Solihull run by Michael Crane and A.N. Other. Anyway I rocked up to this tournament at a hotel which was full of bg players and I remember there were only 1 or 2 other women there – Rachel Rhodes was one of them. One of the first guys to introduce himself to me was a lovely guy called John Thomas (you couldn’t make it up) and he taught me the Crawford Rule and, I think, the cube because I don’t think we played with a cube at the club. Anyway, I had typical beginner’s luck and won the Top Lady trophy (not difficult in a room full of men) and I was hooked. (I was sad to hear of John’s passing years later). Very soon after that I was married, had a baby, and still went to a few tourneys in Solihull with my husband, who never played and whose job it was to look after our daughter in the buggy.
Needless to say, it wasn’t long after that he/we decided weekends spent with me playing bg and him looking after the baby wasn’t a good idea. So I stopped playing, completely dropped out of the bg scene and immersed myself in married life and school runs etc.
The Ice Queen Returns
Years later, in 2012/13 I decided to start playing again and found out that there was a club in Ealing and the rest is history.
When I look back, I can’t believe that I went years without playing because, now, I live and breathe bg. I am obsessed, addicted, in love with bg, and I always say if you sliced me down the middle I’d be like a stick of rock… backgammon all the way through! It gives me such a rush – it’s absolutely my drug and the best drug ever. Sometimes when I’m playing an important match and I’m about to clinch it, my heart starts racing so much that I think “oh gosh I’m going to drop dead of a heart attack and it’s going to be embarrassing collapsing onto the floor and bg players trying to resuscitate me!”
But like all addicts I don’t want to give it up! Why do I love it so much, what is it that compels me to play…? The adrenaline rush is acute… every game is such a roller coaster of highs and lows and expectations, disappointments and fun. The risk-taking, the joy of hitting blots, banana splits, double tigers, blitzing….playing some mad moves which, unbelievably turn out to pay-off and then there’s hope! Again! Bg has so many elements of fun. It’s never boring. When I sit down to play a match I feel like an athlete about to do my thing. Sometimes it’s pure theatre! When I’m playing someone I have great chemistry/banter with it’s super exciting and fun.
The Mental Health Marvel
Lovely to read and learn a little (lot) more!
We are lucky to have Anna in our community
And to top it all, Anna is a lovely person and competitor!
Thoroughly enjoyable read Anna and Will. Anna, it is great to see you getting the recognition you deserve for the joy you bring to the game and also the pioneering efforts that you lead during, what would have been difficult times for women in Backgammon. I am sure you and Rachel could name and shame a few who were less than inviting into ‘their’ world, but, with dignity, you prefer to look to a future where strong women play an ever more dominant role in our game. Keep doing what you are doing. xx
I’m pleased Cliff brought you into backgammon, and I’m happy to have played a small part in your success.
Well done, Anna.
Thanks Mike and thank goodness I found you! Loved BIBA!
Fabulous. Made a lot of comments I think a lot of players would identify with. A great read.
A fabulous article about a FABULOUS woman – you’re an inspiration Anna xx
Who is this woman? Never heard of her.
It is an alluring new chain-smoking, crucifix-brandishing, mod rocker that we’ve attracted into the game, who seems to have a bit of a Kate Bush thing going on.
Lovely
Thank you, all, for your lovely comments x
Weatherspoons in Crystal Palace was where WE crossed swords, (Dice!)
Great memories of our chouettes there with George (RIP), Alex AKA UK champion and Eric McAlpine. That was a baptism of fire for me! My first ever chouette was with you guys x
Fond memories!x
Thank you Cynthia. I think it goes without saying that AP adores the social side. Yes, she is deadly competitive, but no-one banters more uproariously than her. She gets it: we are family.
Anna, you’re a legend! Aside from the thrills the game gives, you highlight the mental health aspect so poignantly. In a world of madness, the here and now, which is backgammon, has never been more important. Well said, Anna. Bravo!
Lovely article Anna, think you summed up BG pretty well!
Great Article… Amazing story Anna! More power to you