If you enjoy playing backgammon please consider joining the UKBGF – the cost and benefits of membership are listed further down this page.
The best way to grow the game for the benefit of both new and existing players is by means of subscription income and practical assistance from as many members as possible. With your help we will continue to build a diverse community catering for all backgammon players. If you would like to read more about what the United Kingdom Backgammon Federation does before you join, go to What is the UKBGF? (and other pages under the ‘About’ tab).
When you are ready to complete your application to join the UKBGF for the first time, please click Apply to Join, select either one-year or three-year membership, and complete the online form including payment details by credit or debit card. Note that joining for three years involves a one-off payment, whereas one year membership requires the completion of a recurring payment mandate for future annual renewals. The recurring payment mandate saves admin for both you and the UKBGF and can be cancelled at any time.
If you have been a member in the past, but you know that your membership has lapsed (and to confirm that it has), you should visit your membership account: https://ukbgf.com/membership-account/ and log in with your original username (or email address) and password prior to renewing. If you cannot remember your password, click ‘Lost your Password’ and a new temporary password will be emailed to you. If you just try to join again without logging in, the system will not allow you to use the same username or email address as used for your earlier membership. Once logged in to your membership account, select ‘Renew’ for the same period of membership as previously, or ‘Change’ to switch from 1- to 3-year membership or vice versa. If you have any difficulty, just email subscriptions@ukbgf.com for assistance.
If in doubt about whether your membership is still current, and you have played any live or online rated matches at UKBGF-affiliated clubs or events, first check either the live or online ratings where members’ names are in bold (start entering your name in the Filter box). You can also check your current membership status, category, renewal date and (for 1-year members) recurring payment details in your membership account. You will first be prompted to log in with your username (or email address) and password (or if you have forgotten this you can request a new temporary password). If your membership has lapsed, please proceed as in the previous paragraph to re-join for 1- or 3-years and follow the renewal instructions. If you experience any difficulty please email subscriptions@ukbgf.com for assistance.
Please note that automated emails which will be sent to you when you complete the online join process should be regarded as an acknowledgement of receipt of your application, and not confirmation of your membership. Your UKBGF membership will not be effective until reviewed and accepted by the UKBGF. Membership may be refused and fees refunded as deemed appropriate by the UKBGF in its sole discretion.
UKBGF Membership Fees
| Membership Level | Youth (Under 26)* | Student** | Adult (26 & over) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | Free | Free | £25 |
| 3-year | N/A | N/A | £60 |
| Life Member | N/A | N/A | £150-£500*** |
MAY 2021 – note the raised upper age limit for free youth membership (from under 21 to under 26) and the new concessionary Life Membership rates for those over 60 (see below).
* Free youth membership (for those under 26 years old) applies to UK residents only.
** Free student membership applies to any UK national in full-time education, or to a student from overseas living in the UK while studying here.
*** The cost of life membership is £500 for any player under 60. At age 60 the cost drops to £350 and is further reduced, by £20 for each additional complete year of age, to £150 for those aged 70 and above. Please supply proof of age when you apply.
For Youth, Student or Life membership, please do not try to join using the link from this page; instead email contact@ukbgf.com for more details.
All other prospective members should complete the ‘Apply to Join’ form, including payment details using a credit or debit card. You may select either one year membership for £25, or three years for £60. If you select one year, a recurring payment will be set up for ease of renewal. You may cancel your recurring payment mandate at any time or, if you forget to cancel before it goes through, you may request a refund. Three year membership requires a one-off payment of £60 without a recurring payment mandate.
Once this process is completed, your membership number will be allocated and you will have access to the Members Area of the website using your chosen password. You will also be eligible for all the member benefits listed below.
Players were originally invited to become UKBGF members in April 2015 and among the objectives set by the first elected Board (which can be found here on the blog) was to have a membership of at least 250 by the end of 2016. This number was attained well ahead of schedule and by September 2021 the number of current members was approaching 700.
Welcome to the club!
*************
-
UKBGF Membership Benefits
Benefits which apply to all members (some of which may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic) include:
-
-
- The right to vote and stand as a candidate in future UKBGF Board (or other) elections;
- Access to non-public areas of the UKBGF website including UKBGF Accounts and Papers;
- Access to all material on the UKBGF website. As well as tournament blogs and round-ups, this includes analysed matches between top players from the UK and abroad, articles on backgammon theory, instructional videos, and more;
- All matches played in UKBGF affiliated clubs and UKBGF recognised events are included in the UKBGF National Ratings System, freely available to all players – the names of UKBGF members appear in bold in this list;
- All matches played in UKBGF affiliated online events are included in the UKBGF National Online Ratings System, freely available to all players – the names of UKBGF members appear in bold in this list;
- Eligibility to play in the UKBGF League and P-40 Knockout, and to qualify to win prizes in these events;
- Eligibility to play in annual UKBGF online championships;
- New benefit: Eligibility to enter the Backgammon Hub Online Championships;
- Eligibility to receive UKBGF Tour points for every Tour event entered – the top 16 of both Masters and Intermediate Tours will receive free entry, including accommodation, to the annual Tour Winners Invitational tournament;
- Eligibility for selection by UK Team Captains (online and live) to represent the UK in international team championships (subject to fulfilling appropriate selection criteria);
- A discount of 10% off all tuition services (except videos) listed on the Backgammon Workshop (BGWS) website – see the Tuition section in the ‘Resources’ drop-down menu for more details;
- Reduced registration fees, or other member bonuses, at the UKBGF Clubs Championship and at some other tournaments on the UKBGF Tour;
- Eligibility to win added prizes including backgammon boards (or board vouchers) and added money (if applicable) at some UKBGF Tour events;
- A discount of 10% off any order placed with KATGAMMON. Mention that you are a UKBGF member when asking for a quote.
- A discount of 5% off any backgammon board order placed with Gammoner boards. Mention that you are a UKBGF member when asking for a quote: US; Europe
- Premium membership upgrade on Backgammon Studio Heroes discounted from $30 to $25 per year – upgrade page for UKBGF members is here;
- A discount of 20% off the cost of eXtremeGammon analysis software (first activation only). Note that you may download XG for a free trial period of 14 days with all features enabled before deciding whether or not to buy. When you are convinced that you need to keep this essential learning tool permanently you can still get the 20% discount by using an activation code purchased from UKBGF. Just email contact@ukbgf.com for payment instructions.
- An update email is circulated approximately every month to all members (except those who choose to opt out) providing the latest news and information about events and opportunities for players.
-
-
UKBGF Founder and Life Members
All Founder and Life members of the UKBGF will enjoy all the benefits of membership listed above, plus any benefits which may be added subsequently, for their lifetime with no further subscription payments ever becoming due. The cost of life membership depends on your age as detailed in the above table of membership fees. If you wish to become a Life Member of the UKBGF please email contact@ukbgf.com.
There are four Founder Members of the UKBGF and this special membership category is no longer available. In addition to all the benefits listed above, founder members received:
-
-
- Lifetime membership
- A specially embossed UKBGF Doubling Cube
- A series of free lessons from some of the UK’s best players
-
-
UKBGF Member No.1
The unique opportunity to become the very first member of the United Kingdom Backgammon Federation was sold to the highest bidder at the annual Charity Backgammon and Bridge tournament held at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, London, on Sunday 22nd March 2015. Scope received all the money raised at this event, including all auction proceeds, to fund its essential work helping people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
James Ramsey placed the winning bid of £1700 and is therefore UKBGF Member No.001. The size of the winning bid qualified James for lifetime founder membership of the UKBGF – congratulations James!
*************
Further benefits for all members will be added over time.
When you are ready to complete your application to join the UKBGF please click HERE.
Recent Comments