If, after reading this page, you have any questions about the UKBGF Tour or would like to apply to be part of the Tour, please email ukbgftour@gmail.com
About the Tour
It takes both skill and a bit of good fortune to win a tournament. The UKBGF Tour 2026 is designed to identify the most consistent performers, as well as taking top-flight backgammon right around the UK. The tournaments are a mixture of one-day and two-day, single-elimination, double-elimination and Swiss tournaments, supported by some of our leading clubs. Each tournament awards Tour Points to UKBGF members who take part – your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to collect as many as you can. The scoring is explained in more detail here. Our highest scorer over the course of the year will be crowned Tour Champion – and there will be trophies for the top three. Plus, there are potential places up for grabs in the Tour Winners’ Invitational (TWI) tournament, planned to be held in January 2027.
For intermediate level players – that is, people rated 1600 or below measured over the twelve month-end ratings Nov 30 – Oct 31st – there’s the UKBGF Intermediate Tour 2026. Accumulate points at at one or more of the events for intermediates, as well as at the single-division events in the same way. Scoring works in the same way as for the main tour – details here.
To check whether you can play in the Intermediates, see the list on the Intermediate Eligibility page (pending an update at year end). The ratings of all the players listed exceeded the relevant threshold and they are therefore NOT eligible. If your name is not listed on this page, you may play in an Intermediate event. Rare exceptions might arise, for example strong overseas players without a UK rating would not be expected to enter Intermediate events.
NB Once a player enters an Intermediate event they will only be eligible to score Intermediate Tour points at Intermediate or Open events, they will NOT accrue Masters Tour points.
The qualifying events for 2026 can be found here
Tour Prizes
The Tour Champion will be able to hold the UKBGF Tour Trophy for a year, and have their name engraved on it – joining our past champions:
- 2025: Kevin Jones (masters) – Chris Filby (intermediates)
- 2024: Paul Moulton (masters) – Becca Bell (intermediates)
- 2023: Radu Ciortan (masters) – Merrin Rose (intermediates)
- 2022: Rachel Rhodes (masters) – Tom Thorpe (intermediates)
- 2021: Covid – no Tour
- 2020: Covid – no Tour
- 2019: Kevin Jones (masters) – Adrian Farthing (intermediates)
- 2018: Tim Cross (masters) – Simon Hopper (intermediates)
- 2017: Steve Bibby
- 2016: Sebastian Wilkinson
The top three finishers will also receive a personalised memento.
Rules
All tournaments on the tour are played to UKBGF rules.
The full UKBGF Tour Regulations can be found here…UKBGF Tour Regulations 2025 v1.7
Registration
You’ll need to register with each event individually. Registration and entry fees are determined by the Tournament Director at each event. There are reduced fees for UKBGF members at some events on the tour; there may also be a side event or added prize exclusive to UKBGF members.
Eligibility
All UKBGF members are eligible to take part in the Tour, and you need do nothing to be included – we will collect up the results and publish Tour standings. If you qualify as an Intermediate and you enter Intermediate competitions you will automatically be entered into the Intermediate Tour and NOT the Masters Tour.
If you join the UKBGF part-way through the year, then you can still take part for the rest of the Tour, but Tour Points from events that started before you joined are not awarded retrospectively so to maximise your chances, join early! Also, memberships cannot be processed in person by organisers of the Tour events. Therefore you must join online before the day of the tournament in order to accrue Tour Points for that event.
UK Ratings
All match results, except 1-point matches, will count towards the UKBGF UK Ratings.
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