The room smelled of old felt, coffee, and quiet desperation. In the back of a London arcade that had somehow survived the algorithm age, three men sat around a single wooden board. Outside, rain. Inside, the clatter of dice cups.
Reserved for players with an error rate below 2.0 per game. These players make fewer than two significant strategic errors in an entire 15-point match. Typically, fewer than 1% of tournament players achieve this.
The represents the sport’s transition from a gambling pastime to a legitimate mind sport, on par with chess. In 2023, the BMAB signed a cooperation agreement with the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), pushing for backgammon's inclusion in the next World Mind Sports Games.
“See,” Leo said, collecting the token, “anyone can be a world champion for a weekend. But BMAB? They follow you forever. Every tournament, every casual game you upload, every online match. Their algorithm watches. If your error rate climbs, your title gets provisional. If you get sloppy, they revoke it. No appeals. No ego. Just math.” backgammon masters awarding body
Error rates between 4.0 and 4.9. While not "Masters," these players form the backbone of high-level regional tournaments.
Below is a helpful overview of what the BMAB is and how you can earn a mastership title.
Established around 2014, the BMAB was created to promote backgammon as an international "mind sport" on par with chess. It serves as a partner to the , the sport's global governing body. While the WBGF focuses on tournament rules and international standards, the BMAB acts as the primary academic and certification arm of the game. How Master Titles are Awarded The room smelled of old felt, coffee, and quiet desperation
He pointed to the wall behind him—a framed certificate, watermark of the BMAB. Leo Vass. Senior Master. PR lifetime: 2.41.
“And that,” he said, “is worth more than any trophy.”
By focusing on PR, the system identifies the best players regardless of short-term dice luck. Global Community: The body coordinates with major organizations like the U.S. Backgammon Federation (USBGF) World Backgammon Federation (WBGF) to maintain a global player ranking list Inside, the clatter of dice cups
Leo doubled. Dhruv dropped.
Matches are played under tournament conditions—live and clocked—and then recorded and transcribed. The Analysis: Every move is analyzed by eXtreme Gammon (XG)