Jay's View
REPORT ON PLAY FROM WEDNESDAY, April 17, 2024
My head is spinning, and I’m pretty sure counterclockwise as you might expect for someone currently writing to you from New Zealand. Prior to play this week at the club, I left town for a visit to Seattle before catching a flight to New Zealand to spend time with my son and his wife who are about to have their first baby— a boy— which will be our first grandson. Once he’s born and home in his crib, I considered getting a plush doubling cube to place in his crib to begin the imprint in his brain of the important psychological connection he will have with backgammon in the coming years. As you might expect, my wife, son and daughter in-law put the kibosh on my plan, leaving the poor kid to learn about the game organically. Yup, poor kid.
And while my head keeps spinning here, 17 hours ahead of all of you back in Winnetka, I regret not being there with all of you to to meet and greet the three newest players to join us for and games at the club. So even though it’s coming to you with a 17 hour time difference, I extend a kiwi welcome to Medhat Tannous, and Dmitri and Julia Kavasik. Tournament Director Extraordinaire, David Hanold, Medhat came to us via recommendation from Faddoul Khoury, who joined us for a first time last week, and Julia and Dimitri received a recommendation from Vlad Eydelman. I welcome you all and look forward to meeting you when I return to the club in mid-May.
Aside from greeting three new players, David told me that it was back to fun and competitive play as usual at Trudie’s Winnetka Backgammon Club. As I understand it, first place in the Main bracket was decided in a “titanic” match between Adrian Nedelcu and Craig Anderson, with Adrian coming out on top. His victory also moved Adrian up to fourth place in the standings. And in the Consolation bracket, newcomer Julia Kavasik made her presence felt by defeating Michael Peters in the final match of the Consolation bracket. This, of course, gave Julia her first ever master point at our club, and probably not her last. Well done, Julia.
While I miss playing at the club and would love to keep writing to you, it’s going to have to wait until next week because there are many tasks at hand here that need be addressed in preparation for the arrival of our newest backgammon player. On that note, have a great weekend, everyone!
Jay