Backgammon – Dane wins World Backgammon Championship
Lars Bentzon of Denmark was crowned the world’s new backgammon champion at the 35th Monte Carlo World Backgammon Championship this week.
Bentzon, also a professional poker player and online casino games star, wrapped up the world title at the event at the Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo. Nicknamed “Buster,” Bentzon is best known as fellow Dane and pro poker player Gus Hansen’s former manager.
Bentzon won €60.000 for the first prize and now owns the most prestigious title in backgammon. Bentzon beat Spanish/Lebanese Ricardo Mala 25-9 in the finals, after beating fellow countrywoman, and one of the leading female players in backgammon, Pia Jeppesen 23-16 in the semifinals.
The main division of the 35th Monte Carlo World Backgammon Championship, which opened July 11, started with a field of 158 backgammon players. Dozens more entered the Intermediate and Beginners’ divisions, which featured semi finalists Olivier Décultot of France and Pia Jeppesen of Denmark. The Doubles Tournament was won by Fuat Erdag and Ilhan Koc of Turkey.
Lars Bentzon is the fifth Dane to win the World Backgammon Championship. He was preceded by Lars Trabolt, who won the 2008 title (and the Super Jackpot event in 2010), Peter Hallberg (2004), Mads Andersen (2002) and Peter Jes Thomsen who broke the ground in 1993. Last year’s world champion, Japanese Masayuki Mochizuki (Mochy) has dropped already at the second round, but returned as a semi-finalist at the 2nd consolation event.
