GIANTS OF BACKGAMMON
Who are the top players in the world? 

WHO ARE THE WORLD'S BACKGAMMON GIANTS IN 2024?!

Every two years, Yamin Yamin of Illinois has surveyed Championship-level players and
tournament directors around the world. They are asked to rank the best players in the world,
based on their active involvement with backgammon and their performance over the past two years.

If you are an Open player, you are eligible to vote for the Giants. Here is the 2024 ballot:

http://www.flintbg.org/giants2024.pdf

You may send your list of votes to Yamin or Carol Joy Cole or Jake Jacobs by email.

The deadline for voting is January 31, 2025.

A full report on the Top 64 players will appear in the Spring issue of the USBGF's
PrimeTime Magazine. Player profiles and statistics on the number of ballots per player,
the number of first-place votes, and total points per player will be revealed.
The Top 32 players will be honored with special awards and trophies.

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The backgammon community bounced back well from the pandemic gloom of 2020-21.
The Giants Committee collected votes for the Giants of 2022 after an extra year of hiatus.

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MOCHY is the #1 GIANT of BACKGAMMON for the 6th time:
2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 & 2022!

MOCHY is the #1 BACKGAMMON GIANT for the third time:
2009, 2013 & 2015!

We received 251 valid ballots for the 2015 Giants, a huge increase from 201 ballots in 2013! Thanks to everyone who voted!

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2015 GIANTS!

251 ballots were accepted for the 2015 Giants of Backgammon.
72% of the ballots came from voters outside the USA.
533 different players were nominated as Giants.

Here are the Top 32 international players who received the most votes, followed by Runner-up players 33-64:

"Mochy" Mochizuki, "Michy" Kageyama and Akiko Yazawa
at the 2016 New York Metropolitan Open
[Photos by CJC]

(Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2013.)

RANK	2015 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	Masayuki Mochizuki (1)	Japan
2.	Michihito Kageyama (2)	Japan
3.	Akiko Yazawa (17)	Japan
4.	"Falafel" Natanzon (3)	Israel/USA
5.	Matt Cohn-Geier (5)	USA
6.	Neil Kazaross (4)	USA
7.	Petko Kostadinov (6)	USA
8.	Victor Ashkenazi (11)	USA
9.	Steve Sax (9)	USA
10.	Thomas Kristensen (51)	Denmark
11.	Lars Trabolt (7)	Denmark
12.	Bob Wachtel (8)	USA
13.	Sander Lylloff (18)	Denmark
14.	Steen Grønbech (28)	Denmark
15.	Kit Woolsey (14)	USA
16.	Mislav Kovacic (329)	Croatia
17.	Paul Weaver (13)	USA
18.	Jürgen Orlowski (24)	Germany
19.	Jacob "Stick" Rice (10)	USA
20.	Tobias Hellwag (23)	Germany
21.	Marty Storer (251)	USA
22.	John O'Hagan (15)	USA
23.	Ray Fogerlund (20)	USA
24.	Malcolm Davis (12)	USA
25.	Joe Russell (42)	USA
26.	Bill Robertie (22)	USA
27.	Yoshiyuki Nakamura (122)	Japan
28.	Karsten Bredahl (26)	Denmark
29.	Dado Martincevic (---)	Croatia
30.	Mike Senkiewicz (25)	USA
31.	Willi Preskar (367)	Croatia
32.	Freddie Noer (52)	Denmark

(Numbers in parentheses show
their Giant ranking in 2013.)

RANK	2015 RUNNERS-UP	COUNTRY
33.	Kristijan Culjat (---)	Croatia
34.	Fernando Braconi (27)	Italy
35.	"Othello" Itikawa (32)	Japan
36.	Nino Martincevic (---)	Croatia
37.	Raj Jansari (36)	England
38.	Gus Jacobsen Hansen (19)	Denmark
39.	Carlo Melzi (35)	Italy
40.	Marc Brockmann Olsen (48)	Denmark
41.	Michael "Mik" Larsen (66)	Denmark
42.	Konstantinos Mitrelis (62)	Greece
43.	Athanasios Katsios (101)	Greece
44.	Stepan Nuniyants (33)	USA
45.	Mary Hickey (43)	USA
46.	Paul "X-22" Magriel (29)	USA
47.	Frank Simon (95)	Germany
48.	Kenji Shimodaira (41)	Japan
49.	Sergey Erokhin (71)	Russia
50.	Bernhard Kaiser (61)	Germany
51.	Cihangir Çetinel (---)	Turkey
52.	Nack Ballard (30)	USA
53.	Christos Groutsos (63)	Greece
54.	David Wells (39)	USA
55.	Mario Sequeira (53)	Portugal
56.	Gaz Tafari Owen (156)	England
57.	Ralf Jonas (16)	Germany
58.	Kimon Papachristopoulos (57)	Germany
59.	Nevzat Dogan (44)	Denmark
60.	Carol Joy Cole (40)	USA
61.	Dmitriy Obukhov (88)	USA
62.	Jake Jacobs (46)	Singapore
63.	Eric McAlpine (197)	England
64.	George Kleitsas (47)	Greece

Voter eligibility is determined by this Giants of Backgammon Committee:

Chairman: Yamin A. Yamin
Auditor: Jake Jacobs
Editor: Carol Joy Cole
Statistician: John Stryker

Howard Ring was one of our original Auditors.
He passed away on 9/24/05 at the age of 45. We honor his memory.

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Updated April 7, 2018 by CJC

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MOCHY is the #1 BACKGAMMON GIANT for the second time: 2009 & 2013!

We received 201 valid ballots for the 2013 Giants, an impressive increase from 167 in 2011!

A full report and complete statistics on the Top 64 players will appear in the Spring issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews.
Statistics on the number of ballots per player, number of first-place votes, total points per player, and who voted will be published.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2013 GIANTS!

201 ballots were accepted for the 2013 Giants of Backgammon.
57% of the ballots came from voters outside the USA.
464 different players were nominated as Giants.

Here are the Top 32 international players who received the most votes, followed by Runner-up players 33-64:

"Mochy" Mochizuki at the 2014 Texas Championships
"Michy" Kageyama at the 2011 Las Vegas Open
[Photos by CJC]

*Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2011.

RANK	2013 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	Masayuki Mochizuki (2)	Japan
2.	Michihito Kageyama (4)	Japan
3.	"Falafel" Natanzon (1)	Israel
4.	Neil Kazaross (3)	USA
5.	Matt Cohn-Geier (5)	USA
6.	Petko Kostadinov (20)	USA
7.	Lars Trabolt (12)	Denmark
8.	Bob Wachtel (9)	USA
9.	Steve Sax (10)	USA
10.	Jacob "Stick" Rice (6)	USA
11.	Victor Ashkenazi (52)	USA
12.	Malcolm Davis (21)	USA
13.	Paul Weaver (11)	USA
14.	Kit Woolsey (8)	USA
15.	John O'Hagan (13)	USA
16.	Ralf Jonas (15)	Germany
17.	Akiko Yazawa (108)	Japan
18.	Sander Lylloff (7)	Denmark
19.	Gus Jacobsen Hansen (17)	Denmark
20.	Ray Fogerlund (16)	USA
21.	Ed O'Laughlin (18)	USA
22.	Bill Robertie (28)	USA
23.	Tobias Hellwag (19)	Germany
24.	Jürgen Orlowski (22)	Germany
25.	Mike Senkiewicz (26)	USA
26.	Karsten Bredahl (39)	Denmark
27.	Fernando Braconi (31)	Italy
28.	Steen Grønbech (29)	Denmark
29.	Paul Magriel (34)	USA
30.	Nack Ballard (14)	USA
31.	Dana Nazarian (74)	USA
32.	Othello Itikawa (42)	Japan

*Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2011.

RANK	2013 RUNNERS-UP	COUNTRY
33.	Stepan Nuniyants (43)	USA
34.	Jeremy Bagai (40)	USA
35.	Carlo Melzi (46)	Italy
36.	Raj Jansari (38)	England
37.	Bill Phipps (90)	USA
38.	Bob Koca (35)	USA
39.	David Wells (27)	USA
40.	Carol Joy Cole (37)	USA
41.	Kenji Shimodaira (65)	Japan
42.	Joe Russell (25)	USA
43.	Mary Hickey (33)	USA
44.	Nevzat Dogan (---)	Denmark
45.	Morten Holm Lassen (24)	Denmark
46.	Jake Jacobs (36)	Singapore
47.	George Kleitsas (95)	Greece
48.	Marc B. Olsen (68)	Denmark
49.	Julian Fetterlein (44)	England
50.	Phil Simborg (62)	USA
51.	Thomas Kristensen (84)	Denmark
52.	Freddie Noer (300)	Denmark
53.	Richard Munitz (30)	USA
54.	Slava Pryadkin (377)	Ukraine
55.	Alfred Mamlet (51)	USA
56.	Alan Grunwald (140)	USA
57.	Kimon Papachristopoulos (323)	Germany
58.	Sabri Büyüksoy (71)	Turkey
59.	Kiyokazu Nishikawa (122)	Japan
60.	Mario Sequeira (53)	Portugal
61.	Bernhard Kaiser (187)	Germany
62.	Konstantinos Mitrelis (173)	Greece
63.	Christos Groutsos (120)	Greece
64.	Alain Babillon (85)	France

**Voter eligibility is determined by this Committee:

Giants of Backgammon Chairman: Yamin A. Yamin
Auditor: Jake Jacobs
Editor: Carol Joy Cole
Statistician: John Stryker

Howard Ring was one of our original Auditors. He passed away on 9/24/05 at the age of 45. We honor his memory.

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Updated April 6, 2014 by CJC

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FALAFEL IS THE #1 BACKGAMMON GIANT FOR 2011!

We received 167 valid ballots for the 2011 Giants, a huge increase from 126 in 2009! Thanks to all who voted!

A full report and complete statistics on the Top 64 players will appear in the Summer issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews.
Statistics on the number of ballots per player, number of first-place votes, total points per player, and who voted will be in print.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2011 GIANTS!

167 ballots were accepted for the 2011 Giants of Backgammon.
57% of the ballots came from voters outside the USA.
458 different players were nominated as Giants.

Here are the Top 32 international players who received the most votes, followed by players 33-64:

"Falafel" Natanzon at the 2012 US Open in San Francisco
"Mochy" Mochizuki at the 2011 Las Vegas Open
[Photos by CJC]

*Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2009.

RANK	2011 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	"Falafel" Natanzon (2)	Israel
2.	Masayuki Mochizuki (1)	Japan
3.	Neil Kazaross (3)	USA
4.	Michihito Kageyama (9)	Japan
5.	Matt Cohn-Geier (15)	USA
6.	Stick Rice (7)	USA
7.	Sander Lylloff (4)	Denmark
8.	Kit Woolsey (13)	USA
9.	Bob Wachtel (10)	USA
10.	Steve Sax (14)	USA
11.	Paul Weaver (25)	USA
12.	Lars Trabolt (8)	Denmark
13.	John O'Hagan (11)	USA
14.	Nack Ballard (6)	USA
15.	Ralf Jonas (84)	Germany
16.	Ray Fogerlund (16)	USA
17.	Gus Jacobsen Hansen (23)	Denmark
18.	Ed O'Laughlin (18)	USA
19.	Tobias Hellwag (108)	Germany
20.	Petko Kostadinov (28)	Bulgaria
21.	Malcolm Davis (20)	USA
22.	Jürgen Orlowski (27)	Germany
23.	François Tardieu (5)	France
24.	Morten Holm Lassen (12)	Denmark
25.	Joe Russell (30)	USA
26.	Mike Senkiewicz (32)	USA
27.	David Wells (134)	USA
28.	Bill Robertie (26)	USA
29.	Steen Grønbech (22)	Denmark
30.	Richard Munitz (21)	USA
31.	Fernando Braconi (33)	Italy
32.	Mike Corbett (17)	USA

*Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2009.

RANK	2011 RUNNERS-UP	COUNTRY
33.	Mary Hickey (53)	USA
34.	Paul Magriel (47)	USA
35.	Bob Koca (29)	USA
36.	Jake Jacobs (19)	Singapore
37.	Carol Joy Cole (44)	USA
38.	Raj Jansari (52)	England
39.	Karsten Bredahl (34)	Denmark
40.	Jeremy Bagai (55)	USA
41.	Takumitsu Suzuki (---)	Japan
42.	Othello Itikawa (64)	Japan
43.	Stepan Nuniyants (224)	USA
44.	Julian Fetterlein (37)	England
45.	Peter Jes Thomsen (24)	Denmark
46.	Carlo Melzi (56)	Italy
47.	Eli Roymi (319)	Israel
48.	Katja Sophie Spillum (36)	Norway
49.	Joe Sylvester (---)	USA
50.	Jörgen Granstedt (45)	Sweden
51.	Alfred Mamlet (---)	USA
52.	Victor Ashkenazi (63)	USA
53.	Mario Sequeira (57)	Portugal
54.	Mike Svobodny (39)	USA
55.	Fuat Erdag (---)	Turkey
56.	Mads W. Andersen (60)	Denmark
57.	Erhan Yenisen (---)	Turkey
58.	Philip Vischjager (54)	Netherlands
59.	Frank Talbot (51)	USA
60.	Ricardo Malas (249)	Spain
61.	Justin Nunez (---)	USA
62.	Phil Simborg (105)	USA
63.	Thomas Jespersen (48)	Denmark
64.	Lorenzo Rinaldo (---)	Italy

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MOCHY IS THE #1 BACKGAMMON GIANT FOR 2009!

We received more ballots for the 2009 Giants than ever before! Thanks to all who voted.

Complete statistics on the Top 64 players were published in the April 2010 issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews.
Stats on the number of ballots per player, the number of first-place votes, and the total points per player are in print.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2009 GIANTS!

126 ballots were submitted for the 2009 Giants of Backgammon.
55% of the ballots came from voters outside the USA.
321 different players were nominated as Giants.

Here are the Top 32 international players who received the most votes, followed by players 33-64:

"Mochy" Mochizuki after winning the 2009 World Championship in Monte Carlo,
and "Falafel" Natanzon at the 2009 New York Metropolitan Open
[Photos by CJC]

RANK	2009 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	Masayuki Mochizuki (6)	Japan
2.	"Falafel" Natanzon (1)*	Israel
3.	Neil Kazaross (5)	USA
4.	Sander Lylloff (4)	Denmark
5.	François Tardieu (3)	France
6.	Nack Ballard (2)	USA
7.	Stick Rice (63)	USA
8.	Lars Trabolt (16)	Denmark
9.	Michihito Kageyama (35)	Japan
10.	Bob Wachtel (9)	USA
11.	John O'Hagan (19)	USA
12.	Mort Holm Lassen (10)	Denmark
13.	Kit Woolsey (8)	USA
14.	Steve Sax (7)	USA
15.	Matt Cohn-Geier (--)	USA
16.	Ray Fogerlund (24)	USA
17.	Mike Corbett (27)	USA
18.	Ed O'Laughlin (22)	USA
19.	Jake Jacobs (14)	USA/Singapore
20.	Malcolm Davis (20)	USA
21.	Richard Munitz (30)	USA
22.	Steen Grønbech (68)	Denmark
23.	Gus Jacobsen Hansen (21)	Denmark
24.	Peter Jes Thomsen (11)	Denmark
25.	Paul Weaver (15)	USA
26.	Bill Robertie (17)	USA
27.	Jürgen Orlowski (51)	Germany
28.	Petko Kostadinov (29)	Bulgaria
29.	Bob Koca (--)	USA
30.	Joe Russell (79)	USA
31.	Walter Trice (26)	USA
32.	Mike Senkiewicz (18)	USA

*Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2007.

RANK	2009 RUNNERS-UP	COUNTRY
33.	Fernando Braconi (--)	Italy
34.	Karsten Bredahl (42)	Denmark
35.	Hugh Sconyers (34)	USA
36.	Katja Sophie Spillum (41)	Norway
37.	Julian Fetterlein (48)	England
38.	Dana Nazarian (31)	USA
39.	Mike Svobodny (36)	USA
40.	Jan Jacobowitz (73)	Germany
41.	Lars Bønding (13)	Denmark
42.	Jon Kristian Røyset (53)	Norway
43.	Andreas Humke (33)	Germany
44.	Carol Joy Cole (169)	USA
45.	Jörgen Granstedt (23)	Sweden
46.	Perry Gartner (40)	USA
47.	Paul Magriel (12)	USA
48.	Thomas Jespersen (76)	Denmark
49.	Karsten Nielsen (37)	Denmark
50.	Goetz Hildsberg (52)	Germany
51.	Frank Talbot (39)	USA
52.	Raj Jansari (266)	England
53.	Mary Hickey (96)	USA
54.	Philip Vischjager (60)	Netherlands
55.	Jeremy Bagai (55)	USA
56.	Carlo Melzi (92)	Italy
57.	Mario Sequeira (127)	Portugal
58.	Kent Goulding (44)	USA
59.	Najib Salamzy (99)	Germany
60.	Mads W. Andersen (43)	Denmark
61.	Volker Sonnabend (67)	Germany
62.	Giorgio Castellano (141)	Italy
63.	Victor Ashkenazi (253)	USA
64.	"Othello" Itikawa (95)	Japan

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We received a record number of ballots for the 2007 Giants! Thanks to all who voted.

Full statistics on the Top 64 players were published in the March 2008 issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews.

For the first time, the Top 64 players are listed on this website. See the list below the 32 Giants.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2007 GIANTS!

120 ballots were submitted for the 2007 Giants of Backgammon.
53% of the ballots came from voters outside the USA.
297 different players were nominated as Giants.

Here are the Top 32 international players who received the most votes:

Falafel Natanzon at the 2007 PartyGammon Million ~ Nack Ballard at the 2007 Las Vegas Open
[Photos by CJC]

Click here for photos of all 32 Giants of 2007.

RANK	2007 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	"Falafel" Natanzon (4)*	Israel
2.	Nack Ballard (1)	USA
3.	François Tardieu (3)	France
4.	Sander Lylloff (44)	Denmark
5.	Neil Kazaross (2)	USA
6.	Masayuki Mochizuki (28)	Japan
7.	Steve Sax (6)	USA
8.	Kit Woolsey (5)	USA
9.	Bob Wachtel (15)	USA
10.	Morten Holm Lassen (27)	Denmark
11.	Peter Jes Thomsen (12)	Denmark
12.	Paul Magriel (10)	USA
13.	Lars Bønding (7)	Denmark
14.	Jake Jacobs (14)	USA
15.	Paul Weaver (16)	USA
16.	Lars Trabolt (31)	Denmark
17.	Bill Robertie (20)	USA
18.	Mike Senkiewicz (19)	USA
19.	John O'Hagan (18)	USA
20.	Malcolm Davis (17)	USA
21.	Gus Jacobsen Hansen (26)	Denmark
22.	Ed O'Laughlin (29)	USA
23.	Jörgen Granstedt (13)	Sweden
24.	Ray Fogerlund (36)	USA
25.	Ralf Jonas (37)	Germany
26.	Walter Trice (23)	USA
27.	Mike Corbett (30)	USA
28.	Dirk Schiemann (8)	Germany
29.	Petko Kostadinov (152)	Bulgaria
30.	Richard Munitz (--)	USA
31.	Dana Nazarian (221)	USA
32.	Leo Fernandez (41)	Argentina

*Numbers in parentheses show their Giant ranking in 2005.

The Giants of 2007 were honored at the Nevada State Tournament in Las Vegas (April 15-20, 2008),
the Chicago Open (May 23-26, 2008), and the Michigan Summer Championships (July 3-6, 2008).

RANK	2007 RUNNERS-UP	COUNTRY
33.	Andreas Humke (40)	Germany
34.	Hugh Sconyers (33)	USA
35.	Michihito Kageyama (133)	Japan
36.	Mike Svobodny (24)	USA
37.	Karsten Nielsen (49)	Denmark
38.	Joe Sylvester (250)	USA
39.	Frank Talbot (21)	USA
40.	Perry Gartner (51)	USA
41.	Katja Spillum (59)	Norway
42.	Karsten Bredahl (63)	Denmark
43.	Mads Peter Andersen (22)	Denmark
44.	Kent Goulding (46)	USA
45.	Peter Heitmüller (47)	Germany
46.	Jerry Grandell (9)	Sweden
47.	Johannes Levermann (11)	Germany
48.	Julian Fetterlein (97)	England
49.	Bob Glass (48)	USA
50.	David Wells (25)	USA
51.	Jürgen Orlowski (143)	Germany
52.	Goetz Hildsberg (--)	Germany
53.	Jon Kristian Røyset (137)	Norway
54.	Andreas Märtens (150)	Germany
55.	Jeremy Bagai (53)	USA
56.	Serge Rived (58)	France
57.	Rick Barabino (65)	USA
58.	Hugh McNeil (39)	Canada
59.	Gregg Cattanach (50)	USA
60.	Philip Vischjager (--)	Netherlands
61.	Mogens Knudsen (55)	Denmark
62.	Arkadiy Tsinis (68)	USA
63.	Stick Rice (--)	USA
64.	Howard Markowitz (38)	USA

Complete statistical results for the Top 64 players in the world are published in the March 2008 issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews.
Further inquiries may be sent to cjc@flintbg.com

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2005 GIANTS!

98 ballots were submitted in 2005, of which 45% came from foreign voters. The ballots nominated 273 different players for the Giants of Backgammon. Here are the 32 top-ranked players in the world:

[Photos by Bill Davis]

RANK	2003 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	NACK BALLARD (1)*	USA
2.	Jerry Grandell (2)	Sweden
3.	Dirk Schiemann (4)	Germany
4.	Johannes Levermann (3)	Germany
5.	Paul "X-22" Magriel (6)	USA
6.	David Wells (23)	USA
7.	Neil Kazaross (7)	USA
8.	"Falafel" Natanzon (17)	Israel
9.	Mads Peter Andersen (16)	Denmark
10.	Jörgen Granstedt (5)	Sweden
11.	Kit Woolsey (10)	USA
12.	Jake Jacobs (9)	USA
13.	Steve Sax (20)	USA
14.	François Tardieu (21)	France
15.	Bill Robertie (14)	USA
16.	Mike Senkiewicz (8)	USA
17.	Peter Jes Thomsen (13)	Denmark
18.	Michael Meyburg (11)	Germany
19.	Mike Svobodny (12)	USA
20.	Paul Weaver (19)	USA
21.	Malcolm Davis (31)	USA
22.	Howard Ring (18)	USA
23.	Gus Jacobsen Hansen (22)	Denmark
24.	Lars Bønding (176)	Denmark
25.	Brian Elgaard (68)	Denmark
26.	Kent Goulding (15)	USA
27.	Hugh Sconyers (32)	USA
28.	Morten Holm (40)	Denmark
29.	Mike Corbett (34)	USA
30.	Ralf Jonas (33)	Germany
31.	Frank Talbot (37)	USA
32.	Leo Fernandez (25)	Argentina

*Numbers in parentheses show their rank in 2001.

Voters soared to a new record in 2003: There were 117 international voters who nominated 268 different players for the Giants of Backgammon. The Top 32 Giants were honored at the International Cup in Las Vegas (May 5-9, 2004), the Chicago Open (May 28-31, 2004) and the Michigan Summer Championships in Novi (July 1-4, 2004).

Complete statistical results on the Top 64 players in the world were published in the March 2004 issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews. Further inquiries may be sent to cjc@flintbg.com

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Voters set a new record in 2001: There were 92 international voters who nominated 248 different players for the Giants of Backgammon. The Top 32 Giants were honored at the Chicago Open (May 24-27, 2002) and the Worldwide Twin Championships in Las Vegas (June 11-16, 2002).

Complete statistical results on the Top 64 players in the world were published in the March 2002 issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews. Further inquiries may be sent to cjc@flintbg.com

RANK	2001 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	NACK BALLARD	USA
2.	Jerry Grandell	Sweden
3.	Johannes Levermann	Germany
4.	Dirk Schiemann	Germany
5.	Jorgen Granstedt	Sweden
6.	Paul "X-22" Magriel	USA
7.	Neil Kazaross	USA
8.	Michael Senkiewicz	USA
9.	Jake Jacobs	USA
10.	Kit Woolsey	USA
11.	Michael Meyburg	Germany
12.	Mike Svobodny	USA
13.	Peter Jes Thomsen	Denmark
14.	Bill Robertie	USA
15.	Kent Goulding	USA
16.	Mads Peter Andersen	Denmark
17.	Matvey "Falafel" Natanzon	Israel
18.	Howard Ring	USA
19.	Paul Weaver	USA
20.	Steve Sax	USA
21.	Francois Tardieu	France
22.	Gustav Jacobsen	Denmark
23.	David Wells	USA
24.	Rick Barabino	USA
25.	Leo Fernandez	Argentina
26.	Abe Mosseri	USA
27.	Harald Johanni	Germany
28.	Mario Kuehl	Germany
29.	Wilcox Snellings	USA
30.	Elliott Winslow	USA
31.	Malcolm Davis	USA
32.	Hugh Sconyers	USA

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The 1999 Giants of Backgammon were featured in the February 2000 issue of the Flint Area BackgammoNews. They were honored at the International Twin Championships in Las Vegas at the Desert Inn on April 28, 2000.

A record number of international voters (80) nominated 228 players for the 1999 Giants. Here are the Top 32 players who received the most points:

RANK	1999 GIANTS of BACKGAMMON	COUNTRY
1.	JERRY GRANDELL	Sweden
2.	Nack Ballard	USA
3.	Johannes Levermann	Germany
4.	Neil Kazaross	USA
5.	Paul "X-22" Magriel	USA
6.	Mike Senkiewicz	USA
7.	Michael Meyburg	Germany
8.	Dirk Schiemann	Germany
9.	Mike Svobodny	USA
10.	Kit Woolsey	USA
11.	Howard Ring	USA
12.	Malcolm Davis	USA
13.	Kent Goulding	USA
14.	Jake Jacobs	USA
15.	Bill Robertie	USA
16.	Billy Horan	USA
17.	Wilcox Snellings	USA
18.	Elliott Winslow	USA
19.	David Wells	USA
20.	Peter Jes Thomsen	Denmark
21.	Jorgen Granstedt	Sweden
22.	Phillip Marmorstein	Germany
23.	Hal Heinrich	Canada
24.	Abe Mosseri	USA
25.	Gustav Jacobsen	Denmark
26.	Joe Russell	USA
27.	Mike Corbett	USA
28.	Harald Johanni	Germany
29.	Frank Talbot	USA
30.	Peter Heitmueller	Germany
31.	Rick Barabino	USA
32.	Paul Weaver	USA

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PREVIOUS GIANTS OF BACKGAMMON

1993	1995	1997
1-Wilcox Snellings USA	Mike Senkiewicz USA	Wilcox Snellings USA
2-Mike Senkiewicz USA	Wilcox Snellings USA	Mike Senkiewicz USA
3-Joe Sylvester USA	Billy Horan USA	Nack Ballard USA
4-Paul Magriel USA	Nack Ballard USA	Mike Svobodny USA
5-Mike Svobodny USA	Paul Magriel USA	Paul Magriel USA
6-Bill Robertie USA	Joe Sylvester USA	Neil Kazaross USA
7-Nack Ballard USA	Mike Svobodny USA	Billy Horan USA
8-Kent Goulding USA	Kent Goulding USA	Kit Woolsey USA
9-Kit Woolsey USA	Bill Robertie USA	Jerry Grandell SWE
10-Jason Lester USA	Neil Kazaross USA	Bill Robertie USA
11-Billy Horan USA	James Colen USA	Kent Goulding USA
12-Tino Lechich AUSL	Kit Woolsey USA	Joe Sylvester USA
13-Phillip Marmorstein GER	Phillip Marmorstein GER	Malcolm Davis USA
14-Hal Heinrich CAN	Joe Russell USA	James Colen USA
15-Joe Russell USA	Evert van Eijck NL	Phillip Marmorstein GER
16-Tom Lumper GER	Hal Heinrich CAN	Hal Heinrich CAN
17-Neil Kazaross USA	Tino Lechich AUSL	Peter Jes Thomsen DEN
18-Ed O'Laughlin USA	Howard Ring USA	Joe Russell USA
19-Bob Wachtel USA	Jason Lester USA	Jason Lester USA
20-Sandy Lubetkin USA	Malcolm Davis USA	Evert van Eijck NL
21-Frank Talbot USA	Thomas Lumper GER	David Wells USA
22-Malcolm Davis USA	Ed O'Laughlin USA	Gustav Jacobsen DEN
23-Mike Corbett USA	Sandy Lubetkin USA	Howard Ring USA
24-James Colen USA	Abbas Zaltash USA	Thomas Lumper GER
25-Paul Weaver USA	Peter Jes Thomsen DEN	Jake Jacobs USA
26-Alan Steffen USA	Rolf Schreuder NL	Mike Corbett USA
27-Walter Trice USA	Alan Steffen USA	Elliott Winslow USA
28-Jack Kissane USA	Frank Talbot USA	Tino Lechich AUSL
29-Howard Ring USA	Harry Cohn USA	Paul Weaver USA
30-Rolf Schreuder NL	Herb Gurland USA	Johannes Levermann GER
31-Erik Seidel USA	Walter Trice USA	Stuart Hosen USA
32-Herb Gurland USA	Paul Weaver USA	Sandy Lubetkin USA

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Compiled by CJC
Flint Area Backgammon Homepage