10th MERIT Open International Backgammon Championship

MERIT PARK HOTEL & CASINO and WBF Worldwide Backgammon Federation are proud to announce that the 10^th MERIT OPEN INTERNATIONAL BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP is confirmed and shall take place place on 7^th – 12^th November, 2023.
You can find the flyer here. Below, we would like to share some details about the new concept of the project.

1.ADDED MONEY PRIZE: We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the event by increasing the added money prize to 30.000 €.

2.CATEGORIES & INSCRIPTION FEES: “Warm-Up” is replaced with “Seniors”. All other categories and formats will remain the same & fees of previous years will be applied without any increment.

3.MERIT PARK ACCOMMODATION RATES: In 2023, there is a major increase in accommodation rates of all first segment “all inclusive” concept casino hotel facilities in Northern Cyprus, with the governmental aim of converting the northern coast of the island into a luxury destination. Our host Merit Park Hotel adapted to this new approach as well by renovating its rooms and opening some additional bar & recreational facilities inside. Special daily accommodation rates are 265 Euros for single, 350 Euros for double & 475 Euros for triple accommodations, with ultra all inclusive concept, including full time food and beverage services. You can find the details about hotel concept here.

4.ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS: As we expect this major increase in Merit Park Hotel accommodation rates may result with an increased need for alternative hotel options, we have made our deals with 6 other facilities, which are obviously more basic compared to our event hotel, at the same time offering comfortable rooms for cheaper rates. 4 of them are not in walking distance, and we will be offering free shuttle service every event day at noon and midnight between those hotels and Merit Park Hotel. Detailed info about alternative accommodation options can be found here.

5.FOOD & BEVERAGE IN MERIT PARK: Our guests staying in Merit Park Hotel will be offered full time unlimited food and beverage services. Those who stay in alternative hotels can join unlimited food concept for 40€ per day (hotel restaurant will be operating full time between 12:00-21:30 each event day) & unlimited alcoholic drinks concept for 25€ per day. In case of joining both concepts at once, it is 60€ per day.
Inside the playing hall, all event guests, no matter where they stay, will be offered unlimited complimentary non-alcoholic drinks & a buffet of rich coffee break concept including snacks and soup during event hours.

6.AIRPORT TRANSFERS: Our organization will be offering paid airport transfer service from 2 major airports on the island, for 30€ one way from/to Nicosia Ercan Airport (45 minutes drive – 60 € round trip) & 45€ from/to Larnaca Airport (80 minutes drive – 90 € round trip).

Being the largest scale backgammon gathering of annual calendar for years, with its top quality service in hotel premises and the event with an average of 50 national flags being represented each year, we hope to see you at Merit Open once again, in our 10th anniversary.

Marco Fornasir & Arda Findikoglu

Directors of the 10^th MERIT OPEN International Backgammon Championship

WBF GOLDEN CIRCUIT 2023

After the ISTANBUL OPEN 2023 (won by Turkish Burak Hakki) and the 5^th MERIT OPEN Montenegro Grand Prix (won by the German Guido Weidner), the WBF GOLDEN CIRCUIT 2023resumes in:

Innsbruck from 4^th to 8^th October, 2023 with the XXXIII EUROPEAN BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP MEMORIAL ALBERTO da PRA;

10^th MERIT OPEN – INTERNATIONAL BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP from 6^th to 12^th November, 2023;

the traditional XXIV AUSTRIAN BACKGAMMON OPEN & AUSTRIAN DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP | valid for the 34^th Italian Backgammon Championship, from 29^th November to 3^rd December, 2023.

PRIVATE WBF TOURNAMENTS

WBF organizes private tournaments on high profile structures on request.
These tournaments are organized at the request of gentlemen who do not like to participate in public tournaments and are invitational tournaments.
Those who wish to participate and believe they have the right profile for this type of event can request information via email at info@wbf.net.