Brighton players win UK Backgammon championship

Winners Chris Jones, Paul Statter, Mike Grabsky, Jude Le Patourel and Dan Rovira (L-R)

A backgammon club from Brighton has returned victorious after winning the National Backgammon Federation Club championships.

The event, held at the University of York on Saturday, saw the Brighton team compete against 31 opposing teams from Kent, London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and the North East.

Backgammon is heralded as one of the oldest board games in the world, with versions of it having been played around the world for more than 5,000 years, the UK Backgammon Federation (UKBGF) say.

Brighton Backgammon Premier League (BBPL) captain Mike Grabsky said: "It was a team effort from start to finish."

Two five-player squads from Brighton faced a field of 31 elite teams from across the UK, with both of the seaside town's teams making it through to the final 16.

Mr Grabsky continued: "Every player contributed when it mattered. We're all constantly working hard at our game and this result shows that Brighton belongs at the top level of UK backgammon."

The UKBGF said the newly won title "adds further prestige to Brighton's growing reputation on the backgammon scene" with two international tournaments hosted in the city each year.

The 2026 national championships are set to be held across the border in Canterbury, Kent.