Aberdeen Backgammon Club is on the hunt for new members after competing in Scotland’s first ever tournament at the weekend.
Seven members headed to Glasgow for the event, which had 48 competitors from across Scotland, as well as from the north of England and Ireland.
Two of the Aberdeen representatives secured a final and quarter-final place in the tournament, through Mutlu Ustan and Bill Williamson respectively.
The north-east will host the Granite City Open in spring, which will take place at Westhill’s Holiday Inn on May 6 and 7, with invitations being given out to members of the UK Backgammon Federation.
One member of the club who attended at the weekend was Ian Cukrowski, 65, who is best known as being the former owner of MacBeans Coffee Roasters in Aberdeen’s Little Belmont Street.
After retiring in December, after 33 years, Mr Cukrowski said he “fancied getting my teeth stuck into something” during his “autumn years” and decided to take up backgammon, which he learned to play as a university student in Dundee during the 1970s.
Backgammon has been played since the 17th century and is particularly popular in the Eastern Mediterranean region. It is considered as Lebanon’s national sport.
Mr Cukrowski said that the game was first explained to him as “a game of Ludo for idiots”, however, admits that this comparison is a “real disservice to the game”.
Aberdeen Backgammon Club ‘would really love to recruit some new members’
An exciting time for the Aberdeen Backgammon Club, especially with the Granite Open fast approaching, they are in the hunt for more people to come along and join.
Mr Cukrowski said: “We would really love to recruit some new members to our club where lessons and tips can be learned.”
As well as competing in the weekend’s event in Glasgow, some members of the club have travelled to other places in the UK, including Newcastle and Stoke, to compete.
Like being part of any club, the former business owner says joining is a good social experience, however, the “incredibly important game” also has a number of health benefits as well, including helping stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Mr Cukrowski explains: “It’s a really, really good workout for your brain. I know after playing two or three hours of backgammon, I feel like I’ve done a real workout from my head.”
‘It’s a great social game’
“There are prizes and all that, but for me, it’s a great social game: it’s great to meet new people.”
In total, about a dozen play at the club, which has “no commitment” except going along on a Wednesday night, 7pm to 9.30pm, to their meeting place at the Sportsman’s Club on Aberdeen’s Queen’s Road.
For more information, email club chairwoman Brenda Rafferrty at brenda.donraffy@gmail.com or Ian Cukrowski at iancuk57@gmail.com.
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