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BGonline.org Forums
Pittsburgh Final
Posted By: Bill Riles
Date: Monday, 31 March 2008, at 3:00 p.m.
Not the greatest match ever because it was very one-sided dicewise.
However, a most entertaining and poignant match. Well-attended, good-natured banter from players and spectators alike, the classic David vs. Goliath.
Ray Fogerlund, 2007 ABT Player of the Year, among the 32 Giants of Backgammon, and well-known writer/personality on the backgammon circuit vs. Jon Vietor, well-known and liked journeyman ABT player seventeen years removed from his last ABT victory.
Ray made the final through the requisite combination of great play and good fortune -- he beat me in the first round where it appeared twice in the last game that I had a lock gammon for the win; in the second round he took a questionable 4-cube against Richard Munitz (2006 ABT champ, 2007 ABT runner-up) but followed with boxcars on his first roll to begin a run to victory; he beat Al Hodis in the third round (a match I did not see but that was close in score); he beat Carter Mattig by rolling the Carter-nemesis 5-5 to escape a match losing gammon and force a DMP game; and then he beat Michael Edge in the semifinal to gain a seat at the final table. I think Ray's experience, tenacity, and game management skills again served him well.
Jon made a quieter, stealth run through the top half of the bracket. I don't recall all of his opponents but I do know he beat our own Chuck Bower in the quarterfinals. He then faced Dana Nazarian, looking to repeat on his 2007 Pittsburgh championship, in the semifinals. The growing audience and the increasing pressure of his tournament advance began to show as Jon appeared a bit unnerved and played very fast, though tentative with decisions on occasion, and made several oversights that could have cost him dearly against a player as skilled as Dana. However, Jon hung in and ground out an 11-8 victory.
The final was amazing entertainment and, despite most disparate dice, extremely well played. I think Jon's great familiarity with Ray and their good friendship comforted him a bit in the final. Though a bit nervous and anxious by nature and with the pressure of the final with a large and boisterous audience, Jon maintained poise and played very well with very good dice.
The crowd -- knowing, liking, and appreciating both players -- nonetheless was rowdy in its cheering and rooting for Jon. Ray, in his typical good nature, bantered with the crowd and took the blitz match loss in stride. He had told me before the match that it wouldn't be the walkover many thought it would be and, though he very much wanted to win, he knew how much a win would mean to Jon and that he would be the first to stand and applaud/congratulate Jon if he won. And Ray graciously did exactly that.
I video-recorded the match for the players and have now entered it into Snowie -- yes, it is only Monday morning, but it was only a 48 minute match -- and the stats are a bit surprising. Jon played 3.07, Ray played 3.10, and the luck rating was +42.7 Jon for the match.
All the myriad of players -- greats and journeymen alike -- almost got our poignant symbolic tournament victory with Larry Liebster's great run to a huge lead in the Midwest Championship semifinals but, alas, once again the clock struck midnight and the coach became a pumpkin as the accomplished Ray Glaeser ground out a win and went on to win the final.
This time, however, the sun was shining throughout the match and the 'every-player' fired very accurately with a slingshot full of very sharp rocks to defeat the Giant 13-1.
Quite the match, gents. I was privileged to have witnessed the good backgammon, the gracious play, the common banter and appreciation of the players and kibbitzers, and the win for us all.
Congrats.
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