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BGonline.org Forums
Dorn gets the recognition he deserves
Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Monday, 7 December 2015, at 7:27 a.m.
Dorn beat me a little while ago in the finals of Consolation in the California State Championships, and his victory propels him to the No. 1 spot in the ABT for the year.
Not a bad accomplishment for someone who only played in 4 events!
Compare that to most of the rest of us high on the ABT list this year and most years....most all of us played in at least twice that many.
Every year for the past few years Dorn only plays in a few events yet his win/loss record might just be the best of anyone. I am not sure, but I wouldn't be surprise.
What does surprise me is that his name does not make it to the Giants list...he certainly deserves it in my opinion, even if he didn't roll out of his ass to backgammon me twice to beat me in the finals. (For those of you who don't know me, or are looking for an excuse to always find a way to criticize someone, I was joking. I rolled well to win the first few games and I would bet if the match had been recorded that he outplayed me and deserved the win. I would not bet against Dorn on PR even money).
Dorn and I have been good friends for 20 or more years and I am very happy for him.
I am also happy to see Al Hodis, who was ill, back in the swing of things and he won a very exciting finals match against Joe Russell. Joe would have won the ABT if he had won that match, and he lost a very tough last game where he was highly favored, to lose the match. If Joe had won, he would have been No. 1 in the ABT. (My second place consolation win put in in 6th for the year, I believe, and I am very proud to be in the top 10 of such a tough field of players.) Anyone who doesn't put Joe Russell high on his giant voting isn't paying attention, in my opinion.
I had a nice turnout for my lecture, even though it was a 9AM in a city where most people get up around noon on the weekends, and it was lively and fun and I think all enjoyed it.
Nobody runs a tournament better than Patrick, and when there is a ruling or disagreement, he handles it quickly, decisively and fairly. His all-female staff is the best.
I just want to say it was a great, fun year, and as much as I love the ABT and the tournaments and all my great friends, next year I will be going to far fewer tournaments in the US and more overseas as circumstances allow me to travel more and I simply can't do both. So it was most gratifying for me to cash in the last event of the year.
Hat's off to Bill Davis and all the directors. I can say, across the board, something I was not always able to say a few years ago: I think that every single ABT director is excellent and every tournament I went to last year was unique and fun. Not every tournament was completely well-organized and and some could use improvement in that area, but I know the directors who had problems realize their mistakes and will work hard to make their future tournaments even better. We are lucky to live in a country that offers so many great events with so many great directors and players. I will miss you guys next year as I will only make events where I am lecturing or that are in Chicago or I happen to have to be in that city.
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