The American Backgammon Tour’s US Open recently took place on June 4th through the 7th in Washington D.C. Twenty four players competed in the event and it was Carol Joy Cole who managed to outlast the field and take down the win.

Cole beat the 1989 Backgammon World Champion in the final round to become the first woman ever to win the US Open tournament. Cole commented: “It was a huge thrill. I definitely was an underdog in that match. I was ecstatic. Joe Russell (the runner up) was a very gracious opponent. He knew it was a competitive match. I didn’t win just on luck.”

Cole has a long history of backgammon victories as she has been playing the game for over thirty years. She has her children to thank as she learned the game to keep up with them after they learned the game from their babysitter. Since learning the game Cole has won national tournaments, participated in international tournaments and founded the Flint Area Backgammon Club. Now she can add the US Open win to her long list of achievements.





- 2009-06-18