![]() ![]() ![]() Obolensky realized that this would permit something like an international backgammon tournament to be staged and he was just the man to put it together and pull it off. By the 1960s air travel was commonplace and relatively cheap. The hotel had just opened and was eager for an event to advertise its new casino, so the tournament seemed a natural fit.īackgammon had a huge surge of popularity in the 1920s and 1930s but travel then was slow and very expensive, so any tournaments of that era were local affairs. In 1963 he and a friend, Bindy Banker, a Wall Street stockbroker, decided to hold a tournament at the Lucaya Beach Hotel on Grand Bahama Island and invite his friends from the various clubs. Obolensky knew most of the backgammon players at the exclusive men’s clubs in New York, Florida, Chicago, and Los Angeles. His occupation was a real estate broker in the Palm Beach area. For most of his life he divided his time between homes in New York City and Palm Beach. ![]() in the 1920s with his parents and graduated from the University of Virginia in the 1930s. Obolensky’s family was of Russian origin but fled to France after the Bolshevik revolution. (I always thought he should have been elected with the first class of inductees, but better late than never.) For those who aren’t familiar with Oby or his accomplishments, here’s a brief biographical sketch. This year, Prince Alexis Obolensky was elected to the American Backgammon Hall of Fame. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |